I want to back up to share a few details. Typically, I do not share details or specifics of where I hunt. However, I will on this one because if there’s anyone reading this interested enough in going, they should. One will definitely find out how tough they are. This place is as wild and rugged as it gets in the lower 48. It was a 1,950 mile drive in just under 33 hours to arrive to first camp. The Frank Church River Of No Return Wilderness located in central Idaho consists of almost 2.4 million acres. It is one the most beautiful places I’ve been and absolutely the worst ground I’ve traveled on foot. I knew all of this going in. I studied, researched, and prepared the best time would allow. If you think you’re tough, drop off in the Frank. You will find out real quick. Was told I would need a horse, by a local. He was partially correct. I didn’t need one but riding one sure would’ve been helpful. I ain’t no cowboy, though. 

So, we take off up the trail with all water storage containers full. My pack weighed in at 48 pounds plus extra 3 liters of water. Hagen weighed in at 61 pounds plus extra 4 liters of water. It’s uphill both ways in these mountains with that kind of weight. 

The old man we had just spoke with mentioned the trail being hard to find at one point up where the drainage split. I recall myself paying close attention and thought for certain I was on it. Nope. We side hilled and climbed for a few hours before we regained the trail. Trail was nowhere near where marked on maps. This hurt us physically and for time. 

Finally, gained enough elevation to actually do a little glassing. Rest stops/glassing stops were one and the same. Only sign we’ve seen up to this point is what I kept calling fossilized elk tracts. Hagen once said, “I believe that was the elk headed to Noah’s Ark”. Elk had been long gone from this area. There was no quick or easy way out for us, so we press on. We hunted the best we could, given the situation we had gotten ourselves into. 

At this point the trail was good, except it being an uphill climb. It was getting late so we started looking for a place to park the packs for the night. We made it to just under 3.5 miles to what we turned into camp. The struggle was real and I knew it was going to get more real before we get off this elk-less mountain.