Really secure water to your backpack. I made it ~ 2/3 up them moutain with 6L of water on a high country mule deer hunt where water would be an issue. Very disappointing to take the pack off at the end of the brutal hike and realize our for-sure water source was gone. No idea how I didn't hear that thud. Scraped old snow off the ground in the shade on the north slopes for drinking water - lots of extra grit and work required. Not recommended.
When the oil service truck driver that runs the soggy forest service road everyday tells you to bring out your chains, you really need to put them on(make sure you have a set). Things are about to get ugly on the road and 4WD won't save you.
When the lines are close on the topo map, the terrain is steep. Hunting new units every year to date, my scouting is done primarily from afar. The initial hike in always sucks as I relearn map reading 101. The silver lining is I usually don't see other (idiots) hunting near me.
