The CDT crosses Interstate 15 again at an elevation of 6,299 feet (1,920m). It was, My first night at Two Medicine before getting my permit and starting the trail the next day. The lowest elevation of the trail in Montana after leaving the Idaho/Montana border is 4,215 feet (1,285m) at Upper Waterton Lake which straddles the U.S./Canada border. About halfway through my last state, New Mexico, I just wanted to quit. The shortest route is through the middle where water availability is uncertain in most years. [], CDTC, New Mexico Land Office, BLM Announce Partnership to Improve & Protect CDT Access, CDTC Applauds Important Milestone for the Bipartisan CDT Completion Act. While the ride follows through the spectacular mountains . [22], The Rocky Mountains of Colorado terminate in southern Wyoming and the CDT passes through a through a long section of desert range-land in the middle of the state, known as the Great Divide Basin. At the time this post is being updated (as I update it whenever news comes in), the number stands at 15. It takes between five and six months to hike through the remote Continental Divide Trail, depending on how fit you are. He was 32, fit and seemingly healthy, an experienced hiker. You might say we were emulating the explorers of the 1800s but we were in Jeeps towing trailers rather than riding horses tugging pack animals or riding Conestoga or Studebaker wagons. By using the many interstates that cross the divide, an intrepid explorer can take the trail in shorter segments. Clothing. 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. The Continental Divide Trail blazes a path through some of the nation's most treasured scenic terrain. 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. 1 / 8. The ride starts on the border with Canada and finishes at the border with Baja Mexico. Nobody knows why Alexander Cahoy died suddenly while hiking the Continental Divide Trail. Ninety-five percent of the trail is located on public land, including National Parks, National Forests, and land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. That is readily available via the internet and that we know of. (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. Water can be scarce and grizzly bears are found near Yellowstone Park. 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. The thunder and lightning had continued from the previous day when I had slept (didnt sleep at all) trapped on a ridgeline. [11] In 1978 three women hiked the entire trail: Nancy Andujar and the team of Jean Ella and Lynne Wisegart. I eventually did and believe I made the right choice, but it hurt and still hurts that, When I realized my foot was hurt and it would take. He didnt understand that the only thing I was afraid of at that moment was. If you know of any sources for the below deaths or have any that may need to be added to the list, please let me know in the comments. 1.2K. He didn't want to be the first to cross the river, he wanted to help everybody else across the river. Its not unrealistic to say that a Continental Divide Trail thru-hike could be someones final adventure you could end up caught in an avalanche (the San Juans can be dangerous early in the year), with heatstroke in the desert (the Bootheel is no joke), surrounded by a forest fire (a truly underrated hazard), or in a hitch with a drunk driver (if you have a bad feeling about a hitch, dont get in; wait for the next one). At Datil we found a combination general store, motel, gas station, restaurant, and butcher shop, which also raised its own beef. The award is acknowledged here . Sign in. [36], The CDT trail goes east from the Idaho border, circles around the city of Butte, then turns north toward Glacier National Park via the Lewis and Clark National Forest and through three National Wilderness areas. For the next 358 miles (576km) the trail closely follows the border of Idaho and Montana, which is also the Continental Divide. 22 hours and 51 minutes and was set in 2016 by Mike Hall (see Trail Notes for a full list of records). It is concurrent with the Colorado Trail for approximately 200 miles (320km). At one point in the Winds I had lost my tent, my wallet, and my flashlight and my phone was dying and I had to bushwack over 10 mi / 16 km of wet blowdowns just to get to a spot where I had a chance of hitching into Pinedale to buy a new tent, flashlight, and phone, and I only had $50 in my pocket. I was night hiking along the road when a local pulled up. Hopefully, none of this happens during your (or your loved ones) hike, but its possible. 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. Took a three month road trip last summer. If you cover a steady twenty miles a day, you will finish it . ", "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. Most deaths from disease occurred east of Fort Laramie. The Continental Divide Trail is meant to follow the Continental Divide through the United States between Mexico and Canada, or at least stay within 50 miles of it since it is not always practical to put the trail directly on the divide. It's also the most remote, and the highest - the lowest point on the entire trail is in New Mexico at 4,189ft . 70% (2,170 miles) of the trail is along land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. Though the Internet is now an invaluable resource for hikers, and a number of other authors have created their own guide books, Yogi's Continental Divide Trail Handbook still stands as one of the best resources for CDT thru-hikers. Skills Required Hiking, Walking Finishes at Montana, USA Length of route 4989 Km Average time to complete 120 - 150 Days Possible to complete sub-sections Yes. The peak, near the CDT, is the highest along this section of the CDT with an elevation of 10,621 feet (3,237m). People used to describe Leadvilles climate as ten months of winter with two months of late, late fall. 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. Tent stakes didnt go in very well, but it stood up okay. The Great Continental Divide Adventure Route is a motorized route that follows closely along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Bowlin Travel Centers Inc. Continental Divide Trail. was banging a pot and spoon all night. 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. For many, this allows them to just experience . This is not expected. We were not following the official Continental Divide Trail its for hikers only since we were in Jeeps. You can even hike the entire length of the divide from the Mexican border to the Canadian border on the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail if you have five months to spare. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene (source), FALL | Wayne Paul Pferdehirt | August 26, 2019 | Wayne Paul Pferdehirt (67), died in a fall near Mather Pass (Sierra). Completing the Triple Crown is not an easy feat. Leave a comment below and warn future CDT classes of the awfulness that awaits them on their thru-hikes. Likewise, the red routes that we sampled werent extremely difficult, just more difficult than the blue road. This scenic trail runs . Jump in and jump out at the various interstates as your free time dictates. 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. 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. He was in his sleeping bag, his possessions arranged neatly around him. I was also behind most of the other hikers going south, I often felt like the last one. Parkview Mountain (2,913 feet vertical) - 10 miles round trip, with trailhead access from Willow Creek Pass on CO-125. He cross-country skied as a small child, joining the Minnesota Youth Ski League when he was 6 or 7. Consider all these things while assembling a group and planning your trip. [22] and the highest elevation in Wyoming is 11,115 feet (3,388m) at Lester Pass in the Bridger Wilderness of the Wind River Range. 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. The CDT is now 95 percent complete. Id had enough of hiking alone through Colorado storms and just wanted to hitch back into town, but I didnt because the weather was supposed to improve the next day. Avid Thru Hiker Dies on Third Continental Divide Trek. Frequent route changes and a large number of alternate routes result in an actual hiking . Not interested in any of this and dont know why youre still reading? It is the second highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Print. The establishment of the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail inspired proposals to create a Continental Divide trail. It is suspected that his death was heat-related (source), FALL | Dawson Johnson | July 2014 | Dawson Johnson, a 75-year-old hiker from Redwater, Texas, fell and died while hiking down from the Mount Whitney Summit to Crabtree Meadow (source), HEATSTROKE | Timothy Evan Nodal | April 24, 2014 | Near Lake Morena (California) Timothy Nodal began to feel sick and emergency services were summoned. The CDT stretches 4989 km between Canada and Mexico, slicing the United States from top to bottom, crossing New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. A continental divide is a ridge or natural boundary of elevated terrain that separates the drainage basins of a continent. A, Realized that calcaneus fasciitis was going to require the. They may also encounter adverse weather conditions. The Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail both stretch from Mexico to Canada, but the CDT offers up a far more diverse landscape than the PCT. We use data about you for a number of purposes explained in the links below. Hitching into Santa Fe, New Mexico in the bed of a pickup doing 85 mph / 137 km/h and passing everyone was pretty scary. Many will leave the trail due to injury, some due to weather, others for financial reasons, and, unfortunately, a very small percentage will die. 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. The Crazy Cook Monument in New Mexico's bootheel is the most commonly used starting or finishing point of the CDT, but due to its remote location lacks lodging and other services. Over the past few years, Yokohama (www.yokohamatire.com) introduced two wonderful off-road tire designsGeolandar MT G003 and Geolandar X-MT with the X-MT design being the more aggressive of the two tire designs. Keep in mind, that when looking at the map, only 70% of the actual trail routing is . Minneapolis program teaches kids cooking skills, emphasizes community. 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). Grizzly encounter on day four in Glacier National Park (Montana). In some places, the divide is obvious, like a high mountain pass clearly separating the watersheds. At any point on the loop, you'll be on one of those two trails. Considerations When Planning A Hike: Cougar encounter in the Gila (New Mexico). The CDT, alongside the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail make up the triple crown of hiking. I also came across the following deaths which occurred on or near the PCT but did not involve thru-hikers: FALL | 30-year-old male | March 31, 2022 | A mans body was recovered just north of Forester Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail/John Muir Trail following a fall in monsoon-type weather(source), LIGHTNING | Nicholas Torchia | July 30, 2021 | On the Sallie Keyes Cutoff near Muir Trail Ranch in the Sierra, Torchia was leaning against a tree for cover during a storm when the tree was struck by lightning (source), HEATSTROKE | Unnamed Woman | June 16, 2021 | Emergency services were called to aid a woman near Anza (California) suffering from suspected heatstroke. a 501 (c) (3) national non-profit organization that seeks to create a community committed to construct, promote, and protect in perpetuity the CDNST. One night in the Collegiates (Colorado), I had already gotten rained on all day and picked a suboptimal campsite just to get it over with. Here are 10 intriguing facts you may not know about the Continental Divide Trail. Hiking tips. In 2021, the CDT was about 70 percent complete, with a combination of dedicated trails and dirt and paved roads. In addition, memory chips are available through the website. The highest elevation is 9,324 feet (2,842m) in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. Road walking on a highway without a shoulder. This beautifully produced volume makes accessible the highest and most remote . If you know you want to complete a thru-hike, but aren't sold on which Triple Crown trail to hike, this article is for you. The road is open to traffic and is extremely narrow in some sections. 37. r/NationalPark. ALSO SEE:The Essential Off-Road Tools You Need for Safe Wheeling on the Trails. His Instagram photos reflect his appreciation for beauty along the trail. 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. Soon after, she hiked 800 miles of the Continental Divide trail along the Montana and Idaho borders. Self Guided Adventure. Trying to get off the ridge was a mix of hiding under trees and running for cover when the lightning would start again. Outside's long reads email . He called to say he'd received them. Outside of Winter Park, it caught up to me and I, Five days of Bob Marshall Wilderness (Montana) with. Homer Young's Peak. A few hikers, especially those attempting to set speed records, are "supported," meaning they have helpers who meet or accompany them along the trail and perform non-hiking tasks, such as food preparation. Kevin has put years of personal effort into developing this route, along with several alternative routes along the way. So remote and inspiring is the route that Land Rover chose it as a challenge for the North American introduction of the Range Rover in 1989, when six Range Rovers became the first vehicles to complete the entire journey. Trail Ridge Road crests at 3.721m (12,209ft) and climbs up Milner Pass, Trail Ridge , Fall River Pass and Iceberg Pass . 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. Sign-up to get our latest reviews and news before everybody else does. The Oregon Trail developed from the discovery in 1812 of a wagon-safe route over the Continental Divide at South Pass in present-day Wyoming by Robert Stuart, a Pacific Fur Company man returning from Fort Astor. 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. The trail was created by Congress in 1978 and is considered by many to be the best long-distance trail hiking in the world. With strong winds, I could not set up my tarp and had to retrieve my sleeping pad which blew away 0.25 mile / 400 m. The only way to keep warm was to, I spent most of Colorado trying to keep up with a group, including a friend I started the trail with, who was faster than me, and I burned myself out badly. 800-715-HIKE (4453) (9-4:30 Every Day) . Therefore, you can pretty much do it in or on just about anything with plenty of clearance, good off-road tires, and low gears, but I highly recommend a Jeep with strong off-road tires such as the Yokohama Geolandars. Alex always loved being outdoors, his parents said. The 2017 hiking season was plagued by many dangerous river crossings because of the unusually high snowpack from the previous winter (source), HEATSTROKE (SUSPECTED) | Marvin Novo | May 29, 2017 | In the Mission Creek Preserve (California), Marvin Novos body was discovered along the West Fork Trail. 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. Once known as Magic City and Cloud City, and situated nearly two miles in the sky, Leadville enjoyed two gold rushes with a major silver strike in-between. Resorted to drinking out of a disgusting cattle pond. The data collected in the survey will always be free and accessible to everyone who wants/needs it. "Everybody says there was no trauma, no distress," Tom said. Over the years, there have been a number of deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail. "I have to come to terms . The main continental divide in Canada follows the ridge of the Rocky . . He'd lost his glasses, so she mailed a spare pair and some cookies to Silverton, Colo. Several alternate trails shorten the meandering route of the official CDT in Montana. Starting the Cirque of the Towers alternate in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. 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. The average base weight of a thru-hiker's backpack in 2018 was 16.4lb (7.4kg). A broken branch on that tree gave me a, Camped by a road in New Mexico and someone parked their car by me and ended up. For elective surgeries, the death rate was 1.30% among Black men, compared with white men at 0.85%, white women at 0.82%, and Black women at 0.79%. Depending on any given year's snow-pack and a hiker's individual schedule, alternative routes are available. [12][13][14] This seven-month journey spanned over 5,600 miles. The CDT is by far the most rugged of the three, being only 70% fully completed with a lot of portions of road walking and . This page was last edited on 10 February 2023, at 23:37. The International Continental Divide Adventure Route is designed to be a self-guided adventure.This route can be navigated entirely by GPS. 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. Interstate 15. It was called the Eagle Guest Ranch, and when we found that they raised and served their own beef, we decided to eat, shower, and sleep at the Eagle Guest Ranch. The Continental Divide stretches from Alaska down through Mexico . Continental Divide Trail. Alex also liked helping people when not hiking. The grand finale of the CDT in Wyoming is Yellowstone National Park. The Senator introduced The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act with Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). Continental Divide Trail CDT Life, CDT Survey, Hiker Problems. Oh my that is so sad. Website Designed & Developed by ThompsonStenning, The town of Lordsburg, New Mexico, will be hosting a Trail Days festival April 14-15, 2023. The first section of the proposed trail was laid out in Colorado in 1962 by the Rocky Mountain Trails Association. 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. Obviously, we had neither the time nor the funds to explore every alternative route along the divide, but we did sample several of them. These people are in the . Only about 150 people per year are thought to complete the thru-hike, compared to about 750 on the Appalachian Trail. In 2018, 300 individuals attempted to hike the trail end-to-end. The rest is on land managed by the Bureau of Land (12% or 372 miles), National Parks (10% or 310 miles), and state and private lands (8% or 248 miles). Hiking The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail . Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, NJ/PA. Accidents were the second most frequent cause of death on the trail . Amazon; Wilderness Press; hikers. Minneapolis mansion with mural by highly sought-after 1920s portrait artist lists for $1.295 million, Pickup driver strays over center line south of Prior Lake, hits SUV and kills other motorist, Active Chefs program equipping kids to cook healthy foods, Roseville, nonprofit will partner to add mental health outreach worker, Red Wing lures downtown residents with new developments. The peak is near the CDT and has an elevation of 10,300 feet (3,100m). 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. [15] Tapon took the most circuitous, scenic, high, difficult route north and while returning south, took the more expedient route. When the storm passed, the fire was still going. [21], The official route of the CDT in New Mexico is 794.5 miles (1,278.6km) long,[1] although many alternate routes shorten or lengthen that distance. Prior to that, she was a reporter at the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, La., and the Duluth News-Tribune and spent 15 years as a freelance writer for national and regional magazines. The youngest person to thru-hike the trail is Reed Gjonnes, who hiked the trail with her father Eric Gjonnes from April 15, 2013 to September 6, 2013 in one continuous northbound hike at age 13.[18][19]. It turns out that the Pacific Crest Trail is a safe place to be (and when the zombies, robots, or aliens finally decide to make their move, Ill bet itll be even safer). All-inclusive trips, expert guides, Top-rated hiking company on Trip Advisor! Caf Jax sounds like it serves those tiny meals known as nuevo cuisine; however, think lumberjack-size servings instead. People usually hike from south to north. This map was created by a user. Hannah got into the tent. by David Rosenfeld. With the morning sun at his back on August 12,1805, Meriwether Lewis followed a well-worn Indian trail from southwest Montana's Horse Prairie Valley up Trail Creek, gradually topping out on a 7,373-foot pass. " the road was still plain, I therefore did not dispair of shortly finding a passage . As you can see on Kevins website, Kevin provides one main route (the blue line), some more difficult alternative routes along the way (the red lines), and several easier routes as well (the green lines). ", Alex's sister, Hannah Benson-Cahoy, traversed the Superior Hiking Trail with him. Wolf envisioned a similar trail running along the Continental Divide, and in 1978, he organized the Continental Divide Trail Society, which advocated for the newly designated National Scenic Trail and published several early guidebooks.[4]. When I finally set up camp and went to sleep, someone (a hiker?) The most common problems reported by thru-hikers are injury and snow. Officially . Overnight it started sleeting. He wanted social justice. "The Continental Divide Trail provides an unmatched outdoor experience for Montanans and visitors alike," Daines said. One of our side trips was Leadville, Colorado. From packing lists to recipes, the couple's social media pages and online blog contain preparation tips for hiking the CDT. As I mentioned earlier, along this trail youll meet hikers, motorcycle riders, and mountain bikers (amazingly, the mountain bike record for the 2,700-mile border-to-border route is a mere two weeks!). 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). The CDT achieves an elevation of 10,091 feet (3,076m), the most northerly place on the trail to reach an elevation of more than 10,000 feet (3,000m).