I'm one week away from my three week hunting trip to Utah for muzzleloader elk and my first Mt. lion hunt. We'll be hunting elk northwest of Vernal and than heading down by Blanding for the kitty kats with a guide. I'll be hunting both with the smokepole. I hoping for a little snow for both hunts. This is one flatlander that can't wait for the High Country!

We already have som good snow up mand down the wasatch front! some of the resorts are reporting 18+". I hope your ready and realize the altitude difference. I'm from PA and when I first got here I had trouble getting up stairs! And I was in great shap, i just got out of basic at that time. Just a heads up bud.

Oh...and...
GOOD LUCK

Goodluck. I just got back from Utah on the 13th. I was there for a rifle elk hunt in the town of coalville. I'm from PA also and deff prepare yourself for the altitude change. Like pahntr760 said the altitude will get you. Back here i can walk for a hour without stopping. Out there i'd be lucky to walk 150yards without having to take a breather. I was at 8500ft for basecamp and we were hunting around 10,000. You better be physically fit to. Till the week was over my body was shot. Goodluck.

Good luck and bring back pictures!

Amen to the altitude issues. I live at 100 feet and weslept at 7200 for 9 days. Our hunts were at 8500 to 10500 and I didn't feel well for the first 3 days. Any up hill walking was slow but we got there. Difficult but worth it.

Good Luck, on both hunts .

I'm going for my first Elk Hunt in 3 weeks, and I'm not looking forward to the elevation. I'm at about 3000 ft here in WV, but our camp is around 9500 feet, so it could be interesting.

Oh, yeah, and we're hiking almost 7 miles to our camp, with pack horses [:'(]

For the last 4 months I've been jogging. I'm up to 5 miles 2-3 days a week. I've hunted elk last year in western MT but the elevation was around 7500-7900. We're getting there1 1/2days early so we'll have a little time to adjust. I hope I've done everything to prepare for 3 weeks in the mountains. I'm 29yrs old and in prettygood shape. Don't get me wrongI'm sure I be sucking wind still and won't be runningthe elk done with a spear.

Good thinking! If your in good shape and dont smoke, the first day or two will be rough, but you should settle in more easily then one who smokes two packs a day and play couch potato!

Snowing in the Valley! We are supposed to get 6" tonight! That means a lot in the hills. Should be a good hunt!