Splitboard.com Forums

While sitting down with my dad this last winter, I took out a topo map
(size of 6 topos) that a buddy of mine, who works for the state,
printed for me. While he was admiring the nice map, we both could not
help but to notice that a series of plateaus traversed the Five
Pockets region of the Absarokas. I mentioned that this would be a
great backpack trip and recon for some winter lines. He was
immediately amped and soon we started making plans for this 35+ mile
trip.

Summer rolled around and we found ourselves at the Double Cabin
trailhead venturing up Frontier Creek to Cougar Pass on day one.



Heading into Frontier Creek:





My father eyeing Cougar Pass:






Camp One-a nice night on Cougar Pass-grizzly poo rested only about 10
feet from our tent:



We followed this plateau all the way to Ragged Top Mountain (just out
of view lookers right). It is amazing how fast you can travel on
plateaus:


Wysplit smiling before the crux of our trip in the background:

My dad eyeing of the hardest part of the trip to come (Ragged Top in
the background):


Looking into Lake Pocket, the first of five:



On our way to Ragged Top. We climbed the saddle lookers left of
mountain. This section of the trip took five hours to go three miles:


Camp two in Bear Pocket. From this point we lost our plateau highway.
We had to drop into bear pocket.:


Padre climbing out of Bear Pocket onto the Ramshorn Plateau:


Looking back at Ragged Top and the crux of this trip. The day before
we had to lower our packs with rope and downclimb through the
cliffbands in the upper of this picture:


Looking back again...so happy to be on a plateau again and sailin'



Frozen Lake on the Ramshorn Plateau:


Summit of Round Mountain:


Ramshorn Peak in the background, and just a few miles to back home:


Looking back at the Ramshorn Plateau from where we dropped (background):

From this point, it was a short four hour hike home. I learned a lot
on this trip and was stoked to be able to spend some real quality time
with my father. He has taught me so much about mountains and life,
life and mountains. The mountains will present you with obstacles,
just like life.

Sweet, dude. Looks like a great trip but I can't believe you burnt a hall pass and didn't get any turns.

Hanging out with pops is worth it though.

Great TR WSR! & Not another soul in-sight - was this true of the entire trip? If its that empty in summer can it must be totally deserted in winter unless........................its sledground?

Sweet report Wyo!

Must be really cool to do a trip like this with your Dad. I can only hope my kids do the same when they are your age.

Amazing looking terrain too!

That's a great trip in an awesome range. The fact you did it with your pops makes it even better. However I couldn't help but notice that in this pic it looks like a pretty sweet line fills in. Don't act like you weren't looking.

Thanks guys....the lines back in this region are off the hook....think about five different cirques that you could potentially ride. Tons of couloirs, bowls, and sickter lines.

Did not see one person on this trip with the exception of a NOL's group camped down in one of the cirques.

Sleds do not access this area due to remoteness and Wilderness. You can drive to wilderness boundaries, but to get to the goods you are looking at another 7-10 miles...I think I will hit it up this spring.

Thanks guys....the lines back in this region are off the hook....think about five different cirques that you could potentially ride. Tons of couloirs, bowls, and sickter lines.

Did not see one person on this trip with the exception of a NOL's group camped down in one of the cirques.

Sleds do not access this area due to remoteness and Wilderness. You can drive to wilderness boundaries, but to get to the goods you are looking at another 7-10 miles...I think I will hit it up this spring.