Continental Divide Trail thru-hike

Lindsay kept a real blog of this trip at http://marmotsadventures.com/t...

2014/04/24 A kangaroo rat pooped on our groundcloth at night while we were cowboy camping. This made Lindsay very happy.

2014/05/01 We met a catholic hermit who has lived in the Gila National Forest for 15 years. He said he goes to town once a year to get food. In the winter he usually doesn't see anyone for three months. He tries to keep track of the number of thru-hikers by counting our prints in the trail, but this year there are so many he can't keep track.

2014/05/04 Today I came upon a northbound thru-hiker walking south. He asked me, "Where are you going?" I told him, "We are hiking north up the Gila River." He says, "Am I hiking the wrong way? I wondered why the river was running in the wrong direction." He mumbled something about the river going in circles. He paused, then said, "I smoked a big bowl half an hour ago." Mystery solved.

2014/05/07 It snowed today here in central New Mexico.

2014/05/10 We spent a few days in Pie Town, NM. We ate the following types of pie: sweet potatos, apple and green chili, rhubarb ginger, blueberry, peach and green chili, chocolate cream, peach and green chili (again), and starry blueberry night.

2014/05/17 It is a bad sign when Lindsay asks for alcohol hand sanitizer after getting drinking water from a pond.

2014/06/08 Tody we had a snowstorm so strong that ice formed on the sides of our faces. Welcome to southern Colorado.

2014/06/24 We met a guy in Twin Lakes, CO who claimed to be a former ranger. He told us to watch out for "bobcats". Puzzled, I asked what a bobcat would do to us; I made sure to explicitly say "bobcat" to see if he would correct himself. He said bobcats would stalk us. He said there is not much we could do if they attack except keep a big knife handy so we can stab the bobcat in its eye.

2014/06/27 Lindsay woke me up in the middle of the night saying, "Gabriel, I think the tent fell down." Yep, her side of the tent had collapsed on top of her. A critter ate one of our guy lines.

2014/09/08 - 2014/09/11 We got stuck in East Glacier, MT for a few days until a small snowstorm passed through. While there, we decided to taste test every blueberry pie in the town. We tested blueberry pie at Luna's Restaurant (winner), Glacier Park Lodge (second place), Whistle Stop Cafe, Serrano's Mexican Restaurant (blueberry carrot cake), and the Two Medicine Grill. (Sadly, Glacier Village Cafe was already closed for the season.)

2014/09/14 There is bear scat everywhere in Glacier National Park -- even on the highway. Cow poop too.

  • Date:
    2014/04/23 to 2014/09/16
    Car-to-car:
    147 days
    Round-trip distance:
    2800 miles
    Trip type:
    hike
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  • Day 1

  • At Crazy Cook, the southern terminus.
    At Crazy Cook, the southern terminus.
  • An ocotillo forest.
    An ocotillo forest.
  • Day 6

  • Our first 100 miles.
    Our first 100 miles.
  • Day 9

  • At Turkey Flats.
    At Turkey Flats.
  • Day 10

  • In the Gila River.
    In the Gila River.
  • Day 11

  • Gila River.
    Gila River.
  • Day 12

  • Gila River.
    Gila River.
  • Day 19

  • The windiest day.  At North Pasture, a meadow that has been wiped out by cows.
    The windiest day. At North Pasture, a meadow that has been wiped out by cows.
  • Day 20

  • In the El Malpais National Conservation Area.
    In the El Malpais National Conservation Area.
  • Day 24

  • Our first snow sighting, on the slopes of Mount Taylor.
    Our first snow sighting, on the slopes of Mount Taylor.
  • Day 25

  • Chico Arroyo
    Chico Arroyo
  • Day 26

  • An Eastern Collared Lizard?
    An Eastern Collared Lizard?
  • Day 27

  • Day 29

  • First snow.  Crazy, unconsolidated, spring, continental snow.
    First snow. Crazy, unconsolidated, spring, continental snow.
  • Day 33

  • Hail storm in northern New Mexico.
    Hail storm in northern New Mexico.
  • Sticky mud after the rain and hail.  We called this a "cake walk".
    Sticky mud after the rain and hail. We called this a "cake walk".
  • Day 35

  • Day 39

  • In the Rio Chamita valley.
    In the Rio Chamita valley.
  • Day 47

  • In a snow storm north of Wolf Creek Pass.
    In a snow storm north of Wolf Creek Pass.
  • Pepper Flake, taking refuge from the high winds.
    Pepper Flake, taking refuge from the high winds.
  • Day 48

  • Day 51

  • On a plateau south of Stony Pass.
    On a plateau south of Stony Pass.
  • Canby Mountain
    Canby Mountain
  • Sheep Mountain.
    Sheep Mountain.
  • Sheep Mountain.
    Sheep Mountain.
  • Stony Pass.
    Stony Pass.
  • Day 61

  • Day 62

  • Above Lake Ann with Huron Peak in the background.
    Above Lake Ann with Huron Peak in the background.
  • Day 68

  • Day 70

  • On the summit of James Peak.
    On the summit of James Peak.
  • Day 71

  • Monarch Lake.
    Monarch Lake.
  • Day 72

  • Rocky Mountain National Park
    Rocky Mountain National Park
  • Day 75

  • A Parkview Lookout tenant.
    A Parkview Lookout tenant.
  • Day 79

  • Day 80

  • Typical Colorado trail, covered in snowmelt.
    Typical Colorado trail, covered in snowmelt.
  • Day 82

  • Liquefied mud!
    Liquefied mud!
  • Day 85

  • Little Sage Creek Dam in the Great Divide Basin.
    Little Sage Creek Dam in the Great Divide Basin.
  • Day 86

  • Marmot or pronghorn antelope?
    Marmot or pronghorn antelope?
  • Day 87

  • Great Divide Basin
    Great Divide Basin
  • Day 92

  • Mitchell Peak over Lonesome Lake
    Mitchell Peak over Lonesome Lake
  • Pingora Peak
    Pingora Peak
  • Warrior Peaks and Pingora Peak.
    Warrior Peaks and Pingora Peak.
  • Mitchell Peak and War Bonnet Peak
    Mitchell Peak and War Bonnet Peak
  • Upper Washakie Creek lakes.
    Upper Washakie Creek lakes.
  • Day 95

  • Island Lake
    Island Lake
  • Island Lake
    Island Lake
  • Day 96

  • Titcomb Basin
    Titcomb Basin
  • Day 97

  • Squaretop Mountain over Green River
    Squaretop Mountain over Green River
  • Day 99

  • Dubois jackalope
    Dubois jackalope
  • Day 102

  • Parting of the Waters
    Parting of the Waters
  • Day 106

  • Yellowstone
    Yellowstone
  • Yellowstone
    Yellowstone
  • Yellowstone
    Yellowstone
  • Day 111

  • Lima, ID
    Lima, ID
  • Day 140

  • Rising Wolf Mountain in Glacier National Park
    Rising Wolf Mountain in Glacier National Park
  • Day 141

  • September snow in East Glacier.
    September snow in East Glacier.
  • Day 143

  • Flinsch Peak over Oldman Lake
    Flinsch Peak over Oldman Lake
  • Pitamakan Lake
    Pitamakan Lake
  • The end of summer
    The end of summer
  • Pasque Flower
    Pasque Flower
  • Day 144

  • Triple Divide Pass
    Triple Divide Pass
  • Triple Divide Pass
    Triple Divide Pass
  • Triple Divide Peak
    Triple Divide Peak
  • It is still summer at lower elevations.
    It is still summer at lower elevations.
  • Day 147

  • Upper Waterton Lake
    Upper Waterton Lake
  • The northern terminus!
    The northern terminus!

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