Scouting and Conditioning...

[6.8mmARHunter]

Thought I go for a Black Bear scouting excursion. Hope to nail one come August. I've only seen three in the wilds of Washington in all my years, so I was really just going for the condition and to zero my rifle.

Didn't have a lot of time so I chose to backpack to a place in the Snoqualmie Valley up I-90. The idea was to park at the McCellan Butte Trailhead (NWFS Pass Required), and hike up the McCellan Butte trail then an old logging road to an area due East of McCellan Butte. See the attached Google Earth picture.

Anyway, I left the car at ~8:15PM on a Friday evening and headed up. Imagine my surprise when just 5 minutes into the hike, crossing the first powerline cut I spotted a Black one. I immediately dropped and froze. I sat and watched him for a couple of minutes. When I finally decided to dig my camera out, he must have caught wind of me because he disappeared like a ghost.

Had to put on snowshoes at about 10PM (in the dark now) and continued on. Had my rail mounted flashlight on so I could see where I was going. Made it to my camp a about 11:30PM. Set up my tent and started setting everything up. Crap, realized I forgot my insulated sleeping pad. Instead of putting the tent fly on top of the tent, I folded it up and laid on the ground inside the tent and threw my sleeping bag over it.

I then had some food, water, and a couple shots of Fireball. It was a warm and clear evening. Went for a short walk around the area. It was nice without the pack.

Sleeping on the snow without the sleeping pad sucked... I ended up laying all my clothes on the tent fly and laid my sleeping bag over that. I could feel the cold coming through. It was barely tolerable.

Woke Saturday morning around 6:00AM. Sky was high overcast. Figured I'd get up and walk around a bit in the daylight. Didn't see any evidence of life up here. Checked out the local area and then packed everything up.

Stopped after about a half an hour at a gravel pit looking area and fired my rifle a bit, checking the zero.

I think I'm ready for August.

If anyone is interested in doing similar excursions let me know.

Pictures:
Google Earth Map
Camp
Camp Again
Rifle - AR Platform 6.8mm SPC sighted in.
Overlooking Exit 47

[pd]

Beautiful Google Earth view.  Those valleys look nice for the fall.

Here is a tip for you when you forget your sleeping pad.  When you are sleeping on snow, you need to create a barrier between the heat sink (the snow) and your warm body; otherwise, the snow will suck the heat through your sleeping bag into the ground.

Take everything out of your backpack, and sleep on it.  The Cordura material is a much better insulator than a thin piece of tent fly.  Another trick (when you have a pad, but it isn't long enough to cover your whole body) is to put your legs inside the empty pack.

Black bear season is now just 2.5 months away.   

[Eli346]

 I cut small fir boughs to make a pad. It takes quite a few but if you take them off of several different trees you don't hurt them. Just takes the ends so you're not cutting any branches more than a 1/2" in diameter; any larger and they tend to bother me. I've even put them under my tent as padding. You'll notice the difference.

[Ripper]

Looks like a cool early season excursion. Keep it up and I have no doubt you will be successful.

[6.8mmARHunter]

I've always said that pain and suffering are reminders not to do stupid stuff... Sleeping on all my clothes wasn't really that bad, but I won't forget the sleeping pad again. Yeah, only 2.5 months till Fall Bear season!!! I'm hoping to get out most of the weekends between now and then.

Peace,

Sam

[b.roberts]

Good luck in August. Sounds like you had a good time despite not having your sleeping pad.

[saylean]

Cool post samckernan. I've hunted round up there (general area)...plenty of blue berries and bear. Good luck!

[rfhd69]

Looks like beautiful country and a great time. Way to get out there man!


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