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Well I'll share a brief synopsis of my excursion and then a short story of how this hunt changed my thoughts on ever going solo hunting in the unlimited units or really any hunt changed my life.


High anticipation was upon me for this season I had plotted and planned so much before going into this trip. There was a chance to meet other fellow hunters there and there was the chance I would be solo too given opportunities and the realities of actually meeting guys that were in there a week ahead of me. Needless to say I ended up solo in a different part of the unit and it wasn't a reality to meet up once I got up there.

A brief overview:

Step 1.
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On the way in I traverse through a lot of this shit. For about 2k feet up.
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Life up there is great and I enjoy some great camping and eats at the Skytop Cafe. While glassing the tooths.

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Saw some incredible country up there lots of goats and bears no sheep.

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Now here's the humbling part....


Shortly after the goat photo I decide to move camp for the fourth time I want to get a better closer look from a different angle. I load up everything and begin the move. On the descent with my loaded pack I cross a skree/boulder field and with the winds ripping I lose my balance and go down very hard and hear a snap pop from my ankle. A ghostly and haunting familiar feeling of fracturing it from years past...... I'm screaming wondering if I can even put weight on it. Holding my boot I calm myself and try not to panic and think the worst. After about 15 minutes I decide to try and stand up in the rocks. I can walk but not great. My decision to move turned into a I need to get the f$#% outta here. So, very slowly and calculated I make it down the face to a creek bottom I begin to follow it out. It takes me about 3.5 hours to drop the 3k feet to the first major creek crossing which was absolutely horrible to do with a heavy pack and one good leg. I cross it then begin the cross country trek to my pickup crossing small creeks, dead fall, beating through brush thickets I come to the last climb up. I'm really hurting bad at this point I have many moments where I think, I'm just gonna leave my shit and come get it with some friends. I decide hell no, I'm getting myself outta here. At this point I'm about 7hrs in from when I went down. I can only take about 20 steps or so and then I have to sit. The last mile I found somewhat of an old hunting trail cut in, it was a god send without it I don't know if I would've made it that night. It takes me about 9 hours to get back to my vehicle. I was literally dragging my right leg and using my poles and my good let to continue out. It was honestly one of the most humbling experiences I've ever had, it taught me that no matter what or who you think you are in one moment you can be flat "done." So many things can happen up there or anywhere I encourage everyone to find a partner. I've done these trips solo many times 4 and 5 day excursions up there and haven't had any issues.

I'm thankful that my injury really was minor to what could've happened. How everything worked out was truly a blessing after the incident, given I already had my camp packed, routes, logs and rocks placed in areas for support and a small faint trail at the end that took me right to my truck. It was unreal, this isn't a sob story or some look at me deal. This is reality of solo alpine hunting, it's dangerous. I hope people read this and think twice about it. This forum is a great tool to network for hunts and trips, I've met some phenomenal people on here and some are good friends now. I encourage people to do that especially for this hunt.

*a happy little stream, in a happy little mountain scene😉
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I can't wait to get healed up and back up there, I'm on ice right now and keeping off it, I have a torn tendon and a small fracture on the ball. I'll be up there again soon but it won't be solo ever again.

BTW I'd rather eat Johnsonville summer sausage and puke my guts out for 2 days walking outta there again 100 times over than the trek I just had with a fractured ankle.... that's no lie.

Good luck to everyone out there and be safe
Glad you made it out man.. That’s some scary stuff and always in the back of my mind when I’m hunting anything solo in the mountains.
 
That’s some scary stuff @EYJONAS! Glad you made it out ok. That is my biggest fear while hunting alone. Do you carry an inreach? What kind of boots were you wearing?
I do have an inreach. I have the SE+ model so I have a built in keyboard on mine. It is always on when I'm on those extended hunts like that and it's on my person for unlimited hunts not in my pack. On easier trips like lopes and deer hunts I have it in my pack. No I didn't think about hitting the oh shit button either but I can certainly tell you it felt damn nice to have.

For boots I wore my kenetrek mountain extremes. I have been rocking a few pairs of those over the past 10 years and was damn greatful for the extra support.

Just one of those shit happens deals, thanks for the well wishes.
 
I do have an inreach. I have the SE+ model so I have a built in keyboard on mine. It is always on when I'm on those extended hunts like that and it's on my person for unlimited hunts not in my pack. On easier trips like lopes and deer hunts I have it in my pack. No I didn't think about hitting the oh shit button either but I can certainly tell you it felt damn nice to have.

For boots I wore my kenetrek mountain extremes. I have been rocking a few pairs of those over the past 10 years and was damn greatful for the extra support.

Just one of those shit happens deals, thanks for the well wishes.
Those stiff boots might have saved you. I had a similar ankle injury a few years back while fixing some fence where the cows were getting out. I heard the pop just like you did. I was wearing slip on work boots. I couldn’t put any weight on it.
 
I do have an inreach. I have the SE+ model so I have a built in keyboard on mine. It is always on when I'm on those extended hunts like that and it's on my person for unlimited hunts not in my pack. On easier trips like lopes and deer hunts I have it in my pack. No I didn't think about hitting the oh shit button either but I can certainly tell you it felt damn nice to have.

For boots I wore my kenetrek mountain extremes. I have been rocking a few pairs of those over the past 10 years and was damn greatful for the extra support.

Just one of those shit happens deals, thanks for the well wishes.
Glad you are OK. Your experience is making me think about things more. I can't let my wife read this. mtmuley
 
A few observations and lessons learned from my hunt.

1. For hiking with a rifle my Tikka Superlite .270 Win ( 6.8 O’Connor as I call it ) wasn’t a burden to carry at all.

2. The Schnees merino socks with the white liners kept me from getting zero blisters.

3. 2 lbs per day is the recommended amount of food I packed about exactly that and figured out it was too much for me. I had Peak and Mountain House breakfasts and dinners with a bunch of snacks during the day and I ended up packing a bunch of food out so I’ll cut that down to save weight next year.

4. I didn’t find gaiters useful on an early season hunt. I carried them on last years goat hunt in same area and didn’t use them either. I think I’ll leave them in truck next year unless forecast is pretty heavy for snow.

5. You can buy used quality gear that makes a big difference. I can’t afford EL or NL pure binos at this point in my life but I found a set of Swaro SLC 10x42s made in year 2000 on eBay for $989 including box and all papers in near mint condition and they performed great and helped me find a good number of sheep.
i replaced my el for a cl companions
 
Out to regroup again today, weather set in good in the South end of the Unit. Tomorrow and Tuesday look much better so we’ll be back after them two more days before the flights home Wednesday. Got to help some guys pack out a nice bull moose, saw more moose, bunch of goats, it’s been incredible and hoping two more days with better visibility might produce some luck. Good luck to everybody still in and maybe Wednesday I’ll get to read and catch up on the last few days of posts on here. Got a few before and after pics of the moose we helped packed out.
 

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@EYJONAS! Glad your gonna be okay hate it cut your trip short was looking forward to your adventure this fall didn't expect this though.
I took a nasty fall a few seasons ago way back several miles from the vehicle on a slippery rock. Landed on a log right across the rib cage thought I was in some real trouble for a minute but realized I was okay. Very scary feeling when it happens. I try to watch my steps a little closer now as I get older.
 
Glad you are OK. Your experience is making me think about things more. I can't let my wife read this. mtmuley
I certainly got my ass chewed when I told her what had happened after I got out. I didn't tell her when it happened because I knew the calvary would come for me. I alerted a couple buddies about it and updated them throughout the trip.

Man she was pissed 🤣
 
@EYJONAS! Holy shit man, I’m glad you’re okay. I imagine your kids were heavy on your mind making that hellish drag out of there. Your experience is making me think harder about some plans I have.
Thanks buddy it's just a story I felt I needed to share. To many times a guy hears. How deep a guy can go solo? and What can a solo guy pack out? and How long can you go solo? It's something to think about and consider going forward. I don't give a shit if your Cam Hanes, Will Primos, Randy Newberg or Jonas from HT. If your hunting alone in the alpine and you get hurt... you can be up shit creek without a paddle real quick.

I mean hell I think 5 years ago or so that utard Zach Griffith got a scratch on his arm shed hunting and he had to get air lifted out..... gotta be careful😉

I'm just glad my deal worked out and I was able to get out. I can't wait to go back to😁
 
@enjonas - Glad to hear you made it out. I would have just hit the button!!!!!!

I had an experience that went a bit different than yours. I was walking up to a creek and I'm always SUPER careful of every step when in the back country. At the time I was so looking forward to taking off my pack, getting some water and taking a break. In a split second I'm face down in the little stream with my pack on my back, rifle bouncing off the rocks and I'm now completely wet. Luckily I didn't do the bodily harm to myself like you did but it could have went very differently. The day was also sunny and warmer so I didn't have to worry about hypothermia. It scared me crazy. Not sure it will keep me from doing a hunt solo but there is a risk for sure.

I also keep my inreach in my left front pocket and my phone in my right front pocket on these types of hunts. They never ever go in my pack.
 
A few observations and lessons learned from my hunt.

3. 2 lbs per day is the recommended amount of food I packed about exactly that and figured out it was too much for me. I had Peak and Mountain House breakfasts and dinners with a bunch of snacks during the day and I ended up packing a bunch of food out so I’ll cut that down to save weight next year.

4. I didn’t find gaiters useful on an early season hunt. I carried them on last years goat hunt in same area and didn’t use them either. I think I’ll leave them in truck next year unless forecast is pretty heavy for snow.

5. You can buy used quality gear that makes a big difference. I can’t afford EL or NL pure binos at this point in my life but I found a set of Swaro SLC 10x42s made in year 2000 on eBay for $989 including box and all papers in near mint condition and they performed great and helped me find a good number of sheep.
Good stuff, we all have to experience our own trials and tribulations to learn what we need and can live with.

I pack 1.25 to maybe 1.4lbs of food a day sheep hunting, and have plenty.

I don't leave home without gaiters, but terrain varies for their need. Swimming through brush, rock piles or deadfall they are very useful at protecting my shins. I will take them off when not needed though as they get hot and make my feet sweat.

I've had a pair of SLC 10x42 for 15 years. Get what you can afford or what makes you confidant. Having good sense of picking out animal shapes vs having glass that performs 1% better isn't going to make or break a hunt. Spend that extra money on hunting instead of gear. Life is short.

Good luck on your hunt!
 

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