L
I wanted to start this thread for all the Swan / Seeley riders. Give us a place to share how the seasons going and get any info or advice.
Seeley Lake
- Thread starter Live2sitfly
- Start date
F
The Good, Bad, and Ugly
Rode Seeley Yesterday 12/26/2015
The Good:
- Paved Smooth Groomed Trails
- Great Snow Elsina, Dina, and Beyond
The Bad:
- Extremely thin snow anything below Elsina
- Dont even think about venturing into logged areas
- Dont even think about ripping hill behind warming hut
- Extremely unstable snow all wind loaded slopes and ridges
The Extremely Bad:
- Not enough snow to bridge all the creeks yet! We found out the hard way when one in my party had his pro drop into a creek going out the bottom of Lake Dina. It took us past dark to get the sled out and two in my party were soaked from the knee down. We were quick to realize the situation was about to get western with below zero temps, rode back above Dina and sent out a search and rescue mayday and worked on building a fire planning on spending the night (No way we felt confident picking our way out of there in total darkness)
The Extremely Good:
- http://www.twobearair.org/
- Nice guy Mike Goguen founded Two Bear Air to service Montana Back Country. Mission impossible style we had a jet ranger land by us on the ridge above Dina and fly us to safety down at the Heli Pad parking lot.
- I could never give enough thanks to the Seeley Sheriff, Emt's, Fire Dept, and black ops Two Bear Air pilots who dropped in on us!
Best/Worst first ride of the season ever.
Very real reminder to triple/quadruple check your back country plan on spending the night fire starter/survival gear.
Rode Seeley Yesterday 12/26/2015
The Good:
- Paved Smooth Groomed Trails
- Great Snow Elsina, Dina, and Beyond
The Bad:
- Extremely thin snow anything below Elsina
- Dont even think about venturing into logged areas
- Dont even think about ripping hill behind warming hut
- Extremely unstable snow all wind loaded slopes and ridges
The Extremely Bad:
- Not enough snow to bridge all the creeks yet! We found out the hard way when one in my party had his pro drop into a creek going out the bottom of Lake Dina. It took us past dark to get the sled out and two in my party were soaked from the knee down. We were quick to realize the situation was about to get western with below zero temps, rode back above Dina and sent out a search and rescue mayday and worked on building a fire planning on spending the night (No way we felt confident picking our way out of there in total darkness)
The Extremely Good:
- http://www.twobearair.org/
- Nice guy Mike Goguen founded Two Bear Air to service Montana Back Country. Mission impossible style we had a jet ranger land by us on the ridge above Dina and fly us to safety down at the Heli Pad parking lot.
- I could never give enough thanks to the Seeley Sheriff, Emt's, Fire Dept, and black ops Two Bear Air pilots who dropped in on us!
Best/Worst first ride of the season ever.
Very real reminder to triple/quadruple check your back country plan on spending the night fire starter/survival gear.
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We rode in on Tuesday.
Sent to warming hut. Played the hills behind warming hut.
VERY deep, but no base. Could feel all the logs and stumps underneath. Got back to the top of those hills but didn't drop down onto the long ridge to go back to Elsina. Just to thin up there.
Nobody went past where we were. We headed down about 3:00.
We went to Elsina via the road. It was untouched. There lake shore was great all the way around but the lake was total slush. Every track filled in with water. Was a bit spooky.
Will wait for another storm before we try that.
Sent to warming hut. Played the hills behind warming hut.
VERY deep, but no base. Could feel all the logs and stumps underneath. Got back to the top of those hills but didn't drop down onto the long ridge to go back to Elsina. Just to thin up there.
Nobody went past where we were. We headed down about 3:00.
We went to Elsina via the road. It was untouched. There lake shore was great all the way around but the lake was total slush. Every track filled in with water. Was a bit spooky.
Will wait for another storm before we try that.
That's bad azz. Mike Goguen seems like an amazing dude - and a conservative (looked at his donations) to boot. What can we do, as sledders, to thank the guy for his support?
I'm glad you guys are OK.
i think this sums up the whole state as of a few days ago....lots of snow no base yet...i smoked my right front a-arms at bucks and seeing lot sof other buddies with damaged too from all sorts of riding areas.....still dealer snow....need another storm like the last one!!! then it wont be dealer snow anymore!
S
Extremely scary. Exactly one year ago today was when 3 of my friends were buried in the avalanche in Seeley perhaps its an omen.
Rode there yesterday, good snow, still had to be careful.
Surprised that there were people skiing the big wind loaded hill above the road between the cabin and Elsina...:face-icon-small-dis (even though i shouldn't be)
Surprised that there were people skiing the big wind loaded hill above the road between the cabin and Elsina...:face-icon-small-dis (even though i shouldn't be)
So?
I've been hearing that there is no longer access from the Jocko side, due to some strange closures down low, is this true?
I've been hearing that there is no longer access from the Jocko side, due to some strange closures down low, is this true?
IF that was to be true...its not posted. been in twice that way now
Roger that!
Good to hear....
Good to hear....
How could they close the public road?
I wish i knew the answer to that one....
I'm guessing, the same way they close other PUBLIC lands,,,,, they just make s#it up to suit their agenda, and the sheep follow right along... The Forest Circus has been fuc#in us for years....
I'm guessing, the same way they close other PUBLIC lands,,,,, they just make s#it up to suit their agenda, and the sheep follow right along... The Forest Circus has been fuc#in us for years....
The Jocko side is Tribal Land for the most part, I doubt they will be closing it. Unless the get some serious pressure from the feds
wed 7th
was working in Seely today and snowing, looking better, need base mostly
town sure looks like a snowmobile destination, easy to ride around town ect and a few out today, should be some serious fluff by the weekend.
was working in Seely today and snowing, looking better, need base mostly
town sure looks like a snowmobile destination, easy to ride around town ect and a few out today, should be some serious fluff by the weekend.
M
any new reports?
you should have been there last weekend! Headlight deep in spots, bumper deep most areas
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Any updates? be there 17 of February
Plenty of good snow to be found, rode good untracked pow Sat & Sun
