After winning the Mystery Ranch 6500 in the BAYED contest on On Your Own Adventures Forum – Hunt Talk, I’ve been trying to give this pack the workout it deserves.

Immediately, this pack became my go-to pack while shed hunting and bear hunting in the spring and carrying the spotting scope and other goodies.

Over the summer I took it everywhere with me.  The 6500 carried my gear deep into trail-less areas several times, on quests for cutthroat and golden trout.

Trying to get away from the crowds while paddle-fishing on the Missouri, I got a chance to haul out my first critter for the pack.

The pack even got to come to work with me a few times. Working on the Charles M. Russell NWR, I helped dig out a 75 million year old Elasmosaur fossil.  I packed in bags of plaster and five gallon water jugs for the crew using the NICE Frame and Load Sling.  I even packed out the skull of the beast encased in rock and plaster. It was the heaviest load I’ve ever carried.  The pack did great!

August through November the pack never went more than a few of days without getting sweat on it.  From bowhunting antelope in the breaks to chasing elk up high in the Gallatin Range, the pack came with.  After having many close calls during archery season, I ended up empty handed for elk with a bow.

I was, however, able to harvest a six-point bull as soon as rifle season began.  The bull came out pretty easy with the NICE Frame and Load Sling.  Help from my friends was an added benefit!

Although my buck from this year didn’t require packing, the 6500 was still there carrying my gear on our float trip in which we accessed land-locked public land via river.

Throughout the year, the NICE 6500 accompanied me on many adventures.  It’s the best pack I’ve ever used.  I am planning to add more MR’s to my collection for day hunting and skiing as soon as funds allow.

Thanks Mystery Ranch Backpacks and On Your Own Adventures for the amazing pack!

Congratulations to the winners of the 2012 Freeskiing World Tour in Revelostoke!  Here are a few shots from our very own Meg Haywood Sullivan. Thanks again Meg.  For full coverage, follow this link:

http://espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/story/_/id/7429572/kye-petersen-angel-collinson-win-revelstoke-freeskiing-world-tour&Asf

The next stop on the tour travels to our neck of the woods.  Good luck to everyone at round 4 of the tour, at Moonlight Basin, Montana.

Poppin new Saddle Peak colors..

Fresh

Finally, somewhere has snow this winter...

On the evening of September 23, all that success sparked against a bit of luck, which sent my arrow flying. And so I harvested a gorgeous Montana archery bull.

Mike drew a prime moose tag this season, and he was out scouting some new country. At first light, he saw a fine herd of elk, but his main goal was to find one of the big bull moose he knew hung out in these hills.  Eight hours later, just before dark, he decided to wander a ways over toward the elk – four miles to be exact. A couple of cow calls, and suddenly a satellite bull was in his lap. He released an arrow at 35 yards, the razor-sharp broadhead did its work, and he heard the young bull hit the ground.

It was late and dark with no cell service. He hurriedly gutted his elk in prime grizzly country, and grew rightfully nervous on the hike out. With the smell of blood on his hands, he jumped at every shadow.

He remembered the landowner’s words when he asked for permission: “Have at it son, but watch out. There is an ornery griz in there. He chased us in our quads and almost ran our hired hand through a barb wire fence.”

He’d spilled the guts and the meat was cooling, and as he headed for cell range, he thought about whom he could call to come help him pack it out. It turned out to be a long list, but as a testament to what kind of man he is, he only needed to make two phone calls. I am honored to have received one of them.

Those two calls netted him three helpers, and early the next morning, four of us assembled in the dark at the trailhead for couple hours of hiking and hauling. We had four cans of pepper spray and some slightly stronger deterrents in hand. I was packing a slug gun, and a buddy had his defender loaded to the hilt. The last thing we wanted to do was give the statisticians more maulings to count.

As we headed through the dense underbrush, we could hear elk bugling not far from the kill site. Mike had made a perfect shot and got out of there without spooking the herd. A great bowhunter, friend and father, he always has a long list of friends ready to pitch in. Mike’s generosity in helping out others and the fact that he is such a good guy puts a bunch of people at the ready when he needs a hand.

Our Mystery Ranch packs out-hauled our friends’ pack frames by a wide margin. They’re so comfortable and easy to load that for a little while, I worried more about Mike’s friends sneaking into my garage and taking my pack than I did about any bears in the area.

Of course, they were friends of Mike too, so there was nothing to worry about. We made it back to the trailhead without any incident with bears, and the fellas said they couldn’t wait to get home and put their packs up on eBay.

Do you ever get called to help your friends pack out meat? Who do you call when it’s your animal?

When: Thursday, September 19th, 7 to 11 p.m.

Why: Mystery Ranch is proud to sponsor “Perfect Moments of Shred,” a photo fundraiser for the Aaron Robinson Plant a Seed Foundation. The night of snowboarding-inspired photographs will be a celebration of the life of Aaron Robinson, a Montana-based snowboarder who died while snowboarding in Chile this summer.

The show will feature a curated collection of iconic photographs from the snowboard world that have never been available for public purchase, until now. This limited edition series features work by the following internationally respected photographers: Jeff Curtes, Tim Zimmerman, Andy Wright, Mike Yoshida, Jenna Low, Scott Serfas, Oli Gagnon, Liam Gallagher, Colin Wiseman Scott Sullivan, Frode Sandbech, Reid Morth, Matt Georges and Chris Owen.

Proceeds from the event will Benefit the Aaron Robinson Plant a Seed Foundation, a Whitefish Based non-profit started after Aaron’s untimely death, which will help carry out Aaron’s dream of providing underprivileged children the opportunity to experience a passion and love for snowboarding.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“He’s one of the best pack sewers and designers… ever,” says hunting guru and Mystery Ranch marketing director Mark Seacat.

Ray Baker, rockin’ the mutton chops, is photographing the trip. We’ll post his photos here when he gets back.

MEET BRIAN TAI: He’s an experienced firefighter who started consulting to build fire packs in 2004, and joined the Mystery Team in 2008. These days, he heads up sales development and marketing for our fire line.

Brian Tai does some explaining at the basecamp in Ashford, WA.

But this week, Brian and Ray will need more than superior sewing and selling skills to survive. They’re currently climbing the 14,411-foot Mt. Rainier with wounded veterans Derrick James Ford, Eric Andrew Cowan, and Gilbert “Mag” Magallanes as part of Camp Patriot, the organization that takes disabled vets on outdoor adventures.

Seeing as Ford and Cowan have each had a leg amputated, and Magallanes survived the blast of a 2000-pound bomb with multiple injuries, the folks at Camp Patriot certainly could have picked an easier mountain. But for the fifth year in a row, this organization has been putting wounded vets on Rainier to give them a sense of adventure and victory.

The guys have to earn it.

The Camp Patriot Climbers on the Muir Snowfield, with Rainier’s summit looming ahead.

Rainier is the most glaciated peak in the lower 48, with 26 major glaciers grinding at its flanks. When moist frontal systems sweep in from the Pacific and collide with the mountain’s massif, violent storms can result, with precipitation and gales to sweep the ice clear of tents, equipment and the occasional unfortunate climber.

Rainier’s 13,211-foot shoulder drop gives it more geographic prominence than K2, and climbers must ascend more than 9,000 feet from the parking area at Paradise. Once on the summit, they look down upon the mountain’s two volcanic craters. Geothermal heat radiating from those craters has created the largest glacial cave system in the world, with two miles of passages winding down through the ice to reach the highest crater lake in all of North America.

Camp Patriot climbers on the ascent to Camp Muir, the last camp before their summit push.

Though he lives and works in the shadow of Rainier, Ray has never reached its summit. He did try once, but being pressed for time, he and a buddy attempted to push from Seattle to the summit in a single day.

“Our legs were fine to keep going, but we just couldn’t stop puking. Altitude sickness will do that to you,” he says, laughing.

Ray doesn’t think altitude will be much of a problem this time around, since he’ll have more time to acclimatize. And he probably knows what he’s talking about, since he’s no nube when it comes to high, frozen peaks. A couple years ago, he and a handful of other Ranchers headed to Alaska and climbed Denali.

But even with his experience, he says, “It’s going to be a lot of hard work. I think I’m in reasonable shape, but I haven’t been training.”

Brian is an avid skier, but says he’s not much of a mountaineer. Still, he’s “not too worried about the physical aspect of climbing Rainier.”

The mountain won’t be Brian and Ray’s only challenge. They are there to serve the veterans of Camp Patriot, and neither of them knows exactly what that will entail, either physically or emotionally. They are, however, determined to do whatever is needed, and seem downright excited to get to know the men who have sacrificed greatly for their country.

“I’m just going into it with an open mind,” Brian says. “I’m really looking forward to the stories and getting to know these guys in this context.”

“I want to get to know the guys,” Ray echoes. “But I don’t want to be too prying. I don’t want to cross lines or boundaries I’m unaware of,” he says.

Curtis Fawley, lead guide (far left), arrives at Pebble Creek with two of the three climbing disabled veteran’s and other guide support members.

Ray and Brian have given Mystery Ranch Backpacks to the veterans and volunteers to carry while making the climb. They were scheduled to leave from Camp Muir, 10,080 feet, at 12 a.m. this morning to make the final summit push. The forecast called for showers and a chance of thunderstorms, and the snow level dropped to 9,000 feet overnight.

If the weather permitted, and all went well, Brian, Ray, Derrick, Eric and Mag are standing at the summit as we publish this post. Check back soon for more updates.

I find myself in the heat of France. Yes it is hot, hot, hot, and my route has been slightly altered so as to escape the afternoon asphalt melt fest.  By about 10:30 am, the tar on the road begins to get tacky and stick to the bottoms of my shoes. Already by this time, the sweat is dripping off my forehead… and what happened to the breeze? But I am not here to write about the heat.

I have completed my first week on the trail. WOOT!! And it has been incredible: little sleepy french villages, rolling hills, flowers and gardens galore. I actually feel like I am on a very long garden tour, passing through backyards… I now know four different ways to set up poles for beans, and one day when I have land and a garden, I shall try them all and decide which I like best.  I set forth on the trail with vigour and determination, ready for big long days covering many miles. Little did I know that the trail had other plans, being very much in charge, and offering challenge without hesitation.

On my second day, I encountered my greatest fear, a wild dog. Ok, well, it wasn’t wild, but it was certainly angry and was not hesitant to prove it had sharp teeth and would have been very happy to sink them into my leg. Luckily, my leg was not a morning snack, and said dog eventually tired of me standing there like a trembling fool and sat in the shade, watching so that I dared not advance. Not really having the resorces or experience to solve this problem, I did the next best thing I could think of, I found a male escort. Yes, how very damsel-in-distress of me, but I didn’t much feel like waiting the whole day for someone to pass or the dog to go home. Regardless, my escort felt very special, I am sure, and also told me I could throw rocks, which is apparently a good deterrent. Though having not actually seen it in action, I am skeptical of the tactic and cross my fingers that I won’t have to test it. I have since encountered many delightful tail wagging pups who have restored my faith in European dogs. They’re not all bad.

I would say that has been the most challenging thing I have encountered thus far. The days continue to go well and I am figuring out a daily routine.  The French don’t know what the word stress is, as their lifestyle is incredibly laid back, which makes it difficult to plan things like meals. Their hours are very mixed, taking the afternoon off despite a sign in the window that says what time they open in the afternoon. It’s no longer surprising if the store remains closed the rest of the day. Lodging, too, has been interesting, a good lesson to research guidebooks more thoroughly beforehand.  Though there are places listed, there are no addresses, making it a challenge to find a place to stay, except for campgrounds, which have become my norm.

Here I have found some of the kindest folks who inquire about my journey, sharing tid bits of the local history and little windows into their own lives.  Last night, due to it being Monday (and in villages, things aren’t typically open on Mondays), the couple who ran the campground made me a delicious dinner and gave me the opportunity to get to know a few locals.  I am grateful for the little French I know. It has helped tremendously, though I feel the strain of my limited vocabulary. And yet somehow most of what I say is understood to some degree (I think).

The trail is very interesting, mostly old cart roads winding through the countryside. I’ve gone up a few steep mountainous hills that seem to go on forever and ever, and when I think I have reached a plateau, I turn a corner and up the trail goes.   The scramble is well worth it, for there is always a captivating view of the valley waiting at the top and often times a nice shady tree to stop and stretch my legs while catching my breath.

One highlight I have been greatly enjoying is eating Brie and Camembert cheese every day. It is one of the least expensive things, and I am quite certain I have begun to sweat in the smell of stinky cheese. And now when I open my bag, I get a waft of cheese…not sure if this is the most pleasant of things to be greeted with, but my belly is happy nonetheless.  French campers are very luxurious in comparison to home as well. They have modest sized campers, to which they add these large tents on the back to make an outdoor patio. However, I have noticed they prefer to take their plastic chairs and sit under a tree, rendering the whole tent portion pointless. There does not appear to be any camping with campfires, which is also interesting. I am still getting used to the differences here.

In five days, I anticipate arriving in Le Puy, which will mark the completion of section 1 (of 3) along the trail. Looking ahead at the days to come, the landscape is about to change to mountains and with fewer villages, and hopefully more shade.

For now, I shall wrap this up, as it’s time to go in search of a food store and maybe some ice cream.  Lots of love and happy thoughts….pictures soon to be posted and more adventures and stories to come.

Until then, happy trails and hugs!

-Fern

Dana Gleason and Luke Buckingham at the Official Ribbon and Tie Cutting Ceremony!

Moving into a brand new building this January was quite the event!  We captured the three day process through the camera lens… it only took 10,369 photos stitched together to make this video!

Lookout from the Unnatural Bridge, you can see where the Natural Bridge points where back in 1988.

The easy hike into the climbing / viewing area.

The Foyer, the entrance, a great place to warm up where several locals put up some new routes. Winds of Deception a 5.11d/12a is a classic route that must be climbed if it is within your grade, you can toprope and hang the route from the top if you just want to give it a try!

Ari Kaufman after a sweet run on Bio-Luminescence, a 70 foot route that you wished went on for atleast another 3,000 feet.

Ari Kaufman after a sweet run on Bio-Luminescence

Rocky Mountain Flowers - Mountain Blue Bell

Rocky Mountain Flowers - Arrow leaf

Natural Bridge Falls

Of course, the Dragon Slayer had to come with on this trip. The 2300 cubic inch pack is great for several different outings: BC skiing, hunting, and rock climbing. The bottle pockets can fit my 1.5 liter Kleen Kanteen! The main compartment gives you great organization with four internal pockets to keep everything from gathering at the bottom of bag. The Dragon will fit my Petzl harness and quickdraws, Five Ten shoes, RAB down jacket (in case the weather shifts, like it is known to in MT), a North Face rain jacket, a New England rope, and my lunch.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The day was perfect with rainy weather being blocked by the Paradise Valley Range plus sunny weather offering  a cool breeze.  We got about 5 pitches in for the day, taking it easy as we had a new puppy in our hands, making her “less than a hand count” trip out to the crag’s.  This place brings solitude as you are constantly surrounded by the noise of the water gushing through the rock and the serene green habitat with wild flowers everywhere makes it a destination area for climbers.  It still amazes me, when I go out climbing, that the hours can fly by feeling like I’ve only been there for an hour or two.  The present moment is definitely a part of this lifestyle and this is definitely a contributing factor to why I enjoy this sport.

Natural Bridge History Lesson

Montana has two Boulder Rivers. One is in the west central part of the state and runs into the Jefferson River near the town of Cardwell. The other Boulder River is a tributary of the Yellowstone and originates high in the Absaroka Mountains south of Big Timber MT. This Boulder River offers great visiting experiences for the Montana hiker, camper, angler or visitor.

The headwaters of the Boulder lie in the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness. This vast wilderness borders Yellowstone National Park and is one of the wildest areas in the lower 48 states. The Boulder springs from snow melt in the high mountains and travels nearly 30 miles on public lands (mostly US Forest Service) before it leaves the mountains and op-ens into a broad open agricultural valley. The Boulder River has long been renowned within Montana for its excellent recreation opportunities and many residents will tell you that the Boulder is one of their favorite places to visit.
Natural Bridge as seen in low water. The dry creek bed is obvious above the falls. The river has completely gone underground upstream of here and works its way through the porous sandstone to where it shoots out to become a surface river again. In high water the entire creek is pouring over the edge as well as through the underground channels. Prior to its collapse in 1988 the creek was spanned by a natural bridge that gave the park its name.

State Hwy 298 parallels the river until you hit the National Forest boundary and it becomes the graveled Boulder River Road.. Heading South from Big Timber Montana, 298 is an excellent paved road that runs through a broad valley studded with family ranches. This is productive agriculture land and the working ranches that fill the valley serve as a reminder of Montana’s cultural history. The lands surrounding the river are private property and, although Montana has very progressive access laws, it is difficult to access the river through this stretch.

About 16 miles south of Big Timber, Montana you reach McLeod, Montana where the first post office in the Boulder valley opened in 1886. This tiny town is at the junction of the West Boulder and main Boulder Rivers. The West Boulder is a sizable tributary that is very well known for its fine fly fishing and great hiking trails. A significant gravel road intersects with Hwy 298 near McLeod. this road, the Swingly Road, travels cross country to the outskirts of Livingston, Montana and makes a great drive as well as a take-off for other hiking trails and explorations.

Just outside of McLeod there is a Montana State Fishing Access Site located on the river. The Boulder Forks Fishing Access Site offers great access to an excellent fishing section of the Boulder River. Anglers in the Boulder fish for native Yellowstone cutthroat trout and Mountain whitefish as well as for wild brown and rainbow trout. The river is open to fishing all year long but most anglers find the best success in summer and fall.

Continuing through McLeod, the highway continues south toward the rapidly approaching mountains. After about three miles the East Boulder River enters and there is an access road that you can take that leads to several trailheads in the East Boulder Drainage. The East Boulder is a significant mining area that was first developed in 1893 when Ansel S. Hubble, one of the first prospectors in the area, filed claims in the East Boulder drainage. Today, the East Boulder Mine is a significant underground mine that producing large amounts of platinum and palladium.

At high water the Natural Bridge Falls is a very impressive sight. The water flowing over the lip is enhanced by the flows erupting from the underground waters. If you look closely you will see Ian Garcia in his kayak going over the top of the falls. Although he was ejected from his kayak, Ian was able to swim out of the maelstrom at the base of the falls.
Another 5 miles south of the East Boulder junction the paved road ends and you enter the Gallatin National Forest  where you immediately reach the Natural Bridge Falls Picnic Area. This Forest Service day use area is a fantastic place to visit and well worth the trip to see. The Natural Bridge Falls is created when the Boulder River pours over the lip of a 105 foot tall limestone rock layer. This rock is soft and easily eroded and historically there was a beautiful natural bridge that spanned the river here. Unfortunately, the Natural Bridge collapsed in 1988 and all that remains are memories and photos. However, the falls remain and they are spectacular. The nature of the rock layer is such that it erodes easily and several major underground channels have been cut through the rock. In low water the entire river goes underground above the falls and erupts from several places to create a river bursting out of a cliff wall. At high water these streams are joined by the bulk of the river pouring over the lip.

This is an impressive falls. At high water the Boulder is a significant river and the water shoots over the falls with an amazing force. The Boulder River has always been the playground for boaters (mostly kayakers) and it is easy to imagine that many have looked at the falls and wondered if it would be possible to survive an attempt at jumping the falls. One man decided that he had to find out and in 2008 Bozeman native Ian Garcia kayaked over the falls. Ian is a noted waterfall jumper and had studied this for years. He  survived the jump but did have to swim after being ejected from his boat. Read more about  the kayaker boats over Natural Bridge Falls.

The Natural Bridge Falls parking area is right next to the road where the highway ends and the gravel road begins. There are handicap accessible outhouses, paved trails, interpretive signs  and many river overlooks. This is also the trailhead for the Green Mountain Trail which is reached by crossing the river on the sturdy bridge. Casual visitors will want to cross the river and follow the trail heading downstream. You will quickly come to the vantage points opposite the Falls where the photos on this page were taken. The hike is about a quarter of a mile on gentle trail that crosses a mixture of clearings and forested areas.

From Natural Bridge you can either return or continue on the one-way road into the mountains. The Boulder River Road makes a very deep incursion into the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness and you can drive for an additional 25 miles or so on the gravel road. This road can be very rutted and slow driving so don’t ever plan to hurry if you drive this road. There are a number of private inholdings along the road but most of the land is National Forest. There are a number of developed campgrounds maintained by the Forest Service. In addition, there are multitudes of informal camping spots on forest land along the road and river.

The river is the primary attraction of the upper Boulder Valley and fly fishermen from afar visit to fish for the wild trout that inhabit these waters. The upper Boulder River is also very popular with whitewater kayakers who come in the spring to enjoy the wild waters of the Boulder. The 20 plus miles of river above Natural Bridge offer some very difficult water and serious boaters flock to the Boulder for spring run off. If you want to float these stretches of the river you must be prepared and this site is not the place to get the info you need. Please, do your homework and do not consider boating on the Boulder until you are certain you understand the boating conditions.

The Upper Boulder is classic mountain terrain and, as should be expected, there are many fantastic hiking trails that take off from trailheads along the road. The upper sections of the river are actually just over the mountains from the Paradise Valley of the upper Yellowstone River. Just head west from the upper Boulder and you will encounter Crow Mountain which is easily hiked to from the Mill Creek drainage on the other side of the mountains.

Beyond the end of the Boulder River Road there are jeep trails that lead even higher and further. There was a history of mining on the highest mountains in the area and there are private mining lands at the top of Independence Peak, which is to the east of the River. I don’t recommend that you try to travel these 4wd roads. Rather, stay with the main road which ends at about 8,000 ft elevation in a meadow surrounded by 10,000 ft peaks. From here there are trails into the Absaroka Beartooth Wilderness. This is beautiful mountain country.

The Boulder River drainage makes a great place to escape into the mountains of Montana. It offers great hiking, camping, fishing and, for the very experienced, great whitewater boating. This is a wonderful place to go for a quick escape or for an extended expedition. Natural Bridge Falls is a very spectacular natural feature that anyone interested in Montana should see. Be sure to take the opportunity to visit this great area.

This history lesson brought to you by http://www.montanahikes.com/Natural_bridge.php

There's a reason they're called "Aviators"

Georgia is a curious place, especially for the mountain-minded. Not the Georgia of peaches and the American South. This is the Republic of Georgia that straddles Europe and Asia, the Georgia of the former USSR, the Georgia that’s home to the Caucasus Mountains: an incredibly unique East-West range of nearly endless, and largely unexplored, vertical. These mountains are a 200 mile long, 50 mile wide spine, cranking to Mt. Elbrus’ heaven-brushing 18,510 ft., that draws a sharp topographical line between the Black and Caspian seas. It was the idea of these mountains that inspired a team of Bozeman-based buddies to plan–and execute–the ski trip of dreams. Imagine: a stopover in Istanbul; mountain travel by old Soviet-era cargo helicopter; cocktails and turns with the President of the country; a beach day on the Black Sea; a swing through Engelberg on the way home; days upon days of pillow lines; exploring a strange and new place, of deeply embedded history and geography.

We were so impressed by the vision of this trip that we outfitted the guys with both prototype and production Mystery Ranch packs, to help them safely on their way. Sometimes, the best way to tell a story is through the images that story inspires. Enjoy.

-Mystery Ranch-

Fuze packs, lined up and waiting for transport

Belly of the Beast

Pilot's Eye View

Kyle Taylor

Blackjack Airbag Pack

Kyle Taylor, Faceshot Imminent

Mestia

Kyle Taylor On Another Kind of Descent

Mapping and Pointing

The Black Sea: Not Exactly Sandy

Representing Mystery Ranch and BombSnow: a Motley Bunch

Joey Weamer. Turns Out Snow Safety is Snow Safety the World Over.

Phil Behind the Lens

Kyle Taylor Blowing Up Smoke

KT, Airborne

Engelberg, 7,000 ft of Vert.

Wells, with Large Rocks

Andrew Wells, Tapping the Source. Next stop, home.