Area 6 encompasses the Absaroka Range south of the Greybull River and east of the Yellowstone divide—a block of high, timbered mountain country centered on the Washakie Wilderness. Elevations range from about 6,000 feet in the lower drainages to over 12,000 feet on the volcanic peaks. The terrain is classic Absaroka: crumbling volcanic ridges, deep timbered canyons, slide-alder avalanche chutes, and alpine parks above timberline. Lodgepole pine, spruce-fir, and scattered whitebark pine dominate the forests. The major drainages—the Wood River, the Greybull, and their tributaries—carve steep-walled corridors through the range. Elk summer in the high basins and transition down through the timber as snow pushes them toward the Bighorn Basin. Shoshone National Forest and the Washakie Wilderness cover the landscape. Forest roads from Meeteetse reach the eastern trailheads, and trails extend west into the wilderness interior. Meeteetse and Cody are the supply towns. Cell service is absent in the backcountry. This is another wilderness pack-in unit where horses or very strong legs are prerequisites. The eastern slope of the Absarokas drains toward the dry Bighorn Basin, creating a rain-shadow effect that makes the lower approaches drier and more open than the western side. The volcanic geology means loose rock underfoot and unstable terrain on the ridges—watch your footing, and don't trust rock that looks solid. The isolation of this area means low pressure and mature elk, but it also means long emergency response times. Carry a satellite communicator and travel with a partner. Area 6 is a limited-quota wilderness unit where nonresidents typically need 4-7 preference points for elk. The Washakie Wilderness covers the prime high country, and all hunting above the forest road system is foot or horseback only. Grizzly bears are present throughout — standard Greater Yellowstone bear regulations apply. The land is virtually all Shoshone National Forest with no significant private holdings in the huntable terrain. The area is known as a sleeper among the Absaroka units — it lacks the name recognition of the Thorofare or North Fork but produces comparable bull quality for hunters willing to commit to a multi-day pack trip. Success rates are moderate (30-40%) because the terrain is demanding and elk can escape into adjacent drainages, but the bulls that live here benefit from low pressure and reach 300+ class with regularity.