Category: Continental Divide Trail

July 29th, 2019 Summit Lake, CDT mm 988 to Moose Creek Meadow Campsite mm 1012.6 Distance in miles: 24.6 0500-1820 This post is a guide on how to stuff yourself silly at a buffet and be a tourist for several hours, bookended by a full day’s hike. We are up and on the trail as planned, set to hike 10 miles by 8 am. We use headlamps for about 30 minutes and I am a bit wary of large animals. But we stick close to each other and have faith that there is not much that would bother a gang of 3 hikers. The sun eventually rises but it seems to get even cooler. I have to put on my[…]

July 28th, 2019 Mm 6.5 of Mac’s Inn alternate to Summit Lake, CDT mm 988 Distance in miles: 19 0730-1600 Today is the shortest distance I’ve hiked on the CDT when there isn’t a town involved. It’s also one of the easiest days terrain-wise. I don’t recall one rise where I even have to increase my breathing. We get started super late, by my standards, since we are in no hurry. We can only go so far without getting too close to Old Faithful Village for the night. It’s kind of nice to lounge around, talking and enjoying breakfast. This was the first night that Samson camped with us and we love his company. He’s a fluids engineer and worked[…]

July 27th, 2019 Mm 17 to mm 6.5 of Mac’s Inn alternate Distance in miles: 10.5 1200-1930 I wake up with a pretty bad migraine and am thinking that pushing hard and doing big miles is healthier for me than taking it easy around towns. But we have to slow down these next 2 days because Relentless has a few packages at the PO in Old Faithful Village, Yellowstone, and it doesn’t open until Monday. This is the problem with having to mail stuff to a PO…inevitability your unpredictable schedule will land you there on the 1 or 2 days it’s closed. I try to sleep in but can’t. So I get up to hang out in the fancy hotel[…]

July 26th, 2019 Mm 902 to mm 17 of Mac’s Inn alternate, Island Park, ID Distance in miles: 18.5 0615-1230 Another town day but this one is special. I get to meet up with a group of hiking friends that have come all the way from Florida to see me! Not really, they already had a trip to Idaho planned and just so happen to be in the neighborhood. Still, they’re driving a few hours to meet up and it will be great to see them.  But first we have to get to town. I call my saved route “Day Off” with the hopes that it will be pretty easy…and it is, save for all the miles we still have[…]

July 25th, 2019 Mm 870 to mm 902 Distance in miles: 32 0600-1830 Today is our last full day in Montana. We cross back and forth between the two states all day long and I just call it Montanaho. I haven’t a clue which state I’ve been in for the past few weeks, in fact. But tomorrow we will be in Montana for a few miles and then cross into Idaho for the remainder until Wyoming. I will be so glad to be done with both of them, as it has been a long and tiring hike. But also incredibly scenic, remote, and diverse.Today is more crappy, bumpy, overgrown, buggy, and almost non-existent trail. But it’s still fun! There are[…]

July 24th, 2019 Mm 850 to mm 870.2 Distance in miles: 20.2 1200-1900 I can’t believe that I’ve been walking SOBO for a month already. The time does fly by. For the first time in awhile, I have the luxury of rolling around in bed and sleeping in…until 0630 am. I’m hungry as soon as I wake up and head to the one restaurant again. Good thing the food and service is good. I am not usually into having a big breakfast but today I am. My order comes out on two plates, there is so much food: 2 eggs, 2 pieces of french toast, and a giant slab of ham. I eat every last bit. Yum. Just before taking[…]

July 23rd, 2019 Mm 834.2 to I-15 mm 850 then ride to Lima, MT Distance in miles: 15.8 0530-1000 I sleep very good until around 4 am, when the wind starts blasting my tent. I hear Relentless moving around, as one of his stakes has pulled out. Since we’re both up, I propose just packing and getting an early start. But there are flashes all about and I worry that a thunderstorm is approaching. It starts to sprinkle. We pack in the dark anyways and are atop the ridge by 0530 am. A red glow to the east greets us, followed by more ups and downs. At least the weather is cooperating. It’s overcast but the storms have moved away.[…]

July 22nd, 2019 Mm 805.7 to mm 834.2 Distance in miles: 28.5 0600-1800 What to say about today? Well, it was another tough day, mostly because of all the short, steep climbs at the end. But overall it was pretty good. We are treated to a great sunrise as we walk along the open sagebrush prairie in the morning. Then we begin climbing up towards a pass on the south side of Garfield Mountain. Samson camped a little down the trail from us last night but we join up with him for the morning. We all have lunch at the pass, admiring the Red Conglomerate Peaks. We try to escape the flies as best we can by sitting high in[…]

July 21st, 2019 Morrison Lake mm 772 to mm 805.7 Distance in miles: 29 0625-1900 I wake overnight to views of the moon reflecting on the lake and the sound of owls training each other the proper sequence of hooting. It’s so peaceful. But then my mind wonders to what kind of owls they might be. They sound like great horned owls but could be anything all the way up here. Perhaps my new favorite, the Great Grey Owl. We linger a bit longer than normal in the morning, reluctant to say goodby to the lake. Then we’re winding in and out valleys, up and over saddles, through high alpine meadows with elk, straight up over giant green hills, sidling[…]

July 20th, 2019 Bannock Pass/HWY 29 mm 747 to Morrison Lake mm 772 Distance in miles: 25 1015-1930 Somehow I feel ok in the morning, despite not a lot of sleep and a questionable diet. I sit on the porch typing on my phone, pondering how it is that I have all my layers on in the middle of July. It has to at least be in the low 40s. Sam’s thermometer reads high 30s but I think it’s broken. It’s cold, period. After awhile, Sam brings out a thermos of coffee, which is so nice. Then the sun rises over the mountains and all is well. Relentless and I go for breakfast at the store. I get some hot[…]