2016 Fall Campout Mallard - Larkins Pioneer Area, Idaho - Part 3

Previously on parts one and two. We were on our annual fall camp out and this year we were in the Bitterroot Mountains of Northern Idaho. We were out here for seven days and on the first day we hiked up from the trailhead up to Northbound Lake and spent the night. Then on day two we hiked further up the mountain to Heartlake. We took a zero at Heartlake on day three. Then on day four we climbed over Heart Pass and on down to Mud Lake. Heading out of Mud Lake down onto the little north fork of the Clearwater River. Bunk's been looking forward to this part all week. Hopefully the fishing's just as good. The first portion of the trail was uneventful but around the junction to Hero Lake we came across a camp in the woods. Somewhere around there we must have taken a wrong turn and we lost the trail. All right well back at that little camp we came across we lost the trail. Did a little bushwhacking and I believe we are back on track now. We used GPS to locate the trail but our maps were old. As we walked down the trail we found it starting to get faint and harder and harder to follow. Well trail 108 has disappeared and we've been bushwhacking probably for about a half hour. We were right on the GPS where the GPS said the trail was but there's no trail. So we just keep on it until we either come across the trail or we hit the river. At this point we had been off the trail for some time. We knew that we could get to where we needed to be with the maps that we had but what was starting to worry us was that the terrain was starting to get really steep. There was a good chance that we could get cliffed out and get to a point where we couldn't get down any further. We are still off trail. Well technically we're on trail according to the GPS but there's no trail. Coming down super steep hill. Hopefully this is Larkins Creek down here. Hopefully we'll find a trail. As we went further down the steep hill I noticed that my dog Timber who was about 50 feet up the hill from us was trotting along like he was on a trail. We climbed up the hill to where he was walking and there it was. Well we finally intersected the trail again. It was probably at least an hour off trail adventure and it has been straight down. Very steep country. We're probably half mile from the junction with trail 50. So as soon as we gather ourselves here we'll hit that and then make our way to the river. First views we've had in a while. First glimpse of the river. Okay we've intersected with trail 50. We've spotted the clear little north fork of the clear water and now we're headed up towards Sawtooth Creek and then the trapper cabin and we should be camping somewhere along there. Hearing some elk bugles. Don't know if that's actual elk or hunters. Heard a couple though. Kind of thought this was going to be an easier hike today and it's been the opposite of that. It's about two o'clock. We just crossed through Sawtooth Creek which is the creek we crossed on day one and next landmark is the trapper's cabin. We should be finding a campsite here pretty quick. All right so we have made it to camp down here. We've been here probably an hour. Brutal hike today but we're staying here for two nights. It's day six. We are on the little north fork of the Clearwater River. We're taking a zero here today and we got a pretty good hike out tomorrow. Eight miles. At least 2,000 feet of gain. Maybe 2,500. But we're gonna rest up here today and have fun on the river. Heading home tomorrow. Yeah. Third fish I've got on video. I mentioned the fishing was fantastic. Okay it is morning here. Day seven. 6 30 in the morning. It's not even fully light yet but we are pretty close to being out of here. Long difficult hike today. Last hike. Eight miles. Eight and a half because we got to go back up to the trail. A lot of elevation gain but been a great trip. How many disappearing trails today? It's about seven. We're probably only a half mile out of camp. I bet we've gained at least 400 feet. Pretty much straight uphill but that's kind of the only terrain that there is in the Mallard Larkin. It seems we're a couple miles in now. Feeling pretty good but we still got a long ways to go. It is almost 8 30. Should be coming up on this junction here real quick. That is the junction with the trail that goes up on top of the mountain. I think it's safe to say we're over the halfway point. We have definitely climbed most of the elevation we need to gain. Kind of raining off and on. Not too bad so far with the rain. Plants are starting to change. Feels like we're getting up high again. Oh definitely on the home stretch. I think we got less than a mile to go. I think we got one more good climb to get up to the saddle. Seems only fitting that you gotta climb a hill to get to the parking lot. Only a few more hundred feet. Just grinding this last hill out. Well that's that. Back at the truck. We made it. We actually made pretty good time on the trail. I think we were hiking for four hours but uh pretty brutal. Pretty tough. By far the toughest one we've ever done.