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Road walking with no shoulder and semi-trucks passing by at 70 mph / 113 km/h less than 2 ft / 0.6 m away was sketchy. Continental Divide Trail. "The Continental Divide Trail provides an unmatched outdoor experience for Montanans and visitors alike," Daines said. The CDT begins here at the border with Mexico at an elevation of 4,297 feet (1,310m) and is accessed only by a dirt road. A guy on a motorcycle offered me a ride and then said he didnt have helmets but it was fine because theres no helmet law in Montana, I happened upon a man and a woman digging in some dirt on the shoulder and they had their truck parked off the edge of a forest service road. In addition, memory chips are available through the website. ALDHA-West recognizes those individuals who have hiked, in their entirety, the complete lengths of the Appalachian Trail (AT), The Continental Divide Trail (CDT), and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The Montana/Idaho Border where you just walk a forest road, After three weeks of hiking and slowly coming to the realization that I was not having as much fun as I had expected. Leaving Grand Lake and hiking through thunder from 11 am to 7 pm, hiking through the rain for hours in a rutted burn area. David Odell was the first person to thru-hike the (still undefined) CDT in 1977, although there was an earlier claim. CDTC policy is to operate on the honor system, assuming that those who submit a request for recognition have completed a journey between the Mexican and Canadian Border along the Continental Divide . The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail, CDT) is a United States National Scenic Trail with a length measured by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition of 3,028 miles (4,873 km) between the U.S. border with Chihuahua, Mexico and the border with Alberta, Canada. Need to come up with some statistics to put to rest your familys fears that you will be dragged from your sleeping bag in the night by a bloodthirsty animal? If youre not into Patreon, thats cool, you can instead Venmo @halfwayanywhere, Cash app $halfwayanywhere, or PayPal [emailprotected]. On April 1, 2014, Lisanne and Kris, along with their host family's dog, Azul, embarked on a hike along the Pianista Trail. Rocky Mountain National Park has the highest paved roads in any National Park in the United States. Depending on any given year's snow-pack and a hiker's individual schedule, alternative routes are available. Why? Outside's long reads email . [9], In 2019, the respondents to a survey of CDT thru-hikers were two-thirds male with a median age of 31. You must walk a total of nearly 8,000 miles across 22 states with one . Targhee Peak. Because of my experience with snow. Thats why we treated the divide route like the trunk of a tree, with branches out both sides, but always returning to the basic route root. [17] Olive "Raindance" McGloin, yo-yoed in 2020 becoming the first woman on her second attempt (McGloin also yo-yoed the PCT in 2014). With the trails growing popularity, its important that people realize that a PCT thru-hike does not take place in a controlled environment and that death on the PCT is an entirely realistic possibility for the ill-prepared (or even the well-prepared). Website Designed & Developed by ThompsonStenning. Cougar encounter in the Gila (New Mexico). The Great Continental Divide Adventure Route is a motorized route that follows closely along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Katy Read writes for the Star Tribune's Inspired section. Traveling through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana, hiking the CDT is not for the faint of heart. In high school, Alex spent summers at Wilderness Canoe Base on the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marais. T he Triple Crown trails (the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail) offer nearly 8,000 miles of some of the best hiking in the world. It is the second highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. To ensure they had an adequate supply of food, Miller and . You being in the desert - not this high-altitude chaparral crap on the PCT - you're hiking for nearly 100 mi / 160 km through shadeless and waterless desert. [], CDTC, New Mexico Land Office, BLM Announce Partnership to Improve & Protect CDT Access, CDTC Applauds Important Milestone for the Bipartisan CDT Completion Act. Yogi is the OG of thru-hiking guidebooks, at least for the Triple Crown trails. Search and rescue teams on Sept. 7 recovered the body of . The hiker from Minneapolis had been out of contact for a few days when a search team found him June 9 at his campsite in the Colorado mountains. Continental Divide Trail. The Continental Divide Trail Is Officially 3,100 Miles Long. It's not unrealistic to say that a Pacific Crest . Added to that, the thru-hiker carries up to a one week supply of food weighing about 2lb (0.91kg) per day and, in drier areas especially New Mexico, up to five liters of water. An 11-year-old in the pickup suffered noncritical injuries. It is concurrent with the Colorado Trail for approximately 200 miles (320km). There was a 40% increase in deaths over normal among the 18-44 age group in the US among in Fall 2021, according to insurance companies, with Lincoln Life Insurance paying out in death benefits 163% more in 2021 than 2020. Outside of Winter Park, it caught up to me and I, Five days of Bob Marshall Wilderness (Montana) with. Emergency personnel was unable to revive him (source), FALL | Ray No Way Ray Echols | May 15, 2006 | Near Deep Creek in the San Bernardino National Forest (California), Ray Echols lost his footing and fell approximately 200 feet to his death (source), UNKNOWN | John Donovan | May 2005 | John Donovan died after becoming lost on Southern Californias Mt. Congress established the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) in 1978. He was, North of Grays (Colorado) on a forest service road a man in a Jeep passed me twice and then stopped and asked if I had a gun or bear spray. Ashland Ski Lodge (Oregon), Phillip Crosby was crushed by a tree that fell on his tent in strong wind (source), FALL | 20-year-old male | August 20, 2013 | A man free-climbing a rock face with friends near the PCT in Yakima County (Washington) fell to his death (source), HYPOTHERMIA | Karen Tellez | December 7, 1997 | A woman out hiking became separated from her group and died of suspected hypothermia near the PCT near Pine Canyon Road in Southern California (source), SUICIDE | Douglas Cracker | October 29, 1988 | A hiker on the PCT discovered the body of Douglas Cracker, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head, half a mile north of Highway 62 in Crater Lake National Park (source). Grizzly encounter on day four in Glacier National Park (Montana). Parkview Mountain (2,913 feet vertical) - 10 miles round trip, with trailhead access from Willow Creek Pass on CO-125. The Continental Divide Trail in Colorado also has plenty of options for doing day or just short hikes: Berthoud Pass to Stanley MountainBerthoud Pass. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail, CDT) is a United States National Scenic Trail with a length measured by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition of 3,028 miles (4,873km) between the U.S. border with Chihuahua, Mexico and the border with Alberta, Canada. (March 2008) "There & Back Again", Bastone, Kelly (August 2008) "Taking the High Way: Thru-hiking the Continental Divide Trail,", Last edited on 10 February 2023, at 23:37, "A Quick and Dirty Guide to the Continental Divide Trail", "The Continental Divide Trail Thru-Hiker Survey (2019)", "Cheating their Way to Fame: The Top 9 Adventure Travel Hoaxes", "The Onion vs. Mr. Magoo - On your mark, get set hike. Officials reported that the tree had rotted at the base, causing it to become unstable (source), DROWNING | Wang Chaocui | Mid July, 2017 | In Yosemite National Park (California), Wang Chaocui was discovered in a river in Kerrick Canyon. Be fully prepared for any weather, though, because even in July, some of the higher passes through the Rockies could be clogged with snow, or inundated with vicious storms (hail, rain, and/or snow). The world's longest mountain bike route zigzags 2,490 miles (4,007 kilometers) along the Continental Divide from the Canadian border near Eureka . Hikers can continue north into Alberta and British Columbia via the Great Divide Trail to Kakwa Lake in Kakwa Provincial Park and Protected Area, B.C., north of Jasper National Park. Map of North American showing the Continental Divide -- an invisible line that separates the major watersheds flowing to different oceans. He didnt understand that the only thing I was afraid of at that moment was. Officially . Not everyone who begins a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike will complete their mission of traversing the country-spanning 2,660 mi / 4,280 km trail. [2] The CDT follows the Continental Divide of the Americas along the Rocky Mountains and traverses five U.S. states Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. I mentioned a couple of our favorite eateries early on but I would be sorely remiss if I didnt also mention the Caf Jax in Eureka, Montana (very near the Canadian border). 00:59 Alone/Remote04:49 The Trail Is Not Complete07:15 Exposure09:48 Lightning15:10 Dehydration17:41 Wildlife19:20 Snow Traverses (San Juans)22:40 Hypothermi. People used to describe Leadvilles climate as ten months of winter with two months of late, late fall. This blue track begins at the Mexican border where New Mexico SR 81 crosses it, and then flows northward through New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana (a green line bypasses Idaho and takes you through Yellowstone National Park, which is the route we chose). This spectacular trail is the direct result of a tremendous amount of effort by Kevin Glassett (aka GPSKevin; www.gpskevinadventurerides.com). At 11,004 feet (3,354m) the last major summit of the Rocky Mountains before descending into the. It traverses a multitude of biospheres, from tundra to high desert, with a vast variety of flora and fauna, including several . We were not following the official Continental Divide Trail its for hikers only since we were in Jeeps. ", "Good time to take inventory on gear - and yourself", "Francis Tapon: The first person to yo-yo Americas wildest trail talks heating, eating and the philosophy of lightweight", "2007 Adventurer of the Year: The Walking Man", "Salem 13-Year-Old Youngest to Hike Triple Crown", "Ore. 37. r/NationalPark. According to a Google search, The Great Continental Divide Adventure Route is a motorized route that follows closely along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. "Everybody says there was no trauma, no distress," Tom said. Eureka acknowledged it's been a tough winter. The Senator introduced The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act with Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). As it turned out, we accrued almost 8,000 miles total on the expedition because of all the highway travel to and from the trailheads. This scenic trail runs from the USA/Mexico border into Canada and covers 2,767 miles of spectacular remote wilderness. He cross-country skied as a small child, joining the Minnesota Youth Ski League when he was 6 or 7. He put me in a position where I either had to tell the truth and admit that I had no way of protecting myself while I was completely alone or lie and say yes so that he would leave me alone. Continental Divide Trail. As a part of the thru-hiker survey, I also ask hikers, What (if anything) was your lowest moment on the trail? Yes, social media is filled with photos of sunrises, sunsets, and mountain vistas, but not of hikers pooping their pants, crying alone in their tents, or being swarmed by mosquitoes. . . This scenic trail runs . Trail users enjoy equally . The Essential Off-Road Tools You Need for Safe Wheeling on the Trails, 10 Best Off-Road Tires and How to Pick the Right Ones. For four to six months of walking, CDT thru-hikers have a laundry list of concerns that outpace those of many other long trails: grizzly bears, lightning storms, avalanche danger, unmarked or non-existent . The total number of thru-hiker deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail? In 2021, the CDT was about 70 percent complete, with a combination of dedicated trails and dirt and paved roads. [8] In 2007, Francis Tapon became the first person to do a round backpacking trip "yo-yo" on the Continental Divide Trail when he through-hiked from Mexico to Canada and back to Mexico on the CDT. Trail Ridge Road crests at 3.721m (12,209ft) and climbs up Milner Pass, Trail Ridge , Fall River Pass and Iceberg Pass . This map was created by a user. A lot of the trail can suck (and sometimes it sucks a lot). Tent stakes didnt go in very well, but it stood up okay. Yokohama, thinking that 2,700 miles of all types of trails, roads, and highways would prove to be an excellent test, provided us with tires and fuel for all four vehicles; a set each of G003 for the 2013 Jeep Wrangler and 1999 Jeep Cherokee and a set each of the X-MT design for the 1974 Toyota and 2005 Jeep Wrangler. Starting the Cirque of the Towers alternate in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Lester Pass. With our group it was easy; wed all four wheeled together for years and had traveled with each other on a camping trip or two. Hiking the CDT means more than blindly wandering down a path filled with trail angels eager to help hikers on their journey to or from Mexico or Canada. The route follows the Continental Divide and is 90% off-pavement using high-quality dirt roads, gravel roads, trails, and a few short sections of unmaintained tracks. A continental divide is a naturally occurring boundary or ridge separating a continent 's river systems.Each river system feeds into a distinct ocean basin, bay, or sea.. Continental divides are broad, continent-wide example of drainage divides, sometimes just called divides. For those who decide to hike the Continental Divide Trail from North to South, then the best time to start is late April, generally finishing in September. Nobody knows why Alexander Cahoy died suddenly while hiking the Continental Divide Trail. The lowest elevation of the trail in New Mexico is 4,189 feet (1,277m) in the town of Lordsburg[22] and the highest elevation in New Mexico is 11,301 feet (3,445m) at the summit of Mount Taylor. One of the friendly small towns through which we drove was our third gas stop; Datil, New Mexico (on an alternate green route). Another recommendation: For most of us, driving through the high lonesome on the continental divide will be a one-time thing, in other words a trip of a lifetime. These are from the non-parks within the NPS. This is the legendary Continental Divide, also known as the Great Divide. One of our side trips was Leadville, Colorado. Considerations When Planning A Hike: Sleeping Bag or Quilt. And if youll be towing trailers, as we did, the tag-alongs will also require clearance and tough tires. Hitching into Santa Fe, New Mexico in the bed of a pickup doing 85 mph / 137 km/h and passing everyone was pretty scary. He'd lost his glasses, so she mailed a spare pair and some cookies to Silverton, Colo. All-inclusive trips, expert guides, Top-rated hiking company on Trip Advisor! So if you ever see a headline something like, Hiker deaths on the PCT jump 200% in the National Scenic Trails deadliest year ever!, know that this means ten people died doing something inherently dangerous (aka its clickbait). The epic trail runs about 3,000 miles (4,800 km), but that is simply a rough estimate since there are so many alternates and detours that thru-hikers often take. Crazy Cook Monument. The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) spans over 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada and is one of the most significant trail systems in the world. [24], Notable points on the CDT in New Mexico from south to north include:[25], The official route of the CDT in Colorado is 735.5 miles (1,183.7km) long,[1] although several alternate routes shorten or lengthen that distance. Thru-hikers of the Continental Divide Trail, the Appalachian Trail (AT) and the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) achieve what is known as the Triple Crown of Hiking. It takes between five and six months to hike through the remote Continental Divide Trail, depending on how fit you are. WARNING! Map of the Continental Divide in North America By Yellowstone Volcano Observatory March 2022 (approx.) At an elevation of 11,315 feet (3,449m), the highest point reached by the CDT in Wyoming. M. Biggers, Ashley. Amazon; Wilderness Press; hikers. It was super windy and the heavy pack was a struggle. Fifteen miles (24 km) from the Southern Terminus, the trail was ill-defined and rocks were making me roll my ankle every other step. As GPS units have become both more powerful and easier to use, it has enabled anyone to be able to easily find their way along the trail. It's the highest, most remote, and, in many ways, most challenging of our National Scenic Trails. . Caf Jax was our final breakfast while actually on the trail. Wed just camped for the final night on the trail and parked at the border for our completion photos, and were celebrating our victory. All we had left to do was to wend our way home on the wonderful and interesting US Highway 93. These people are in the . [22] Timberline can be as low as 6,000 feet (1,800m) in Glacier National Park at the Canadian border[34] and as high as 9,000 feet (2,700m) in the southern part of Montana. Because the Continental Divide Loop . If the weather warrants, enjoy its patio. In 2021, he cared for his 94-year-old grandmother five days a week until she died in December. The cause of death is unknown, but hypothermia is suspected (source), FALL | John Lowder | June 1999 | Its thought John Lowder (69), a doctor from San Diego, slipped on some ice crossing New Army Pass in the Sierra and fell approximately 60 ft / 18 m off into a canyon in the Sierra Nevada. That is readily available via the internet and that we know of. For instance, turn north on the Continental Divide Trail near Albuquerque, New Mexico, drive the trail to I-70 near Vale, Colorado, and then head for home until youre ready to revisit the trail.