The 2024 Montana Outdoor High Adventure Base (MOHAB) season was defined by nature’s unpredictability and the resilience of those who explored it. From snowstorms to scorching heat, each week brought new challenges and unforgettable experiences for the Scouts who ventured into the heart of Montana’s wilderness.
MOHAB kicked off in early June with five seasoned guides – Alex Crawford, Nolan Cox, Anna Davis, Kyler Rominger, and Connor McCormick – ready to lead participants through an unforgettable journey across the wild and unpredictable landscape.
WEEK 1
The first week saw challenging weather out of the gate. During the shakedown hike, the two crews found themselves trekking through a welcoming snowstorm back to the comfort of the lodge at the base of the Rocky Mountain front.
Up to eight inches of snow blanketed the passes and mountaintops with low temperatures forecasted to be in the thirties. Yet, the two crews set out for their adventure undeterred. One crew started for a mountain with a fire lookout at two in the morning and met snow along the way. After surmounting the peak and much deliberation, they chose to push their expedition to exceed the fifty-miler goal.
The other crew floated the whole valley, then worked their way up a second, staying where the temperatures were warmer and adding more packrafting to the trek. The downtime was spent playing frisbee and fishing in one of the most remote areas in the lower forty-eight.
WEEK 2
The second week brought new challenges, as the crews prepared for low water levels, with rivers flowing at only 50% of their usual volume. One crew walked a couple of miles downriver before finding a spot deemed floatable, while the other opted to climb a pass into a different river valley.
Both crews dared up mountains in ambition to reach a fire lookout. One crew shot to make it up by sunrise, starting earlier and keeping out of the afternoon showers. The other crew began in the afternoon and found themselves challenging a roughly 12-mile hike with 3,158 feet of elevation. Just as the summiting members finished admiring the views, they had to flee the oncoming afternoon storm.
WEEK 3
Only one crew attended week three, moving to another river seeking better rafting conditions. Despite the persistent afternoon rain, the sun shone brightly during the day, creating ideal weather for rafting. They packed their way along the densely forested corridor and spent time fishing at a lake seemingly swallowed by the forest.
WEEK 4
The fourth week brought no rain, but instead, blistering heat. One crew began and ended their expedition a day before the other, trekking through the blazing sun along the jungle-evoking valley. They found respite from the heat in the cool waters of the river.
The other crew plowed their way 14 miles on the first day high up the river valley, rewarding themselves with a shorter second day. They spent the rest of their week paddling through technical rock gardens and surmounting rapids, venturing off the river to explore one of the surrounding lakes and fish for cutthroat trout.
WEEK 5
Two sister crews attended the final week, their competitive spirits driving them to see who could cover more miles on both the river and the trail. One crew strategized by high hiking mileage to tucked away lakes and peaks, the other by hiking as far up the river valley to float as much as possible.
What looked to be a short off-trail hike from the main trail to the river took one crew three hours as they fought through the dense blown-down forest and relied heavily on a map and compass to navigate off the trail. Their efforts were rewarded with a high positioning on the river, allowing them to float the rest of their way to the fifty-mile achievement, completing one of the longest floats in the program’s history.
The other crew discovered unmanaged trail systems on their way out of the valley, finding lakes few people ever see. After climbing over and through heaps of thickets and downed logs, they opted to stick closer to the main river corridor. The time spent unwinding along the lakes did not inhibit their fifty-mile achievement.
Ultimately, these are just bits and pieces of experiences only one can fully understand by attending a MOHAB expedition. Every crew has a unique experience. The larger events do not account for all the small things that truly make these trips an unforgettable experience.
Click to learn more about MOHAB. We still have space for 2025 Sessions Four & Five – but they are filling fast. Register today!
