NOVICE QUESTIONS REGARDING HI HUNT

[Chet43]

I have 2 grandsons that are going to try the hi-hunt this year, but due to work and other things they will not have very much time to scout. One is 21 and the other is 14 and just got his hunting license. They are thinking about the wilderness areas between I-90 and HWY 2 or areas just North of HWY 2 and right now are thinking about hiking in from the west side of the mountains.

As they are novices at this and have only done overnight and 3-day pack ins, could anyone give them advice on what to expect; general area information or suggestions on where to get area/habitat information; which maps are best, and anything else they might need to know to prepare for the hunt.

Myself and everyone I know who has hunted the HI-Hunt did it over 50 years ago and have no current knowledge of these areas.

I am sure they will be on this and other forums asking a lot of question in the next month or two but would appreciate any help/advice they can get right now. THANKS

[Fader31]

I'm thinking about hunting round about those areas for the high buck hunt this year as well. I haven't been able to do any scouting yet, but I've found some places near where you are talking about that look good on OnX maps and I will be taking weekend trips to scout them out late spring, early summer. (gotta get a good turkey season in first!)

I too would like to have a better idea of what to expect coming in from the west side in terms of how realistic it is to try and get where the trees thin out enough to use your glass.

 What has been helpful to me so far in researching areas is to find a trail on OnX maps and then look up hiking videos for that trail on YouTube. The videos can be pretty annoying at face value, but hikers aren't afraid to show exactly where they're at, how many other people they run into, and what the landscape around the areas looks like.

Best of luck to your grandsons on the hunt!

[kselkhunter]

As first timers, I'd suggest your grandsons come in from the south or east.  I've done the west side multiple times.  I've tried some old trails that start on private timber land (still legal as my attorney wife confirmed, but I still had her drop me at what used to be the trailhead before WA sold the forest to the timber company so the timber company wouldn't mess with my vehicle), but man those old unmaintained trails are rough.  Sharp machete mandatory.  For the popular hiking trails from the west side, you have to hike a ways to get to where it clears up and to get past where most of the day hikers dissipate, and then go off trail.  It's a shorter trek in coming from the east or south sides.   You can definitely be alone on the more remote old un-maintained trails, but it's really rough going.  I was alone on the hunt but it was rough going to get where it opened up.  Stick to the popular trails and just hike their behinds off til they get to where it opens up more.  Or come in from the south or east.

My