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| F_Rhoderick | not to worry | |
Voted 10/10 | Nice thoughts on a beautiful place! A point to note, the bushwhacking has to do with the FS policy since the early 1900's with regard to fire. Just a few thoughts, although others may agree or disagree on what makes a range beautiful, height and grandure rate low on the list for me. The people I climb with the feeling of oneness in the mountains, the lack of people, the adventure to be had, and of course the quality of climbing all are more important to me. While I love the Tetons, I hate the crowds, not only on the park road, but on the trails and on the actual routes, technical and nontechnical I guess what I mean is that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Blodgett is a nice place to climb, or as you experienced, a nice place to off trail hike. There are many spires that require more than hiking shoes to "summit". Bud Morre wrote an interesting book entitled "Lochsa Story" you may want to give it a read if your interested in a history of the area from a man who grew up on a homestead off Lolo creek. Although some may view your remarks as disparaging, I view them as casual observation from someone who is not as enamored with a place I love. Come back anytime, just pick up your garbage, don't block the trailhead by parking like a fool, and leave the area pristine so my kids can see wilderness as it should be, untouched by man...in that sense we are all hypocrites Just a thought..I only looked at a few of your pictures. Would it be possible to actually name the formations and spires in your photographs? To me it lends a sense of credibility towards the place one experiences. | |
| Posted Nov 9, 2006 4:57 pm | ||
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| Bob Sihler | Re: not to worry | |
Hasn't voted | I was aware of the FS policy. The note about the deadfall is just an observation, not a complaint. Your points about enjoying a range are valid, and I agree with them for the most part. After all, I love the Blue Ridge out here in the East, and no one can claim they are classically alpine mountains. About naming the mountains-- can you help? I relabeled one as Blodgett Mountain and another as Nez Perce since I'm pretty sure about the former and somewhat so of the latter, but I don't know the others. I have a good topo map of the whole wilderness area, but it doesn't name most of the peaks in the area I've shown and described. What I did do was add some informative text. On most mountain images of mine, I do name the subject peaks. Remember, though, that many peaks in the West have no formal names, and this could be the case here. I'd name them if I knew them. I also redid part of the page. It seems the discussion about why I find the Bitterroots not as great as I do other Western ranges was becoming a distraction. On another note, could you explain your 6/10 vote? I'm not going to whine or cry or revenge-vote or anything else like that, but most people see that as a pretty crummy score. I know it's not my best trip report, but the info is factual, the photos relevant, and the writing free of the spelling and grammatical errors that plague many other SP pages. And you seem to indicate acceptance of a differing opinion. So why? I'm quite curious. | |
| Posted Nov 10, 2006 12:14 am | ||
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| F_Rhoderick | Re: not to worry | |
Voted 10/10 | I voted low because I did not like the lighting in some of the pictures. I've been back Blodgett many times and I found myself thinking did I recognize the mountain, spire etc. The weather that day obviously has something to do with that, and I am a really bad photographer so my opinions may not be that valid. It was not beacuse of your opinion, spelling or grammer. This is a prettty subjective thing I suppose. What makes a page great to me can be completely different for someone else. The other reason for the low vote was that it seemed incomplete to me. You gave a nice overview of the area and details of your your scramble. It seemed to stop there. You were at the pass and storm clouds rolled in. It ends with another time. What happened on your hike out? Wildlife? Scenery observed from a different perspective? I can help name some of the spires, I just need to know the direction your looking(shooting)from, distance back the canyon etc. Some others may also be able to add their input. As a side note, I love the Blue Ridge, I grew up in western MD. AS another side note. I'll echo what others have said. When your on this side of the Mississippi again don't hesitate to contact me. Scrambles, technical climbing, backpacking..no problemo. Next time we can go back Blodgett and you can see "The Arch" | |
| Posted Nov 10, 2006 4:35 pm | ||
| thephotohiker | We are protective | |
Voted 10/10 | Bob, Granted, at first I was a little put off by your characterization of our Bitterroot Mountains, but then I realized you’ve never visited the “real” Bitterroots, only a popular peak and a canyon or two. Trapper Peak and Blodgett Canyon are two of the most-visited spots in our mountains because of, as you said, “easy access.” If you want an alpine experience in the Bitterroots, generally you need to climb above 8,500’ AND make some effort at reaching a truly remote area. Interestingly enough, your later versions of this page verify this reality when you state, “…the finest trail views of the trip…” were near Blodgett Pass Granted, the Bitterroots are not has “high” as the mountains found in some other ranges, but I doubt anyone who has visited our remote peaks will claim they are less rugged than many others. As for the dense forest, well I can’t disagree. Fire suppression for most of a century has certainly played a part in that. The fact that the Bitterroots were never mined as heavily as many other places in the country (Colorado 14ers, as one example), thereby keeping the mountains comparatively free of roads, is also an important factor. No roads make it more difficult to log. It’s true everywhere on the planet where trees grow – no roads, thicker forest (until the fires come). Tim was correct in pointing out that our Bitterroot Mountains were not always an “officially” designated wilderness area and that the dammed lakes were in place long before even the concept of official wilderness was even born. In point of fact, the Bitterroot Valley receives so little rainfall that it almost qualifies as desert. Without the irrigation provided by those dammed lakes it is unlikely the valley would have ever developed the agricultural way of life that formed the basis for habitation by the white man. Now, since the valley’s “discovery”, agriculture is on the wane as gentrification and crowding is infecting our valley, much to the dismay of many who live here. That being said, there are many more “natural” than “dammed” (damned) lakes hidden in the mountains. You just have to know where to look. The next time you’re in our area, I’ll be happy to take you to Bare Peak, a remote, alpine, and rugged ridge-crest. The route takes you through very little “heavy” forest and passes Nelson Lake which was “naturally” formed by a landslide several centuries ago. I believe you’ll find such an outing offers everything you could wish for. Bare Peak is just one of many examples of alpine wilderness experiences which can be found in the Bitterroots. You just have to know where to look. Lastly, I feel attaching your trip report to the Bitterroot Mountain Page is slightly inappropriate, in that it would be better if attached to a page for Blodgett Canyon or Blodgett Mountain. Alas, those pages do not currently appear on SP, so that is not your fault. I think your page should stay where it is, but suggest that it be moved if one (or both) of those pages come into existence. As you’ve probably realized by now, those of us who live near and/or spend considerable time in the Bitterroots are very protective of our mountains. Not so protective, I hope, that we stop considering others’ opinions. But we love our mountains – just the way they are thank you, warts and all! Mike | |
| Posted Nov 10, 2006 1:23 am | ||
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| Bob Sihler | Re: We are protective | |
Hasn't voted | Thanks for all that info, and I might take you up on your offer; it sounds nice. I deleted a lot of what I said since it was an impression based on a small part of a vast area-- it came across as more negative than I meant it to. And it's interesting about the lack of rainfall-- I've run into storms, some very heavy, all four times I've been in the range, and so dampness clouds my impressions, too. I agree completely about the placement of the page, but I wanted to share the story, and this was the best place to attach. I did look for a Blodgett page, and I even thought of making one for the canyon, but I don't know its full extent well enough, and I think it would be better left to someone closer by, and I hope someone does that. I did think the Blodgett and Trapper areas were spectacular, though. Personally, I liked Blodgett far more than I like Yosemite Valley, which I think is incredibly overrated and incredibly ruined (but I'd better be careful before the Y. Valley lovers come for me, too). Anyway, I hope to be back. There's unfinished business for me out there, as I like to say. El Capitan and Blodgett Mountain are among that business, and maybe Bare Peak is now, too. Bob | |
| Posted Nov 10, 2006 1:46 am | ||
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| T Sharp | Re: We are protective | |
Voted 10/10 | Don`t neglect to climb N. Trapper when you come out, and also the Como Peaks traverse. Spectacular country! And oh yeah The Heavenly Twins, Sky Pilot and Ranger Peak too! | |
| Posted Nov 10, 2006 3:40 am | ||
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| Bob Sihler | Re: We are protective | |
Hasn't voted | Point taken, and thanks. What about the Selway Crags? They intrigue me, but I've never been able to learn much about them beyond spotting them on a map and hearing they're awesome. | |
| Posted Nov 10, 2006 4:12 am | ||
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