Would You Cross This Log?

[ElkNut1]

I was up in my elk hunting area this weekend & as you can see the small generally crossable creeks are blown out with winter snow melting run off. Would you try to cross here along this burnt log if it were archery elk season & you came across this spot because you wanted to get to the other side?

ElkNut1

[wawhitey]

id hike a mile or so up or down stream to find something better. that thing would ruin your day if you tried

[elkmtngear]

With the SLIP System Trekking pole.....Yes. I've crossed worse.
But only if it felt solid and wasn't "rolling" around on the rock on the right side.

[Ridgernr]

Nope, logs and water spell wet for me. Just upstream 20 yards or so looks possible I would take my boots and socks off and try it there, although you can't quite see around that bend for sure.

[JohnFitzgerald]

I wouldn't.

jf

[cnelk]

That is a trap.
And its best to recognize one when you see it

I got nothing to prove to anyone by risking it

[mtnmutt]

No!

2 years ago in July, there were still snow mounds at 10,500 feet. I wanted desperately to backpack to a remote set of lakes where there is heavy elk concentrations. No trail to the area. I came upon a raging creek coming down a steep incline. It wasn't even marked as a seasonal creek. I could not find a safe crossing, so I turned back.

In the last 2 years, I have taken bad falls from these 2 things: walking over deadfall and jumping over a creek. Creek crossings are the most dangerous next to being above timberline during a t-storm and walking over rock fields. One year, a solo hiker died from head injury while walking over a large rock field. Another year, lady was throw from her horse while crossing a creek. They found her body down stream.

For calm water creeks, I use my Blue Seventy Neoprene swim socks (grip things on bottom). If I must use a log to cross, I extend my poles to reach the bottom as I walk across the log. I won't use a wet log. I have good balance, but I get short dizzy spells from low blood pressure.

Would you want to pack out meat over that log? Granted, that creek may be a trickle in September.

[ctdad]

Nope,

I slipped crossing a log last year and the bruise that followed made the next five days in the mountains very difficult. I was tired and not thinking, just wanted to get to camp. Not making that mistake again. That bruise at home while working is no big deal. Out in the mountains while climbing and hiking all day, it is miserable.

Going around is forgettable. Getting hurt is not.

[WapitiTalk1]

That is one slimy looking log! Looks like trouble for sure, even "crawling" across. Time to look up or down for a better fording point.

[Wapiti]

Paul,

I woundn't try it !! I almost drownd in a creek not much bigger than that. That water flow could take you several hundred yaards down stream before you could scramble out. There could be a water fall or worse a log jam waiting to wedge you in and under the water !! There is no getting out if you get into a log jam !! I was lucky my mishap was a water fall..........actually three water falls! I am still here today thanks to water falls but had it been a big log jam the water preasure would have held anyone in place. That is thousands of pounds of water that would be hitting a person. Not a good out come.

[CrazyElkHunter]

Nope! Not worth the chance. Log is just balancing on the boulder on the right ready to slip off. If log went all the way across wedged solid on both ends and had bark on it, probably see me on the other side.

[Swede]

Walking the log is not the problem. I would want to make sure the log did not want to start walking when I got on it. Sometimes it is just easier to take off some clothes and your boots and wade across.

[eltaco]

How big is the bull on the other side?

Honestly, I'd steer clear of it. That stream spells wet bow, pack, gear etc if you take a bad fall!

[Buglemaster]

I'm wading someplace else. Put me on that log & it's gonna be a Kodak moment for share!

[elkflunky]

I would have my buddy go first and tie a rope to the trees on the other side. See all obstacles can be overcome with a little thinking! If the first guy didn't make it send the next guy(the first guys ribs are broke now) across with the rope. Joking here but I bet almost every one of us would figure out a way a cross if there was elk on the other side! Maybe up stream or down stream or even build a 600 yard bridge across there but we would find a way to get on the other side. Somehow most of us would figure out a way.....

[JJ Overkill]

not a chance, id have to find another way around it. hunting with my younger son I try and think of the worse possible case. here I see me getting hurt bad and having to send him for help. i don't like the thought of him having to hike by himself out of the mountains. things do happen but id like to try and prevent the things i can

[bnsafe]

not gonna happen. looks like your gonna get wet best case and seriously hurt worst case. either way its not gonna be good. and, if say you make it fine and kill a fine bull on the other side, then you gotta get all that weight back across somewhere. 20 years ago prob, not anymore

[Trophyhill]

No sir but in September most likely the water wouldn't be as fast or as deep and my Meindl's could probably handle crossing without my feet getting wet

[flystrait]

Nope! Thats why I carry the light packable waders, and trekking poles.

[ElkNut1]

I'm with you all!!! That's a dangerous situation at best, I wouldn't even attempt to cross that widow maker! (grin) As Crazyelkhunter points out the one side looks fairly unstable resting on that rock, wouldn't trust that log as far as I could throw it! I'd keep on trucking until I found a more negotiable spot!

ElkNut1

[JimKirk]

i don't think i would. it looks wet and the resulting fall would get me even wetter. here's last weekend in the weminuche wilderness:

[LckyTylr]

I would cross it, but not for an elk . . . my luck would be that I'd finally kill my first bull and have to cross it 5 or 6 times with a loaded pack, potentially in the dark. Not fun

[one_elk]

I would wade the creek before crossing that log.....

[Fullabull]

Not just no but, HELL NO!!! The other question is what about getting back

[Z Barebow]

I had the "opportunity" in a similar situation. (See log in foreground). By the map it was an intermittent stream. (It was June). Needless to say, this ended my scouting trip in that direction! To try and cross with a backpack could be a life altering decison. If I took a spill, my carcass would still be somewhere in western WYO.

It only takes one mistake. No way.

[elkaholic]

Not a chance. Looks like a fast track to getting soaked or something even worse. I would look up or down the creek for something not as swift.