Plan SB's Elite Vision Quest Through Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

[Catchacold]

If you are ever on the Oregon coast, Beachside State Recreation Site is appropriately named. Scored the perfect camping spot after someone cancelled.

[Sandstone Outcropping]

It's amazing the way that the Oregon coast is basically a continual chain of beautiful state parks.

[Sandstone Outcropping]

Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim destroyed by wildfires. North Rim closed for the rest of 2025

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/dragon-bravo-fire-update-july-13-2025.htm

[GregKSU1027]

Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim destroyed by wildfires. North Rim closed for the rest of 2025

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/dragon-bravo-fire-update-july-13-2025.htm

Wow this is sad. Mother Nature is insane and will do what she wants. We are all just specks on this rock we call home

[Sandstone Outcropping]

Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim destroyed by wildfires. North Rim closed for the rest of 2025

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/dragon-bravo-fire-update-july-13-2025.htm

Wow this is sad. Mother Nature is insane and will do what she wants. We are all just specks on this rock we call home

Great memories of visiting with the fam several years ago. Unbelievable that it is destroyed.

[GregKSU1027]

Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim destroyed by wildfires. North Rim closed for the rest of 2025

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/dragon-bravo-fire-update-july-13-2025.htm

Wow this is sad. Mother Nature is insane and will do what she wants. We are all just specks on this rock we call home

Great memories of visiting with the fam several years ago. Unbelievable that it is destroyed.

Was hoping to make it to all of the grand lodges in my lifetime. When I went to the Grand Canyon growing up we went to the south rim.

[Sandstone Outcropping]

Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim destroyed by wildfires. North Rim closed for the rest of 2025

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/dragon-bravo-fire-update-july-13-2025.htm

Wow this is sad. Mother Nature is insane and will do what she wants. We are all just specks on this rock we call home

Great memories of visiting with the fam several years ago. Unbelievable that it is destroyed.

Was hoping to make it to all of the grand lodges in my lifetime. When I went to the Grand Canyon growing up we went to the south rim.

I've never been to the South Rim but the North was the most awe inspiring place I've been to in the US. Thankful I was able to spend a few moments there with my kids. Unbelievable that this lodge is gone -- it was a priceless national treasure.

[mocat]

Damn rip north rim lodge

[Sandstone Outcropping]

"Beautiful Places" by Andrew Osenga

scatter my ashes in beautiful places
offer the blue skies, the glory of your faces
you are a part of this kingdom and creation
scatter my ashes in beautiful places

i want you to stand on the dock where i kissed your mother
i want you to know that we were alive and we loved each other
there was fear, there was adventure, romance and hurt feelings
there were people trying to do their best
there always were, there always will be

i want you to find your own sacred spaces
where you go when you need to remember what truth and freedom and grace is
so grab some life insurance money and call your sisters and cross things off the list
scatter my ashes in beautiful places
it’s the last gift i can give you, beautiful places

[Sandstone Outcropping]

would 10/10 recommend the hike to Sandbeach Lake in RNMP.
9miles round trip with a 16 acre lake at 10,000 feet featuring a sandy beach where you can take an ice cold swim.

[Brock Landers]

I was in Montana last week and did some light Vision Questing, including a hike up to Glacier Lake.




















The next day I purified myself in the waters of Lake Minnetonka Seeley Lake.




The people I went with are staying longer so I had to fly back.  Good luck guessing this obscure airport:

[Sandstone Outcropping]

Anyone with $79,500,000 can own their own epic western ranch:

https://www.swanlandco.com/properties/pathfinder-ranches/

[ben ji]

Anyone with $79,500,000 can own their own epic western ranch:

https://www.swanlandco.com/properties/pathfinder-ranches/

Thats right where I go vision quest at and have definitely seen some of the signs for the pathfinder. Digging into it a little deeper it appears as if the majority of the "acres" listed on each tract are actually BLM land they have grazing rights on. I wonder how long those contracts last/how much preference goes to the last person to have the rights etc.

Here is an example from one tract of the ranch

Total AUMs: 37,909±

Total operating acres: 180,061±

Deeded Acres: 39,034±
Irrigated/Sub-irrigated Meadows: 1,904±
Sub-irrigated/Riparian Corridors: 10±
Rangeland: 27,992±
Recreational Rangeland: 9,128±

State Acres: 25,228±
BLM Acres: 115,799±

[mocat]

had a real VQ last week in North Cascades NP and climbed Luna Peak. it was the most physically and mentally demanding activity that i can remember doing. over 6000' elevation gain to the summit and back down in the same day, with pretty much no climbing experience. a classic PNW bushwack in the lowlands followed by boulder hopping and then climbing up loose rocky chutes for thousands of feet, and finally a scramble at the top.

water taxi on Ross Lake



beautiful mellow 10 mile hike along Big Beaver river and through the woods to Luna Camp for the night








5am at the campsite getting ready to depart on the Luna climb




successfully crossed the Big Beaver on this downed tree without falling in 




climbing up Luna through forest for about 1500', and then walking/jumping/hopping up through a field of giant boulders (the boulders were the most fun portion of the climb).




first of many loose steep rock gardens




steep, loose, slow, frustrating, painful




heckin views starting to happen. still about 1000' of climbing to go here.




climbing more steep rocks. as we got closer to the top i was exhausted, ankles and feet barking bigly, even feeling a little nauseous (possibly from altitude sickness?). i went to a pretty dark place, not thinking i had the stamina to also complete the descent.



finally made it to the summit around noon. taking a moment to process.




full size adult human at the summit




from the summit, incred views of the Picket Range, and Mt Baker in the distance.




above the clouds




indescribable feeling tbh



just down a bit from the summit. the clouds had broken and it became a sunny day. my phone died right after this and i was really feeling like there was no way we could get all the way back down that day. but we did.



finally made it back to the tent at 8pm and i went horizontal and stayed basically motionless for 10 hours. didn't even have the energy to make dinner.

the next day felt much better for the return hike to Ross Lake








at the end of the 10 mile hike through the woods we were greeted with the most inviting view of Ross Lake. waited for the water taxi with a cool swim to cure all soreness, and hot spicy ramen with fishwives albacore tuna and some cashews thrown in for crunchiness <-- the most elite VQ meal

[ChiComCat]

Well done - beautiful shots.

[Tobias]

dude what in the actual eff

[star seed 7]

No string lights?

[Sandstone Outcropping]

that is some 10/10 VQing, right there. awesome stuff

[mocat]

Well done - beautiful shots.

t-y. i borrowed a friend's film camera too 

dude what in the actual eff

like how can 8000 feet look like the himalayas?!? idk m8

No string lights?

the call is coming from inside the tent

that is some 10/10 VQing, right there. awesome stuff

t-y ssoc

[ben ji]

I'm all about VQ'n and catching some trout in a random stream but I would never attempt to climb 6k ft and back in one day. Excellent pics tho

[wetwillie]

The feeling of thinking you may not actually make it is so real, great descripto.  I got humbled doing considerably less challenging hikes than that one, you are a beast.

[tdaver]

Let’s see the Strava on this thing!  How many miles?  What was the grade?  I need the details!

[tdaver]

from the summit, incred views of the Picket Range, and Mt Baker in the distance.




the next day felt much better for the return hike to Ross Lake

That pick from the summit… the lakes at the bottom and the sea of clouds above… wow!

And the flora is so different than here.  I need to go.

[waks]

had a real VQ last week in North Cascades NP and climbed Luna Peak. it was the most physically and mentally demanding activity that i can remember doing. over 6000' elevation gain to the summit and back down in the same day, with pretty much no climbing experience. a classic PNW bushwack in the lowlands followed by boulder hopping and then climbing up loose rocky chutes for thousands of feet, and finally a scramble at the top.

water taxi on Ross Lake



beautiful mellow 10 mile hike along Big Beaver river and through the woods to Luna Camp for the night








5am at the campsite getting ready to depart on the Luna climb




successfully crossed the Big Beaver on this downed tree without falling in 




climbing up Luna through forest for about 1500', and then walking/jumping/hopping up through a field of giant boulders (the boulders were the most fun portion of the climb).




first of many loose steep rock gardens




steep, loose, slow, frustrating, painful




heckin views starting to happen. still about 1000' of climbing to go here.




climbing more steep rocks. as we got closer to the top i was exhausted, ankles and feet barking bigly, even feeling a little nauseous (possibly from altitude sickness?). i went to a pretty dark place, not thinking i had the stamina to also complete the descent.



finally made it to the summit around noon. taking a moment to process.




full size adult human at the summit




from the summit, incred views of the Picket Range, and Mt Baker in the distance.




above the clouds




indescribable feeling tbh



just down a bit from the summit. the clouds had broken and it became a sunny day. my phone died right after this and i was really feeling like there was no way we could get all the way back down that day. but we did.



finally made it back to the tent at 8pm and i went horizontal and stayed basically motionless for 10 hours. didn't even have the energy to make dinner.

the next day felt much better for the return hike to Ross Lake








at the end of the 10 mile hike through the woods we were greeted with the most inviting view of Ross Lake. waited for the water taxi with a cool swim to cure all soreness, and hot spicy ramen with fishwives albacore tuna and some cashews thrown in for crunchiness <-- the most elite VQ meal

did you guys do hand stuff at the summit?

[mocat]

Let’s see the Strava on this thing!  How many miles?  What was the grade?  I need the details!

My phone died on the way down not long after the summit