The CDT was on fire. Yes, the trail burned, and because of the rain and snow we were able to walk a section that still had the scorched earth smell, but was safe to pass through. What a desolate landscape, and I am so thankful for all the fire fighters that work on wilderness fires. I heard three firefighters died in some northern Washington fires this summer; one had been a PCT thru-hiker too. I have plenty of friends who fight fires and if I could give a big collective “Thank you for all you do,” I would.

We ended up hiking 30 miles today…didn’t intentionally set out to do that, but as the miles passed and we saw the potential, we kept grinding away at the earth: our feet sore, my left hip where I fell aching in the morning but warming up after a few hours, and our bellies anticipating our potential arrival in east glacier tomorrow. Tomorrow!!!!!!

To meet Kirk, I have a week left, A WEEK!

We walked along riverbeds containing more and more aspen turning gold and orange, and on mountainsides that could use a little trail love…lopping some of those trees that hang into the trail…and at the end of the night we met some trail crew folks. I know they have their work cut out for them. Mountain Spice has been carrying a large map of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and surrounding wildernesses, and there are a TON of trails on there…and the trend of more and more funding cuts.

So it was a long but productive day, we lay within earshot of a creek and are looking at an early start to get to town! Eat some food! Get our backcountry permits for the last week of the trail…in one of the most beautiful parks in the country! (So I’ve heard, this will be my first time to Glacier).

Gotta keep on keeping on.

I am tired of walking. At a break this afternoon I sat by a beautiful trickle of a stream surrounded by the gold and maroon of fall in the mountains, and didn’t want to get up. It felt so nice to sit. It would be so nice to not have to walk all day every day. But I have to. At least for the next week. So close, I can’t let the fatigue get to me at this point.

This morning was dark in the river canyon we were camped in, and it wasn’t until 7 miles down the trail that I was able to take off my mittens, hat, and jacket. We found a ranger cabin completely wrapped in foil, at first I thought someone was playing a practical joke, but then I noticed the water hoses surrounding the cabin and figured they thought this part of the wilderness might burn. I had never considered how ranger cabins were protected before…must have taken a lot of work.

Wrapped like a package!

Then began a 6 mile climb up to Switchback Pass, aptly named! It was a beautiful day, and the going was quite pleasent. The top was clear and gorgous, and I plopped down on my tyvek to make lunch. Mountain Spice came up a little bit later and we soaked in the sun while talking about how close Glacier was. So close!

View from switchback pass

The walk down from the pass wandered in and out of high alpine meadows, around lakes the color of the sky, and down a countless number of switchbacks to the valley below.

Walking, walking, walking, why do these miles seem to take so long?

Camp is in a golden valley; the aspen must believe it is fall already.

I slept, and I slept well. No animals trampled me during the night, and soon it was morning and time to start the ‘ol routine again.

We hiked a short morning to where we rejoined the main CDT, but not before I took the second big fall in as many days. Both times my foot caught on something and I hit the ground full force before I knew what was happening. Both times I was in pain, but fortunately not badly hurt. This morning however I fell hard on my left knee and hip, while I could tell they would be ok, i would be left with some attractive bruises. It’s astonishing more hikers don’t get seriously hurt from something as simple as a fall. I shudder to think how easy it would be to get seriously #$%#ed up out here.

Ok, not thinking about it! Happy I am just covered in dirt, and even though both falls put me in somewhat of a foul mood, I moved on.

We hiked primarily in the trees until coming up on a pass at the Chinese Wall. I had been hearing about this feature of the Bob Marshall wilderness for years…and while I’m not sure why it is called the “Chinese Wall” or quite how it was formed, but it was completely impressive. You can’t even take it in all at once, the trail walks for 9 miles under it, and apparently there is a north wall that I won’t even get to see.

I'm alive!

We met some horse packers and a forest service ranger at the pass where we had lunch, and learned the last section that had been closed to fire in the park would be opening tomorrow. It didn’t effect where we were hiking, but its a good peace of mind to hear that anyway!

The afternoon we followed the wall’s contours, and marveled at all the footprints in the trail. Tons of bear, cat, little critters I wasn’t sure of, horses and other hikers. I made good use of my bear bell in this section.

It was just a splended day to be alive and the day was perfectly warm and skies without a hint of cloud.

We made our way down yet another drainage to make camp in the only flat spots we’ve seen for miles, not far from the gurgling creek.

We are on track to get to Glacier on time, and as we are already rationing our food, it won’t come a minute too soon.

Why can’t I sleep on this trail? It’s maddening! I spent half the night trying to get comfortable and tried some focused breathing and even a bit of meditation, but it wasn’t until the wee hours of the morning that I found relief.

After coffee, we packed up and hit the trail. The sunrise was spectacular, and we glimpsed what would be the constant during the day, large rock outcroppings called reefs. I need to look up more about reefs, but what I can tell you is they look spectacular with a bit of snow on them.

We walked a few drainages, climbed a few passes, and by the end of the day were faced with the incredible Hoadley Reef. Wow. We were on an alternate because we didn’t need to go into Benchmark Ranch (a stop some thru-hikers make if they sent a resupply box there), and were happy for the sight. The other side of the pass however (now officially in the Bob Marshall Wilderness!!) was a mish-mash of burned out trail complete with rocky, rutted, unmaintained trail. Ugg. It took us a while to pick the 4 miles down to the valley bottom where we tried to find a flat place to camp that avoided the burned out area (no trees falling on us in the middle of the night please!). Its really not something I like to do, but without any other options, we set up camp on the trail. It was going on 7:30pm, and from the state of the trail, could tell primarily animals use this section, not horses or humans (I promise I try not to ever sleep on the trail…it’s often a wildlife superhighway anyway). To “protect” ourselves we put out branches on either side of our shelters so we would hear any snapping of twigs if something were to walk over it, and I marked my territory with my full bladder (what!? maybe it will have an effect!).

I sure hope for some sleep tonight, we still have 4 1/2 days of 25+ mile days to get to East Glacier…that’s a lot of terrain to cover even with a good nights sleep.

Since we hiked until almost 9pm last night, we decided to forgoe setting an alarm…but as luck or body rythums would have it, we were by about 6:30 anyway.

The morning was COLD the wind even colder, but all that was countered by some of the best views I have had in a long time, made all the more dramatic for the snow that still clung to the rocky peaks.

As beautiful as the misty morning over white crusted mountains was, it made the hiking slower than usual. You have to pay a bit more attention to where you are stepping, some of the steps from the others before us were now icy, and it was easy to slip in their footprints. But all in all, well worth the toil and twisted ankles.

Just before lunch we left the lofty heights for the greener valleys and the trend for the next few days will be a lot of valley walking.

We walked about 10 miles along water this afternoon, it will be great to not have to carry much water as we still have 6 days of food in our packs. Its possible if we do some big days that we can make it to Glacier in 5 days, and then we’ll be able to eat more! Mountain Spice is already regretting not bringing more snacks. I’m feeling ok about my snack quotient thanks to an awesome care package from Big John, my old Peace Corps friend Jim, and fellow artist and creative in Bend, Lisa. Thanks all! You are helping me stomach this stretch in the most delightful way.

The day ended by a stand of aspen that have almost completely changed to a deep yellow, the first pop of fall that I’ve seen so far. There have been hints here and there, but this stand of trees is ready for the change of the seasons. I love it.

I woke up at 6, but turned over and went back to bed for another hour…who gets up at 6am any more? It’s not light out!

After a morning spent resupplying and trying to shove 7+days of food (my longest carry to date on this trail), Mountain Spice and I hit the road.

Since we had walked to Lincoln, we would walk out in order to “connect our steps” from Mexico to Canada. We found a route up the highway a bit then on a dirt road to a trail to the CDT. We were walking along when a car pulls over…is it? It is! Andy Martin’s dad! I hadn’t seen him since Pagosa Springs where he had met Andy (also known as Pimp Limp) for a day off, and before that I had hung out with him in Ghost Ranch. He was going to go meet him at Stemple Pass that evening with a burger (lucky guy!). So that puts Andy about 2 days behind us…but it sounds like I might see him again in East Glacier for the Hiker Hoopla (an end of the season party for lovers of the CDT) in just over a week.

The road is hard on feet, and we took a few breaks to rest the poor suckers. Finally we made it to the trail head after a walk through a beautiful valley, thinking our trail up to the divide would be about 2 miles. 5 miles later and in the dark, we finally make it up. Phew. We found the first flatish spot and set up camp.

We are officially in one of the last stretches of the trail! Can’t wait to see what is up ahead and lighten the crazy load of food in my pack.

I turn off my alarm that sounds at 6am, it’s too cold to get up at 6am. I shake the snow off my tent and roll over.

About half an hour later I hear Mountain Spice stir and slowly rouse myself to make some coffee. Packing up is going to suck, and it does, but soon we are hiking and the storm from the day before has turned the world white and glorious.

The sun and light does things to the terrain I haven’t seen before, and once our hands and feet get the feeling back from the cold we actually enjoy the snowy walk, we revel in it! The world is beautiful! The cold makes for fantastic hiking!

As most of our gear is still wet, we decided to walk an alternate into Lincoln and pass near by where the unibomber had his cabin…is there something special about these mountains that drive people to madness?

Regardless we are flying down the dirt road and ignoring the pain and pounding in our feet, make it to Lincoln in the late afternoon, just in time to grab a second lunch at the Bootlegger, and check into the Lincoln Hotel for what may be the last night in a hotel on this trail!

We are so close I can taste it!

We hang out with Delightful, G, Funk, OD, Picker & Sam, drinking beers and talking about what we will do when we get home…so close!!

We had intended to hike 30 miles today. Hike 30 miles and have a quick half day into Lincoln, the second to last resupply point of the trail! However as with most plans on this trail, the CDT had to show us who was boss.

We had gotten our shelters set up right before another deluge of rain last night, and then the lightening and thunder started. Oh it was close, about 5-6 miles away. It passed, followed by heavy rain, and repeat all night long. All this rain was surely making up for the dry month of August for it rained unlike I’ve seen on much of this trail. About 4:30 in the morning I woke to go to the bathroom right before another huge storm let loose, this one much closer with strikes just 3 miles away. The thunder echoed off the valley walls and seemed to reverbrate much longer than normal. Damn! This would not be fun to hike through!

When we finally emerged from our shelters we had a break in the rain and began hiking again. We were soon drenched and were able to laugh it off for the first few hours, but then we gained the more exposed divide and the rain turned to snow. Snow! We laughed, but soon those chuckles turned to wimpers.

I had hiked ahead of Mountain Spice, and the snow was getting thicker and the wind stronger and soon I was fighting to keep warm, any hopes of staying dry nil…my gortox socks arn’t so waterproof any more and my feet by this point were cold and wet. My mittens and cuben fiber overmits had my hands warm, and hat was good, but I didn’t have my down jacket on under my rain coat, and didn’t want to stop to put it on. I knew Mountain Spice didn’t have any way to keep her feet dry, no overmits, and no umbrella to help keep the rain/snow off. When I started longing to put up my shelter and get in my sleeping bag for a few hours, I stopped at waited for her to catch up. On top of it all she was getting over a nasty cold.

Man, she was soaked when she hiked up, and we both agreed we needed to get in our shelters pronto. We hiked about another mile to a saddle a bit out of the driving wind and quickly got in our still wet shelters from the night before. Both of us had enough food to sit out the weather, and as I had service, checked in with the weather report – the 100% rain today and 90% tonight had us all but certain that we had set up our shelters for the day.

The forcast looks to improve tomorrow with only a 40% chance of rain, and we’ve identified an alternate to walk into Lincoln if it’s too much to keep on the trail. With wet gear, shoes and socks and freezing temperatures, the best bet may be getting to town the quickest we can.

There is sun up ahead in the weather report, and this half day will definitly impact my mileage. The next section will be a LONG one, 7-8 days, which will be a crazy heavy pack, but the upside is that with all this rain the Bob Marshall Wilderness has reopened from the fires, and those 7-8 days will be spent in a beautiful highlight of the trail. From there I’ll only have about 100 miles to Canada! I should just have enough time to make it to the border to meet Kirk for my finish date. Woooo, so close! But I can’t afford any more of these half days…

Snow!

I connected with Mountain Spice, another thru-hiker who took a zero day in Helena, this morning about getting a ridge back to the trail, we agreed to meet about 12:30, so I had the morning to chill, and chill was all I wanted to do. In fact I was feeling very very tired. Maybe it was the gray day and incessent rain that was falling, maybe the cushions and pillows on the couch, or maybe it was the fact that I just have about 2 weeks left and I’m tired.

Lauren, Shaggy and me

I ate some cookies and finished off the rest of my dinner from last night and put a big dent into my ebook. Did I have to hike today, or tomorrow, or the next day? Yes, I did.

I left the house and went downtown to a coffee shop, and what do you know, I run into another thru-hiker! Sterling was there (one of the Warrior Hike gang) and we chatted over several cups of coffee. We had been in touch over the hike, but had never hiked together. He wasn’t doing a traditional thru hike anymore, but was hoping the Bob Marshall wilderness would open up from the fires so he could hike that section as well as Glacier.

After coffee I headed over to meet Mountain Spice and her friend who was giving us a ride, and before long we were standing at McDonald Pass in the rain.

I guess it was time to hike. And once I was moving I felt a lot better. Probably the fresh air, maybe the cold rain too.

We hiked up a road and then in and out of patchy forest and then into rolling pasture land. Cow dung was everywhere, as well as the dung machines.

A misty day

It rained off and on, a good soaking rain, one that will surely help put out some fires up ahead, who knows, maybe we would be hiking through the Bob afterall!

We set up camp just before it started to sprinkle again, success!!

This was supposed to be a long dry section, but man, we’ve found a ton of water.

Another zero day…am I hiking something? It’s hard to remember…

Shaggy and I went out to breakfast at a cute little cafe downtown before he had to go to work. I had a whole lot of nothing planned for the day, and after returning to his house for a little nap, walked a few blocks over to Safeway for my resupply and some food for the day.

Back at the house I watched netflix and ate away most of the afternoon. Ahhh, there is rain in the forecast and it made the day that much sleepier.

When Lauren and Shaggy got home we decided to go out to dinner at a mexican place, and after achieving true food coma all I could do was lay on the couch. It was a chill day, and now it’s time to go to Canada.