Embedded Files
July 31, 2018 - mile 2210, 12 miles, 8595 ft., 8 AM to 5 PM.
Camping supposedly near some water ahead, but I have plenty for dinner & breakfas t (carried 6 liters for most of the way - 15 mile gap in sources).
Damp Dan. 700 miles to complete his triple. 73 years old. Is having short days (did I hear 8 miles?). Blames it on the altitude. My take: No Way. Mary_a_dempsey@msn.com
The Kid barreled past me - sprayed him to fight the flies hovering about him (but not me!). From Tampa.
I starting tiring / slowing later today: around 4 PM? But it came on fast, and I decided why kill myself - don’t push beyond the slow-down: it sin’t worth it.
Hazy all day - mountains obscured that were clearly visible yesterday. Fires? Made it seem even hotter in the afternoon.
58 Miles to Leadore.
Aug 1, 2018 - mile 2223, 13 miles, 8085 ft, 7 AM to 5:30 PM, camped near Tendoy Creek.
Shane going SOBO - dislocated shoulder two weeks ago, but still at it.
Easy walking, beside long boggy valley perfect for beavers. Still hazy, making it cooler in the afternoon. Strong until the end, no need to stop frequently as before. Am I getting in shape finally?
Passed Damp Dan - so far the only hiker I’ve passed.
Not one animal since I left Yellowstone.
44 miles to Leadore.
Mile 2210.8: water: NONE
Aug 2, 2018 - mile 2235, 12 miles, 8999 feet. 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM, with break for weather.
What a day. Made it to the 9550 pass (no trail - just cairns and sticks) when it started to hail. Put up my tent & crawled in - it stopped in just a few minutes. So packed back up, when it began to hail again. Back up goes the tent, this time for a 2 hour wait. Finally got going again around 5:30 PM, hiked till 8:30, found a flat spot nears Creek with a teensy bit of water, Swiss Miss & Top Ramen after 9.
32 miles to Leadore
Aug 3, 2018 - mile 2249, 14 miles (new record), 9,087 feet, 7:30 AM to 6:30 PM.
Easy walking along a road bed most of the way - with a few jumps to over 9,000. Passed by two singles (one named Snake Pit), and a group of three. All young, all fit, all moving along at least twice, more like 3 times my pitiful walking pace. But they don’t have my terrible balance, my slow reactions, my right hip ache (yep, it came back for awhile this afternoon.)1
The wind is so gusty I couldn’t pitch my tent - will sleep out tonight. Couldn’t light my stove, so dinner was a bowl of granola with milk. Maybe things will quiet down later.
Tried phoning Gary, but no go - sent him a text message instead: I’ll be arriving at Bannock Pass midday Sunday.
I think the reason I am so tired is my diet: I need more snacks besides almonds and M&Ms. For example: Pringles, cheese, salami, corn nuts, goldfish, peanut butter, cheez-it’s, Cap’n Crunch, jelly bellies
18 miles to Leadore
Aug 4, 2018 - mile 2264, 15 miles (new record), 7988 ft, 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM.
Rough night outside on Tyvek in sleeping bag rigged so that broken zipper is below Neoair pad. Kinda like the setup. After all, who needs down under you while you sleep! Still, a kinda cold night, even in my down pants and parka.
Breakfast (no wind) permitted Swiss Miss, coffee, and an instant meal. (Tried some Nido in my cold Mt Hagen instant coffee - bad idea). Down to a few nuts and M&Ms, 2 Top Ramen, an instant mashed potatoes, and a foil of fish. Good planning, Solar Sam!
Most of the day’s walking along an old ranch road, sometimes past and through big rocky outcrops, making progress slow and tedious. But lovely vistas of rolling smooth hills covered with sagebrush. No aches or pains, never out of breath, heart seems strong - the problem remains my balance and my reaction time.
Did some timing: around 37 minutes a mile, or 20% slower than 2 miles / hour.
And boy is this place empty. Except for occasional CDT hikers, there is no one, and no animals except cows.
Able to receive email from Gary. We have different ideas for tomorrow. My plan is to get a ride from “Sam”, the manager of the hotel - I was able to reach him on the phone, and arranged for a pickup at the pass tomorrow at 11. Then have Dixie drive Gary, his stuff, and my box to Leadore. Dixie goes back home, Gary & I have a bachelor’s evening, then get Sam to drive us to the pass - or maybe take a zero day first?
My big charger has easily handled keeping my iPhone happy. And my gas canister lasted 7 days.
3.1 miles to Leadore.
Aug 5, 2018 - Leadore Inn, Idaho (zero day)
2264 (here) to 2440 Johnson Lake) to 2464 (start of Anaconda alt) plus 53 (Anaconda) + to Canada 3014-2604 = 639
Chief mt alt: 27 versus regular (5+3014 - 2979 = 40): only a day’s difference.
Ride from Bannock Pass by Sam, the manager of the Leodore Inn, where I am now resting comfortably in my $70 room after a huge brunch at the only restaurant in town. Few other scattered hikers around. Gary comes by tomorrow. Meanwhile, moving as little as possible. Restaurant fails to open for dinner or next morning for breakfast.
Rabbit had a cool Zpack tent.
Aug 6, 2018 - mile 2276, 9 miles.
Gary & Dixie Gapp arrived midday with my hiker package. I have so much stuff I may send it on. Stuffed myself with an early afternoon breakfast, then we drove to Bannock Pass (along with a SOBO couple in the back of the pickup).
Hiked through rolling fields for several hours. Clear blue sky, just the right warmth and breeze, trail often a BLM Access Road. No game to speak of, despite Gary’s pauses for bino scans. Slept in open field with 360 degree views. Stars brilliant; Mars ridiculously red.
630 miles to Canada
Aug 7, 2018. Mile 2287, 11 miles, 8932 ft, 8 AM to 6 PM.
Gary continues to amaze me with his hunting stories and backwoods knowledge. The guy has even hunted musk ox in Greenland (successfully)!
619 miles to Canada
Sexy Tree leg
Somebody should clean up this mess
Gary found an arrowhead
Aug 8, 2018. Mile 2294, 7 miles, 7381 ft, Lehmi Pass, 7:30 AM - 11:30 AM.
No sweat mostly downhill on road, 1 hr. before Dixie will pick us up. A nice completion to my 3 days with Gary.
612 miles to Canada
Gary's fireplace, complete with mountain goat
Aug 9, 2018. Zero day, Gary’s house
Goldstone Pass: 2313.8.
Go to Dillon Ranger District In Beaverhead National Forest. Goldstone Fire.
Learned of closure of CDT north of Lehmi Pass - exactly where I needed to hike next. So, quick decision: skip the Lehmi - Chief Joseph Pass for now. Easier drive for Gary, too.
Aug 10, 2018. Mile 2399, 9 miles, 7624 ft, 10 AM to 7 PM. Driven to Chief Joseph Trailhead (2389.7) by Gary.
Fire info: www.nifc.gov.
Elk noisily grazing next to Gary’s house last night (so they told me - I slept right through it.)
Great breakfast (ham, eggs, hash browns, milk), then packed my pack with about ten days of food. Plus 3 liters of water (no water the first 15 miles north of Chief Joseph Pass.). Weighed it : 40 lbs. Maybe more shocking: I’m about 155 lbs. But all muscle & heart!
Very slow going today: pack slowing me down. Luckily relatively level path, nicely groomed, mostly through trees. Not to hot, still smoke in the air from the Goldstone Fire (the one that has closed the CDT). Hoping less weight will make it easier. (soon will be carrying less water, and eating the heavy stuff first).
Calculations:
current position: mile 2399
CDT meets start of Anaconda alt: 2464
Anaconda: mile 26.9.
So: from here to Anaconda: (2464-2399) + 26.9 = 91.9.
Rest of Anaconda: 52.7
Mile where Anaconda ends: 2603.8
Final CDT mile: 3014.5
So, from here to Canada: 91.9 + 52.7 + (3014.5 - 2603.8) = 555.3
Aug 11, 2018. Mile 2415, 16 miles, 8113 ft. 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM. New record!
Whole day hiking through fires burn, but out of it at end. Pretty strong all day; seeing distance every 1/2 hour. Shoulders hurt a bit later in the day.
76 miles to Anaconda.
539 miles to Canada.
Aug 13, 2018. Mile 2443, 14 miles, 8227 ft., 7:30 AM to 7:15 PM.
Camped by Rainbow Lake. One month on the hike!
Tough day: two big ascents, each a few miles. Hauling up these trails is slow and tiring. I hope Montana isn’t just a whole lot of up-and-downs.
Smelled smoke in morning, but went away soon. Fire smoke visible previous evening, but ok here at lake. Last night cold and damp (next to stream, duh!). Tonight should be warmer (didn’t use tent, sleeping bag liner, rain pants, rain jacket, legs of hiking pants, warm gloves). Still debating if should have Rachael send me my good bag.
48 miles to Anaconda
511 miles to Canada
Google Sites
Report abuse