Continental Divide Trail 

Aug 29, 2018.  Mile 2722, 19 miles, 5612 feet, began 7:45 AM, ended 8:15 PM.  Made it to the water!

• Big day. Goal was to not die of thirst.  Very few water sources, most off trail by up to a half mile.  But two water caches helped a lot - got me here, in fact.  There was even a bottle of water left in the middle of the trail.

• Best yet was finding at the end a wonderful “Hiker Haven”, with food, beer, games, chairs for relaxing - even a Yurt for sleeping - all provided by Trail Angel River Wulf.

• My shoulders (especially the left) hurt on and off all day - what is it with these shoulders?  I should try “Vitamin I” (ibuprofen).

• 0 miles to Lincoln

• 275 miles to Canada

Sep 2, 2018.  Mile 2756, 15 miles, 5574 ft, from 8:30 AM to 7 PM.

• Started out very cold, with the added treat of spilling my pee can in the tent.  But after a few of the usual up and downs, and lots of burned trees, the trail flattened out, going up a valley next to a beautiful river.  Easy walking amongst trees, and it even warmed up enough that I was able to walk without parka and gloves.

• Kept seeing Patrick, Lucky Man, and Minute.  Learned that there is a trail closure just north of Benchmark Ranch, another in West Glacier, and that the Spotted Bear Alternate may be closed because of Grizzly activity.  Shit. (Spotted Bear: 27.5 miles, CDT 2852.5 - 2809.6 = 43 Miles).  Should Google “CDC FIRE CLOSURES” when I get to Augusta. 

• Shoes are beginning to fall apart at the toes - and the bottoms are almost completely smooth.  It may be time soon for super glue and duct tape.  But I like my new inflatable pad (except it doesn’t anywhere near fit in the bag it came in: no rolling off it, nice and long, quick to inflate.  Maybe they make a shorter version?

• No real shoulder pain, but I seem to keep adjusting the strap positions on my shoulders.  Should try completely ignoring them.

• 24 miles to Augusta 

• 241 miles to Canada

Sep 3, 2018. Mile 2773, 17 miles, elevation 5802 ft.  From 8:15 AM to 8 PM.  

• Started large gas canister on Aug 3: 14 days so far (and running low).

• Water: 2797.1

• Food next section:

  • breakfast: Swiss Miss, oatmeal / cereal (if have milk) / pop tart

  • Dinner: Top Ramen / Knorr rice, Swiss Miss

  • Snacks: cheese, peanuts, almonds, Pringles, hard candies, chocolate covered caramels

• Beaver & Hambone: serious looking hiker dudes.

• Download topo maps

• Fix shoes

• Only 2 passes, otherwise lots of relatively flat walking through burned trees - so depressing!  Luckily found a field when I was about to give up on finding a flat, ash-free site.  

• Talked to a “Wilderness Ranger”: CDT definitely closed 8 miles north of Benchmark.  Two options: follow a bunch of other trails, or a  river.  Will decide in Augusta.  Neither option is near the so-called “Chinese Wall”, but the Ranger pointed a part of it out to me.  No big deal.  I suspect it’s famous because it’s long, not because it is particularly attractive.  I again say what I’ve said before: Montana’s CRT is pretty boring, and heavily burned.  Oh, and the Spotted Bear Pass Alternate is closed:  Grizzly issues.  And I think the standard route to Waterton is also closed: gotta take Chief Mountain.  

• Apparently the large amount of snow last winter encouraged vegetation growth, followed by virtually no rain all year, which dried out all the vegetation.  Result: lots of fires.

• Shoes gradually giving up - must try some repairs in Augusta.

• Tomorrow: hike 7 miles, then try hitching to Augusta.

• 7 miles to Augusta 

• 224 miles to Canada (to be revised)

Sep 4, 2018.  Mile 2780 (Benchmark Trailhead)

• 7 miles, started hitching, picked up by Gary and Debbie Frederick, staying with them tonight.

• While hiking on road to Augusta, passed Casper’s mom (Casper comes in tomorrow) driving a hiker to the trail - who remembered me from before Mack’s Inn. And a pickup with six hikers - including Hambone and Beaver - passed me as well.  Big gang at Augusta tonight.

• Tonight dinner at Mike Miller’s, a neighbor with a cabin as cool as Gary’s.  Hamburgers, beans, Mac’n’cheese, even wine.  And salad and mushrooms- really stuffed myself.  Mike is from San Diego.

• 2915 - 2780 = 135 miles to East Glacier

• 3024 - 2780 = 244 miles to Canada to be revised)

Sep 5, 2018.  Zero day at Gary & Debbie’s (morning) and Augusta (rest of day)

Trail closure (since Aug 24): from 2784 to 2820.1 = 36.1 miles.

• Detour #1: trail 202 for 7 miles + trail 261 for 8.3 miles + trail 131 for 1.4 miles + trail 166 for 5.25 miles + trail 111 for .75 miles: total 22.7 miles.

• Detour along river: trail 202 to South Fork Sun River.  Then either side of the North Fork Sun River to Gates Park (West side forest, East side prairie).

• Library: 10-12, 1-5

• Gary & Debbie drove me in to Augusta.  Saw two Sandhill cranes on the way (my first ever).  Beautiful hills, cliffs, lakes, white Charolay cows.  Best Montana scenery so far.  Huge breakfast (chocolate milkshake, waffles with strawberries- it was “waffle uuish of huckleberry ice cream, another chocolate milkshake, a grilled cheese sandwich, and a fresh-squeezed lemonade.  Burp.

• Met Medic and Bourbon at Bunkhouse Inn, Augusta.  Aussies.  Sister wants to go sailing.

• General Store has best selection of hiker food I’ve yet seen.  Here’s what I bought for 10 days: 10 Top Ramen, 20 Swiss Miss chocolate, 10 instant oatmeal, a pound of sharp cheddar cheese, a pound of honey roasted peanuts, a half pound of Smokehouse almonds, 2 cans of Pringles, and a bag of chocolate covered raisins.  Only the essentials.  And everything but the Ramen fits in the bear bag. 

• Here’s what I’m packing:

  • bottom: sleeping bag

  • Next: clothes bag (rain jacket, rain pants, down pants, extra underpants, extra socks, t-shirt, hiking pants’ legs. Down parka

  • Next: cooking pot with lighter, spoon, pot holder, collapsible cup, Swiss Army knife, toenail clippers,pills, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, SPOT locator; large gas canister; Jetboil with small canister.

  • Next: Bear bag with all food except top ramens, dope

  • Next: plastic bag with top ramens, ziplock bag of electronics (charger, wall socket, cables, spare headlamp, hearing aid batteries, spare battery for spare headlamp), ziplock bag with general stuff (antibiotic ointment, bandaids, Cialis pills, moleskin, water purifier tablets, Thermarest mattress repair kit, big mattress repair kit, duct tape, Tenacious tape, super glue, extra safety pins, pas2, BofA Visa debit card 2019, Senior Pass card, hearing aids.

  • Next: 2 liter platypus bag

  • Next: Tyvek ground cover

  • Inside backpack pocket: spare cables, spare wall plug, lighter, $20

  • Left backpack strap: emergency light

• Left backpack side pocket: 2 1 liter water bottles

• Right backpack side pocket: tent

• Back backpack pocket: hat or cap, sandals, pack cover, Sun cream

And here’s what I’m wearing: 

• hiking shorts with bear spray in left pocket, hard candies and bandana in right upper pocket, water purifier tablets, bleach bottle and lip stuff in right lower pocket.

• Shirt with iPhone and glasses cloth in left pocket, headlamp and pen in right inside pocket, pills (200 mg ibuprofen, anti-diarrhea, hydrocodone, Ambien)

• Cap or hat

• Neck warmer

• Gloves

• Shoes & socks

• Hiking poles

• Dark glasses

• sport, Visa card 6117, Humana card, Medicare card, Anthem card, blank checks, wallet with cash, BofA Visa card 124

• Good weather until rain possible Sep 10.

• Just duct taped my shoes.  No superglue yet.

Sep 8, 2018. Mile 10.6, Spotted Bear Alternate, (2809.5 - 2805.6 = 3.9 + 10.6 = 14.5 Miles, elevation 4980 feet.

• Note. Spotted Bear Alternate: 27.6 versus CDT: 43 miles.  Save 15.4 miles.

• Nervous about again.  Even though the first sign had trail 83 (CDT) open, making me decide to take the Spotted Bear Alternate- hell, I wasn’t even walking on any closed trails - the second sign, several miles into 83, said (and showed with big X’s on the map) 83 was closed because of fire damage.  

• I’m kind of stuck.  Going back legally is several days - I would probably have to return to Augusta, with all the hassle and time that entails, and start afresh, this time taking the official bypass.  That would set me back about three days, maybe four.  Yikes.

• Continuing illegally on 83 has its advantages.  More views of Chinese Wall.  Fifteen miles less than CDT.  I only have another 17 to hike on 83.  I doubt there is any damage to the trail.  But what if I get caught?  

• Idea: If shuttles are stopping too soon: take shuttle from East Glacier to Chief Mountain, then hike back to East Glacier.

• 17 Miles to CDT: (27.6 - 10.6)

• 79 miles to East Glacier: 17 + (2914.9 - 2852.6) 

• 179 miles to Canada: 17 + (3014.5 - 2852.6)