Truly One Foot In Front of the Other – CDT Edition

14 Old CDT Alternative 19.1 6/28/2021 sunny, cool in shade. Woke, packed up and on trail at 5:35. Again it was either swampy meadows or road walks. The second climb I thought might go over a pass but no it climbed up a steep meadow again and again with barely a trail and the ended at a road to be walked down to Justin’s campsite. I arrived about 9:30 am. We chatted for a while, but realized that it was early enough that he could drive me into Dubois WY and we could talk on the way.

During which I learned that he has the entire next 5-6 days planned to get me through Yellowstone and included a hotel stay at Old Faithful Lodge – amazing! The next three days I’ll be solo and he’ll meet me 2 miles outside the park and resupply me. Then we enter together for two days and hike back to the Jeep and stay at the Old Faithful Lodge. Then I hike a long 20 mile “Slackpack” and meet up with Justin. Finally I’m again solo to the next two days when we meet outside the park. Now we just have to execute the plan – ha!

In Dubois we got showers, did laundry, made some calls, did a financial call, had a big lunch, talked to Katie who is preparing for the end – you go girl! and returned to Brooks Lake Campground. We again went over the Yellowstone plans and he give me the permits and day-by-day. The only issue is I’ve now got to carry the bear canister. Ugh! I keep hearing stories about grizzly bears. Double ugh! Back at the campground we did chores and prepared for the next few days. We were so full from lunch all we had were chips and bean dip. Time for bed. Night night.

13 Old CDT Alternative 11.3 6/27/2021 cloudy, some sun, a sprinkle. It was warmer last night. In the night I woke to get on my gloves but the next time I looked it was 4:45 am and time to get up. I was on trail about 5:30. The trail was more swampy, had a badly burned section and at the end was a forest road walk. Oh and the mosquitoes were bad too.  Now I think I know why the new CDT trail was proposed. I zoomed along with some climbs and completed 5 miles by 7:35 when I stopped for my first snack. I wasn’t pushing it but I bopped along at my normal pace. I had my second snack and then lunch. By lunch I was only a mile from being done with my planned 15 miles. I filled up my water at a stream and started looking for a campsite. The clouds were threatening but only gave out a few sprinkles. Finally I found a flatish spot among some pines. It really was a nice little campsite. I completed an easy 15.8 miles. Tomorrow I have two big climbs in the remaining 7.8 miles. 

12 1863.0 6/26/2021 cloudy, cold. I was on trail filled with dew laden plants at 5:35. But the hardest part was putting on cold wet socks and putting them into cold wet shoes. Brrr! Nevertheless if they’d been dry they would have instantly been soaked by the dew from the trail plants. If you ford a river your shoes and socks get wet but then you’re out of the water. A dew laden trail goes on for miles and miles. Double Brrr! The elevation varied less today (+/-500 feet) but each climb still causes  me to huff-and-puff. I made good time for the first 5 miles of 2.5 hours by 8. Similarly for the next section by 10:30. Then a little slower for the last section to get overnight water of 2.5L, eat lunch and find a campsite. At the last section it sprinkled a bit but nothing continuous. Nevertheless the dark clouds made me frantic. I stopped just after 16 miles at 1:30. Typical bothersome mosquitoes were abound so I put up my tent, quickly, dug my cat-hole and jumped in my tent. I didn’t sleep well yesterday, because I was cold so today I laid down for a nap with my sleeping bag over me. It was cloudy and quite cool out – in the 50s. The quilt felt good. I probably dozed off because it was soon 5 pm. I had my chores to do and started them. Made dinner, which was Peak Refuel’s Beef Pasta Marinara, and it was tasty. Now more chores in my little tent before bed. Doing 15 more miles tomorrow and the route looks obvious, that is, no major climbs. Good night world.

11 1846.9 6/25/2021 sunny, small hail, sprinkles, at the end hail, then rain. Justin drove me from the campsite to the trailhead. Then he walked me down to the CDT and after a hug I was off at about 5:55 am. The grass and bushes along the trail were full of dew so my pants, shoes and socks were drenched within a few feet. I had two climbs during the first half. The first was gentle from the Green River flood plain up to the surrounding hills. The climb was a little easier but I’m still trying to get my “trail legs”. The second climb was longer and steeper. Almost from the beginning I counted “twenty-fives”. I can’t even try to remember how many I did, but it was a lot. Nevertheless, all hills must end and I finally crested the grassy peak where I stopped for a snack and water. The wind was blustery and I was cold. Maybe that was when the weather front came through. There were many minor blowdowns and a few bigger ones. During one it started to hail and I got out my rain jacket, pack cover and umbrella. I had been expecting rain, not hail. I got through the blowdown and the hail stopped. I hiked across a broad grassy plain and at that time the wind was too strong for the umbrella so I put it away. Then it would sprinkle and I’d put it up. In the last mile I had to cross a stream and I got my shoes, socks, and pants wet up to the mid-thigh. Now my pants might not dry before bedtime, and because I sleep in them I’m not happy – grrr! On the climb I saw a newborn dear all huddled down on the trail tread. I initially thought it was dead until it blinked its eye. At the end of the day Justin was right where he’d planned he would be. He was up in the pop-up and I, after putting my backpack in the back, sat in the driver’s seat to warm up.

10 1831.6 6/24/2021 cloudy, few sprinkles. Woke up to the rush of Elbow Creek and the fact that I’ll have to cross it first thing. Got packed up and was on trail about 5:30. The icy cold creek has a short intro of a side wash. Then I went slowly across the main part facing into the torrent. Step at a time. And I was done. It was up to my knees. My feet were freezing. I re-shortened my poles and took off hiking. I’m pushing to do 19 miles and get to Justin. First is a climb but I’m starting to get used to them. Across a large flatish plan. Then I begin to descend. The scenery is spectacular. I think I’m near the start of the Green River. As I descend more and more that little river becomes a torrent of greenish water. After many switchbacks I meet a trail crew who are building a massive log bridge.  I thank them for their efforts. A few minutes later I stop to chat with some hikers. Although I need to keep making progress I chat with each group. Onward and down until I reach a flat trail. Push, push, push. I plan on stopping for lunch at the next water on the map, but I miss it. Finally I stop and when I start again I only have 4 more miles. Yea! I’ll make it. I get to the trail turn off and getting confused twice, but I finally get to Justin at about 3:15. We chat about all the experiences we’ve had since Pole Creek and tossing the food bag over the rushing rapids and narrowly making it. We drive to the campsite and it’s in a confusing set of curved roads so Justin agrees to drop me off at the trailhead tomorrow morning. I’ve got 16 miles with two big climbs so I’m taking my next dinner just in case I can’t make it. For tonight’s dinner Justin made pan spaghetti with meatballs which is tasty and nice. The mosquitoes are swarming here and we go to our individual tents. Justin above the Jeep and me in my tent next to him. It is supposed to rain tomorrow and that could be a problem. We shall see.

09 1812.2 6/23/2021 sunny, cloudy with some sprinkles in the mountains, sunny. What a day. It was harrowing and so exhausting. I was on trail about 5:30 am. Mosquitoes were swarming right away. I hate those little buggers. So with a bug net on I ate quickly and was off. I wanted to do 16 mikes so I could see Justin tomorrow. The first climb was hard. But what made it even harder was the massive snowfield at the top. It was still too early so it was frozen and I could not kick in foot holes. Also I was unprepared because I didn’t have micro spikes or whippet ice axe or even snow baskets for my poles. So on my hands and knees I was able to climb it. Then I had to re-find the trail afterwards. Nope. Over and over and over I had to deal with snowfields and it got worse as the day progressed because the snow began to thaw. I was postholing galore. There were many times I had to climb around the field. And at one point I had a major creek underneath the snow and chose to climb way around it. Instead of trying to make my miles I decided to hike 11 hours and then stop. And how many miles did I accomplish – a measly 12.7. OMG! It was a terrible awful day. Oh and somewhere I lost my glasses. Sheesh. For the good news. I finally figured out how to blowup my NEMO air mattress easily.

08 1799.5 6/22/2021 sunny and a few puffy clouds. On trail at 5:35 heading to meet up with Justin. I sent an InReach every hour with time and trail mile. I had just over 9 miles. Justin had 11 miles. I had four big climbs with the biggest first. Still not in shape. Had to “count twenty-fives” over and over. On some of the passes were snow fields to cross. Was making acceptable progress to our meetup. I was almost there when Justin messaged me that he couldn’t cross Pole Creek because it was a torrent and rapids. He checked upstream and downstream. Nada! So since I was at the meetup I would go to him. This meant going off trail for me. And up to now Justin comes to me. I’ve got it easy. Now I had to find him. Also the confusing thing is there are two Pole Creek Junctions and three trails crossings of Pole Creek. So after a few starting goofs I finally figured out where he was. Naturally getting to him included a fifth climb and a few blowdowns. So when I got there it was very clear the creek was massive. He positioned himself at the narrowest point about 25 feet away. Over the rushing water noise we could yell and hear each other. I decided to use my bear bag line, anchor it down on my side, and toss it over to him. Then he tied my three days of food in the bear bag and threw it back. It just made it over and rolled, but stopped before falling in the torrent. He wished me a happy birthday. I put my food in my pack and we split up. Him returning to the Jeep and me back to the original meetup point to continue on north tomorrow. This would included me crossing Pole Creek but must farther upstream. However it was my deepest crossing (up to my crotch) and longest (about 100 yards). I think it was 4:30-5:00 before I stopped. What a day.

See “Birthday Airmail Resupply” for Justin’s description.

07 1789.4 6/21/2021 cloudy, frost, sunny and clear. Got on trail about 5:20 with my puffy and gloves on. Frost all over the tent made it cold and heavier. The scenic beauty is outstanding. Took pictures when I could. The trail is clear as expected with only a few blowdowns that you can walk around. Had to ford 6 or more streams, and creeks. One was mid-thigh deep. Another was over 100 feet across. By the time you get to the other side they are so cold that you can’t feel your feet. Before the deeper ones I moved my phone and InReach to my shirt pockets so don’t get wet. For each I extend my poles and cross facing the current. One step at a time. Side shuffle. Don’t want to fall. Place each foot. I was hiking 25-30 minutes per mile. I had lunch at 11:30 and was nearly done. I sat on a bluff and had my food. The breeze helped keep the mosquitoes away. I was done about 30 minutes later. The mosquitoes were swarming and I had been hiking with my bug net on. I put up my wettish tent and jumped inside with my pack. But it still took me 5-10 minutes to kill the 30-40 mosquitoes that came in with me. My tent is in the sun so I opened up my umbrella inside the tent for shade and to keep cooler. The little nasty mosquitoes are all pinned against the tent’s netting wanting to get me. I took off my wet shoes, socks, and gaiters and hung them to dry. Then I laid down and had a short nap. I’m done for the day at noon so I’m just killing time. I’ll meet up with Justin tomorrow for an on-trail resupply.

06 1776.8 6/20/2021 sunny, clear, puffy monsoon clouds? In Quality Inn in Pinedale WY. Woke at 4, laid there until our agreed upon 5 am, packed up stuff into backpack, then put backpack in Jeep. In was a long one hour and 15 minute drive back to the trail. Justin is an angel for doing this. We said our goodbyes and see each other in 3 days. Got back to the CDT and knowing that the first 2-3 miles are clear I bopped along. I met two hikers coming SOBO and asked about blowdowns ahead. Then met another pair of hikers. One said it took him only 40 minutes to do the blowdowns. He was right and after a couple of messy ones the tread was clear. I sailed along and the scenery was spectacular. I feel they are better that any of the Colorado Rockies. I was making good time and mileage once the trail cleared. Oh sure there was a few more dead trees across the trail every so often, but not many. Nothing like previously. Unfortunately as I negotiated under one of the fallen tree it caught my backpack stretchy pocket and ripped a gash in it. I’ll have to repair it tonight. At lunch I sat and looked out on the majestic Wind River peaks – beautiful! I did 13 miles and it was good. The blowdown hell and the misery it caused is over for the time being. And what a different mental attitude I’ve got after taking a nearo in Pinedale.