My son Jensen and I just got back from an adventure. We met up with Grandpa Jim for a few days in the backcountry. My father drove up from California. Jensen and I flew into Billings, Montana. He met us at the airport, and we headed straight to Red Lodge. The van was packed. Tons of camping and fishing gear. Three generations. Our plan was to stay for four days and three nights.
The Beartooth Mountains are located in south-central Montana and northwest Wyoming. They are part of the 944,000-acre Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, within Custer, Gallatin, and Shoshone National Forests. The range is just northeast of Yellowstone National Park and is traversed by road via the Beartooth Highway (US 212) and Beartooth Pass. The Beartooths are home to Granite Peak, which at 12,807 feet is the highest point in the state of Montana. It is God’s Country.
We loaded up just before 5:30. Two-hour time difference. We were excited to get moving. The views and scenery from the highway are incredible. We found some snow at the top of the pass. Jensen and I spotted a small group of Mountain Goats in the distance. We pulled over for a few pictures. Our first of many encounters. We arrived at the Beaten Path Trailhead a tad after 9:00 a.m. No time to celebrate. There was a long day ahead.
Grandpa Jim was supposed to do a little research. He met with a few buddies the day before. Jim took notes, but he couldn’t find them. No worries. That is how he rolls. Try building a two-car garage and a granny flat with him. We decided to wing it. We would play it by ear. Lots of options. Russell Lake is 7 miles. Lots of elevation.
My pack was so heavy. Remember, we had to carry everything. This was the opposite of glamping. Tent, mattress, sleeping bag, stove, fuel, purifier, freeze-dried pouches, water bottles, headlamps, and much more. My father and I have done this many times. I grew up in Montana, and we have been coming to the area for the past 30 years. Jensen’s pack wasn’t as bad. But I was a tad nervous. He would be off the grid for several days. No Wi-Fi. No service. This would be his first backpacking experience.
Jensen and I got off and running. But after the first 1/4 mile, there was no sign of Grandpa. We waited to see what was wrong. The poor guy was struggling with the altitude. I am sure he would have eventually made it, but Jensen and I wanted to help him. He’s cutting into our fishing. We would travel one mile. Drop a pack, then come back for Jimmy. This continued the entire day. It made it tough. No way would we make it to Russell Lake.
We decided to stay at Rock Island Lake. A gorgeous spot with a few Yellowstone Cutthroats. We pitched our tents and battled the mosquitoes. The fishing was tough. It was super windy. A very deep lake with limited access. I caught some on a Dave’s Hopper. But Jensen had no luck with his spinners. I felt bad as he had great expectations. This was our base camp for the next three days. We then took daily hikes to other neighboring lakes. Some were better than others.
The fishing was rather slow. We catch more out of Lycoming. The ground was so hard, and neither of us slept. The bugs were so bad. A nuisance. Jensen could not chat with his friends. He had to tend to his Jimmy. We snuck out a day early to head to Yellowstone. Saw some animals and got back our confidence. We fished one of our favorites and nailed them. Another fantastic experience for three generations. Grandpa had a ball. So did I. Jensen kept a journal. I am thinking he also enjoyed his time. More later. Cheers.
