We offer Rafting Drop Floats to the upper end of the South Fork of the Flathead River starting end of June. These "do it yourself" rafting drop floats in the Bob Marshall Wilderness can put you right in the middle of the best fishing in Montana. In addition to the world class cutthroat trout fishing, the South Fork of the Flathead is also one of the few areas in the lower 48 states where you can legally fish for bull trout.
For the drop floats we usually depart from the Owl Creek Trailhead located next to Holland Lake. We will take you, your boats and gear by horseback into the confluence of Gordon Creek and the South Fork of the Flathead River.
We run a professional operation and will get you to your destination in a timely manner, so you can start your adventure as scheduled. Plan on a 9 hour horseback ride to get to the South Fork, along with a couple breaks to stretch your legs as well as a quick lunch break.
DATES & RATES
Owl Creek Packer Camp to mouth of Gordon Creek - South Fork Flathead River
$425 per riding horse
$3.25 per pound of gear
$2,000 minimum required for drop services
Pyramid Trailhead to confluence of Youngs and Danaher Creek - South Fork of Flathead River
$450 per riding horse
$4.25 per pound of gear
DROP CAMP
We ask that you bring all your gear to the trailhead by early afternoon/late evening (depending on amount of gear) the day before your departure day, so we can have everything packed and ready to go in the morning to ensure an early start.
If you will be riding instead of walking, we will provide you with a horse and all necessary tack and saddle bags for your trip into the South Fork of the Flathead River. No food or drinks will be provided for drop services, so please eat breakfast and pack a lunch before you show up on departure day. We will do the pack in, in one day. We plan on leaving the trailhead by 7 am and getting you/your gear to the river between 3-5pm (that is the goal). We take a couple of short breaks and a short lunch break, other wise we try to stay on the horses and moving to get you to the drop point.
The cost for riding animal is $425 for Gordon Creek and $450 through Pyramid TH.
To simplify pricing we now charge per pound for gear being packed in. The cost is $3.25 per/lb for trips going down Gordon Creek to the confluence of Gordon and the South Fork of the Flathead. For Pyramid TH drops to the confluence of Youngs and Danaher the price is $4.25/lb of gear. As always we do NOT have any additional fees for packers or wranglers. Please have all loose items packed in duffel bags, boxes, coolers, etc. with no pack in excess of 70lbs and no traditional coolers larger than 70 quarts or extreme coolers(Yeti, RTIC, Grizzly) larger than 65 quart.
*No items over 75lbs will be taken except for flexible items such as rafts that can be draped over a mule.
*Oars must be less than 6 feet long with detachable blades.
*Frames must be broken down to as small as possible.
We will charge a 50% deposit based on our phone call and what we come up with as an estimated gear total and rider total. We will send a service agreement before any deposit is collected.
When you meet the packers before your scheduled drop date they will weigh out each item and we will charge the remaining balance accordingly. We usually meet the afternoon/evening before your drop date at the Owl Creek Packer camp or at our ranch in Charlo, MT, (30888 Eagle Pass Trail, Charlo, MT 59824).
Please have a good estimate of how many pounds of gear you will have 3 days before the drop. We are scheduling other drops and sometimes mules will be limited on availability based on your estimates.
Please call us to talk about the drop details!
406-644-2557
Deposit Policy:
A deposit of 50% based on the estimate we agree on will book the particular trip you want. When you meet us at the trailhead or our ranch to drop your gear off our packers will weigh all the gear, you will then pay the remaining balance depending on the actual total weight. Cash, checks or credit cards are accepted form of payment. We do charge an extra 3% credit card/debit card/Venmo fee.
Cancellation Policy:
Deposits are nonrefundable. This space is held for you, and this means turning others away. Deposits are transferable if you have someone else to take your place. In the event of Forest Fires, USFS closures, or other natural disasters, any remaining deposits may be held for a future reservation within 2 years.