Yellowstone Backcountry Lottery 2026

[Bob]

All the timber is before there

 

[scatman]

All the timber is before there

Yes, but that timber wasn't burned and very little downfall to contend with.

Looked like this:

 

[wsp_scott]

9U4 Union falls
8b6 Lower Bechler
8t1 Basin beach
oe1 Summit Lake
9a5 Buffalo Lake
9a6 Robinson Creek
9u1 Falls River cutoff

Probably going to be more than 70 miles all told. At lest two pitches will be off-trail as I cut through madison plateau to get from 8t1 to oe1, and from oe1 to 9a5. I think I'm planning on another off-trail section to get from 9a5 to 9a6.


Those of you who do a lot of group hiking, what is it like? When I think of it, all I can really think of is being held back by the slowest member of the group. That, or being the slowest member of the group. But I'm sure it must be nice to chat at the end of the day and have people you can rely on if you get in a spot of trouble.

Trip report!

I don't do a lot of group hiking. I first did it in 2021 when I contacted @scatman and asked if I could join one of his planned trips. He kindly said yes and that is where I met @TractorDoc also. It was a positive enough experience that I have hiked with them a couple more times and now have met @Bob and @b.stark and @futurafree and @Georgia Yankee on other trips.

There are plusses and minusses to hiking with others, especially if you know they aren't morons. One, you can turn off your brain sometimes and let someone else make decisions and navigate. Two, sometimes other people know things that you don't (flowers, history, geology,...). Three, it is sometimes nice to have someone to talk to at the end of the day. Those are all plusses. The only real minus in my book is you have to cooperate with other people. I'm a social introvert in that I can deal with other people, but sometimes it is nice to not have anyone else around

But, you are correct, sometimes you are the fastest in the group and sometimes you are the slowest, welcome to life

The plusses outweigh the minuses, so I'm meeting up with more people this summer and might not do a solo trip all year (just writing that seems weird).

 

[Bob]

lol ......... I'm always the slowest , doesnt bother me to be last as long as I know where we are stopping.

 

[shredhiker]

I've always loved site OD4, looking out over the Little Firehole Meadows. One of the great sites in the Park for me.

Be sure and head up to Buffalo Meadows while you are there.

What’s the best way to get up to Buffalo Meadows? Looks like I could possibly follow the creek up from OD2?

 

[scatman]

What’s the best way to get up to Buffalo Meadows? Looks like I could possibly follow the creek up from OD2?

Sorry, I meant to heap praise on OD2, not OD4. Yes, just follow the creek up to the meadows. You'll have to climb up above the creek at one point before dropping back down to it as it runs through a short steep mini-canyon.