1st Margaret scouting trip

[Ghost Hunter]

We were hiking on the 2612 behind the closed gate.  It's open now.  Made it to Bear Pass 2 weeks ago for a warmup hike with the wife.   
Plan on making it further this weekend.  Will be scouting it as many times as possible between now and November.

[Ghost Hunter]

Hiked 12 miles on Sunday.  2700' or more of climbing.  Had lunch looking down on Boot Lake, with
mountain goats walking by at 15 yards.  Elk herds look healthy.  About decided I'm approaching this
mountain wrong.  Going to spend a few days next weekend checking out uncharted trails.  Have to
cut some of the miles off.  Any ideas are welcome.  I've just starting to figure this mountain out. 
Might even get me in shape for WY.

[bowhunterty]

Do you have a back up area due to snow. I have ran into a lot of the modern guys scouting the high country.

[bobcat]

Sounds like no signs of hoof rot in the high country?

At least there is some good news.

[kentrek]

Sounds like no signs of hoof rot in the high country?

At least there is some good news.

i have never seen any hoof rot in the high country(nock on wood)......i think its too dry

[Ghost Hunter]

Do you have a back up area due to snow. I have ran into a lot of the modern guys scouting the high country.

  Back up plan?  Hoping we don't have to go there.  Gated areas will be my last option.  50 permits. what is a 'lot of guys?

[bowhunterty]

Thinking you have to worry about snow trying to get in the hugh country.

[MADMAX]

Now that I agree with, I had the Margaret tag in 97 for AHE, the fog also played into it.
Great country but Nov weather will be the hardest  thing for you to contend with, not 50 guys or finding a decent bull.
Advice worth

Take the first good bull you find in a good spot with a good clean shot and a nice rack, if you wait you may eat that tag

[fireweed]

Hiked 12 miles on Sunday.  2700' or more of climbing.  Had lunch looking down on Boot Lake, with
mountain goats walking by at 15 yards.  Elk herds look healthy.  About decided I'm approaching this
mountain wrong.  Going to spend a few days next weekend checking out uncharted trails.  Have to
cut some of the miles off.  Any ideas are welcome.  I've just starting to figure this mountain out. 
Might even get me in shape for WY.

Mountain goats at Boot Lake is big news!  They haven't been documented back in the Margaret, though a neighbor of mine saw them in Coldwater valley last year, and I've seen a stray on Tumwater.  How many?  Any photos?     
 

[Bluesdude]

The MT goats were transplanted, just as they were before the eruption.  (From the Olympics).  They can usually be found on the back (west) side of Mt Whittier, and near Bear Camp north of the Boundary trail.  I have seen up to 7 Goats on a trip.  I will be in there all weekend, will try to take some photos.

[Bluesdude]

The Mt Goats are almost always under the "3 towers" south of Mt Whittier in those steep green areas in the right third of the photo off in the distance.  I have also seen some nice bulls in the same type of terrain up there.

[Eat um up]

I had an archery cow tag and failed to go into the unit early... I regretted every minute of it.  I failed to realize that rifle season ended one day before late archery began.  In december we coould not drive to the northeast end of the unit and all of the gates were closed.  If you wanted to hunt the snow, it was about 1-3 feet deep at the upper gates and got deeper from there.  I stopped when the truck would not push snow any further.  there were a couple of bulls still in the high country but I only saw them on the north facing slopes and they were few and fart between

[Ghost Hunter]

Hiked 12 miles on Sunday.  2700' or more of climbing.  Had lunch looking down on Boot Lake, with
mountain goats walking by at 15 yards.  Elk herds look healthy.  About decided I'm approaching this
mountain wrong.  Going to spend a few days next weekend checking out uncharted trails.  Have to
cut some of the miles off.  Any ideas are welcome.  I've just starting to figure this mountain out. 
Might even get me in shape for WY.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuMYf7G84KE&feature=youtu.be
Mountain goats at Boot Lake is big news!  They haven't been documented back in the Margaret, though a neighbor of mine saw them in Coldwater valley last year, and I've seen a stray on Tumwater.  How many?  Any photos?     
 

[Ghost Hunter]

Now that I agree with, I had the Margaret tag in 97 for AHE, the fog also played into it.
Great country but Nov weather will be the hardest  thing for you to contend with, not 50 guys or finding a decent bull.
Advice worth

Take the first good bull you find in a good spot with a good clean shot and a nice rack, if you wait you may eat that tag

Duly noted.  I understand the odds of access in Novenber, and plan on gambling most of our scouting time for that.  Worst case scenario, we have to hit the west end with little scouting.  Most of it is closed now anyway

[rosies or bust]

Goats are all over the Whittier unit. My son drew the m/l tag last year. On one scouting trip we counted 18 goats on the chutes of Whittier proper. Ghost Hunter, you should contact Huntbear for an easier way into the backcountry. Be careful though; an Onalaska hunter died from a fall last year while he was packing out his bull.