He. He was 32, fit and seemingly healthy, an experienced hiker. Bridger Peak. Because the Continental Divide Loop . I had to get off the road and climb over blowdowns to get around him. Speaking of trailheads, because of various issueshealth and mechanicalwe completed the journey in three stages, much as you readers might do if youre as intrigued as I with exploring the Continental Divide: First stage: Mexican border to Interstate 40, second stage: I40 to I80, and third stage: I80 to the Canadian border. I was tired, hot, and fed up with the desert. For the next 358 miles (576km) the trail closely follows the border of Idaho and Montana, which is also the Continental Divide. 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!). 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? 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). In 2012, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition replaced the CDTA to coordinate the efforts of several regional partners engaged in constructing and maintaining the trail. This beautifully produced volume makes accessible the highest and most remote . The combined elevation gain of all the ' Hiking Triple Crown ' is more than climbing Mt Everest 41 times. The road climbs to the continental divide at the top of the Pass (12,095 ft.). In the yearly Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey, hikers share both their lowest moments on the trail (physically, mentally, emotionally - the literal lowest point of the CDT is Waterton Canyon, Montana at 2,972 ft / 906 m), as well as when, if ever, they found themselves in a situation where they felt they were in danger or where they were legitimately afraid. The Continental Divide which consists of the Rockies and several other mountain ranges splits the North American Continent into two watersheds. "[2] Distances given are approximate as sections of the trail are uncompleted and the trail is sometimes re-routed. I was exhausted and frankly traumatized. Got, Two different situations of people (non-thru hikers) with, I was on the Big Sky Cutoff and getting closer to Butte, Montana. And if youll be towing trailers, as we did, the tag-alongs will also require clearance and tough tires. [25][1], Notable points from south to north on the CDT in Montana include:[25][1]. Hikers must decide on a route through the Great Divide Basin as the actual Continental Divide forks, forming an endorheic basin. 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. We had inadvertently passed them, but spent the whole day trying to catch up. 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. If you are worried about a loved one hiking the Continental Divide Trail or you have doubts about whether you want to undertake this journey yourself, you should probably stop reading now (or maybe you should definitely read this). 15. His Instagram photos reflect his appreciation for beauty along the trail. By using the many interstates that cross the divide, an intrepid explorer can take the trail in shorter segments. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) extends 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada across a range of landscapes in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Hitching into Santa Fe, New Mexico in the bed of a pickup doing 85 mph / 137 km/h and passing everyone was pretty scary. 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). Jennifer Coleman, 34, of Richmond, Va., died hiking in the Logan Pass area of Glacier National Park on Aug. 30 or 31, 2021. Trail users enjoy equally . Mountain bikes are allowed on parts of the Colorado Trail. . 1.2K. Murder charges: 'Who else want it?' Extra equipment carried might include an ice ax and bear spray. At an elevation of 11,315 feet (3,449m), the highest point reached by the CDT in Wyoming. Why? This was an area near Baru volcano and the continental divide. . I felt, In the middle of Montana, I had one day that was. The Route covers 5 states: New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and is a . 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. That said, your support is very much appreciated and helps to pay the website (and survey) bills. Famous locations like Santa Fe, Jackson Hole, Leadville, Pikes Peak, Yellowstone National Park, and many other national parks adjacent to the route can be visited while you make your way along Americas spineyou (or your group) should make up your own list. The ride starts on the border with Canada and finishes at the border with Baja Mexico. He succame to his injuries (which included internal bleeding and head trauma) before being found in his sleeping bag by hikers the day after his fall (source), HIT BY CAR | Flicka Rodman | Nov. 19, 1995 | While taking a road walk detour down Highway 138 in Southern California, both he and Jane Rodman were struck and killed by a motorist who lost control of his vehicle after falling asleep at the wheel (he received a five-day jail sentence) (source), HIT BY CAR | Jane Rodman | Nov. 19, 1995 | While taking a road walk detour down Highway 138 in Southern California, both she and Flicka Rodman were struck and killed by a motorist who lost control of his vehicle after falling asleep at the wheel (he received a five-day jail sentence) (source), FALL | Jodi Zatchick | Winter 1983 | During a winter thru-hike attempt, Jodi Zatchick and her hiking partner Gerald Duran fell off a cliff face near Wrightwood, California after losing the trail and slipping on an icy slope (source), FALL | Gerald Duran | Winter 1983 | During a winter thru-hike attempt, Gerald Duran and his hiking partner Jodi Zatchick fell off a cliff face near Wrightwood, California after losing the trail and slipping on an icy slope (source). As this trail follows the Continental Divide, there are parts that are very high in elevation and challenging. In May/June of 2014 and 2015, we gathered two . 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. A thru-hike is a bucket list item for many people, but which trail is best? The Triple Crown Hiking Trails are the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail. 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. 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. 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. Girl, 13, Youngest to Claim Triple Crown", "Working Together, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail", "Horror & Heartbreak on the Continental Divide Trail (2018 Edition)", "What are the steepest climbs on the AT, PCT, and CDT? [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. If you cover a steady twenty miles a day, you will finish it . One of our side trips was Leadville, Colorado. We give equal recognition to thruhikers/equestrians and sectionhikers/equestrians. When youre assembling a group for an adventure like this one, you must make sure everyone is compatible. Considerations When Planning A Hike: Learn how to create your own. Sign in. was banging a pot and spoon all night. But Alex stood in the downpour, tending the fire, "having the best time in the rain." We want to hear from you about your journey. New Mexico; Continental Divide; I-40; . 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]. The peak, near the CDT, is the highest along this section of the CDT with an elevation of 10,621 feet (3,237m). Many will leave the trail due to injury, some due to weather, others for financial reasons, and, unfortunately, a very small percentage will die. St. Paul residents ask: When will the recycling truck cometh? 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). Tent stakes didnt go in very well, but it stood up okay. The free printable Continental Divide Trail maps and guides below are organized by state starting in the south at the Mexican border in New Mexico, and working the way north along the C.D.T. 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. borders.] 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. 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. We thoroughly enjoyed each others companyplus our dogs got along. 1. we left our remaining vehicle at the Lone Star Trailhead, shouldered our 35- to 40 . The lowest elevation of the trail in Wyoming is 6,522 feet (1,988m) about 12 miles (19km) north of Rawlins. In his 20s, he hiked several trails, including the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail along the West Coast. 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. The definition of a thru-hike is left to the judgment of the hikers. No AT reading list would be complete without Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery. 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. Detailed Description. The Continental Divide Trail blazes a path through some of the nation's most treasured scenic terrain. 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. Death Valley; Eastern Sierras; Lassen Volcanic Nat'l Park; The Lost Coast; Sequoia - Kings Canyon; Joshua Tree National Park; Colorado. 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. I was also behind most of the other hikers going south, I often felt like the last one. From Aspen to the peak of the pass is about . Have your own tale of woe from a Continental Divide Trail thru-hike? It's not unrealistic to say that a Pacific Crest . It was truly miserable. The alternate was probably fine for a northbound hiker, but going down this field of scree and causing small landslides while jumping from boulder to boulder and, I slipped climbing over the 100th downed tree coming out of the Scapegoat Wilderness. vaults I-94 overpass, tumbles to embankment, Who's next? For many, this allows them to just experience . 1 mo. 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 main continental divide in Canada follows the ridge of the Rocky . 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. David Odell was the first person to thru-hike the (still undefined) CDT in 1977, although there was an earlier claim. Herman Gulch. The total number of thru-hiker deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail? Our first night on the trail, since we began our epic journey at the Mexican border, was in the mountains of New Mexico, a few miles north of Interstate 10. 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. Alex's mother, Julie Cahoy, talked to him on June 4. [11] In 1978 three women hiked the entire trail: Nancy Andujar and the team of Jean Ella and Lynne Wisegart. Which also means youll need the clearance and traction that off-road tires and low range will give you. Not interested in any of this and dont know why youre still reading? Twice hail chased us off the first time, the second time it was just hard , Hiking a cross-country alternate in the Spanish peaks. Want to know how you can expect to meet your maker should this hike turn out to be your last? An autopsy produced no answers. Because if youre lucky, you may drive the entire length in sunny warm weather, but thats very unlikely. Continental Divide Trail National Logo Vinyl Decal Promote Sale price Affordable prices Tide flow fashion products hesgoal.name, US $7.76 use a razor to gently lift the decal up along with the transfer tape If the decal is not attached Prepare the sticker for application by firmly/carefully rubbing a squeegee or credit card across the clear . For hikers who have completed all three trails, ALDHA-West presents the official "Triple Crown of Hiking" (TC). Some people attempt to travel the entire 3,100 miles in a . The Senator introduced The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act with Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). San Jacinto in an unseasonal snowstorm. Website Designed & Developed by ThompsonStenning, The town of Lordsburg, New Mexico, will be hosting a Trail Days festival April 14-15, 2023. His body was found just below the summit (source), FALL | Laurie Choate | September 5, 2018 | Laurie Choate, died in a fall hiking the Kendall Katwalk (Washington). Just down SR60 from Pie Town (Pie Towns claim to fame is two restaurants serving the best homemade pie west of the Mississippi), Datil is a must stop for anyone who enjoys a good beef steak with all the trimmings, served by some of the nicest people youll ever have the joy to meet. Cougar encounter in the Gila (New Mexico). He called to say he'd received them. Save the dates and stay tuned for more details! Wow, what a woman! 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. Founded in 2012 by a passionate group of volunteers and recreationists, CDTC is . Portions of the trail already existed and a few hikers claimed to have walked from Mexico to Canada on the informal trail,[3] among them Jim Wolf, A Baltimore lawyer who had hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1971, and whose account of that journey appears in the two-volume book, Hiking the Appalachian Trail. We recognize users regardless of sequence, direction, speed, or whether they carry a pack, or any variation of their hike. The trail represents a monumental conservation effort, stretching 3,100 miles across the United States, from Canada to Mexico. 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. Perhaps a more accurate description is that 30% of the CDT is on either a dirt or paved road. The International Continental Divide Adventure Route is designed to be a self-guided adventure.This route can be navigated entirely by GPS. Oh my that is so sad. These trails travel through 22 states in the USA and cover around 7500 miles. Grizzly bears become a possible danger from the Wind River Range northward, especially in and near Yellowstone Park. Progress in completing the trail was slow and interest in hiking the complete trail was minimal. 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 world's longest mountain bike route zigzags 2,490 miles (4,007 kilometers) along the Continental Divide from the Canadian border near Eureka . We took Mosquito Pass into Leadville and the 13,185-foot pass between Leadville and Fairplay required all the clearance our vehicles had and their transfer cases low ranges, but the history, the relics, the mine shafts, and scenery were well worth the effort. When the storm passed, the fire was still going. Nobody knows why Alexander Cahoy died suddenly while hiking the Continental Divide Trail. A series of cold days in Colorado in October, especially the cold during the mornings. Outside's long reads email . Leave a comment below and warn future CDT classes of the awfulness that awaits them on their thru-hikes. The Continental Divide Trail in Colorado also has plenty of options for doing day or just short hikes: Berthoud Pass to Stanley MountainBerthoud Pass. It was, My first night at Two Medicine before getting my permit and starting the trail the next day. M. Biggers, Ashley. Later that night, she got a call from the coroner. 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. In the yearly Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey, hikers share both their lowest moments on the trail (physically, mentally, emotionally the literal lowest point of the CDT is Waterton Canyon, Montana at 2,972 ft / 906 m), as well as when, if ever, they found themselves in a situation where they felt they were in danger or where they were legitimately afraid. In 2021, the CDT was about 70 percent complete, with a combination of dedicated trails and dirt and paved roads. 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. All hikers must replenish their food every few days, often hitchhiking from a road crossing of the trail into a town to buy food and supplies. Same with camping, she said by age 10 or 12, he was a better camper than his parents. The road walk into Rawlins (Wyoming) after the Basin. Continental Divide Trail Survey Collection, Pacific Crest Trail Horror Stories (Class of 2022), Pacific Crest Trail Hiking Advice for 2023 (& Beyond), Hikers Lowest Moments on the Pacific Crest Trail (Class of 2022), All my gear was totally soaked through at 11,000 ft / 3,353 m in driving sleet after Hope Pass, set up, and wound up. [17] Olive "Raindance" McGloin, yo-yoed in 2020 becoming the first woman on her second attempt (McGloin also yo-yoed the PCT in 2014). I was whimpering and crying on and off from being cold and exhausted all day. Open full screen to view more. Gatewood endured so much trauma in her lifetimewhich may be where she found the fortitude, endurance, and will to be the first woman to hike the ATat 67 years of age! Took a three month road trip last summer. Most hikers occasionally take a "zero", a day without hiking, or a "nero", a day with little hiking, to rest and recuperate. Read the following knowing that any one of these things could (and very well may) happen to you, should you find yourself on the Continental Divide Trail. Long water carry out of Lincoln, Montana with eight days of food on ridges. In 1978, the Continental Divide Trail was formally established with the responsibility for management given to the U.S. Forest Service. Original Thumbnail Medium. More than likely, youll hit rain or snow, which means mud and washouts. July 04, 2022 - 11:52 AM . Continental Divide. Forest fires often result in parts of the trail being closed and the hiker must take alternative routes. Each drainage basin contributes its water to river systems, which in turn flow into distinct larger bodies of water, such as oceans. In other words, rain falling on the western-facing slopes eventually finds its way to the Pacific Ocean; while the eastern watershed drains into the Atlantic Ocean. It is the second highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. . Myth #4: The Idaho-Montana border is full of PUDs. 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. People usually hike from south to north. 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. [5] More than 1,000 thru-hikers completed either the AT or PCT in 2019 compared to 150 completing the CDT, a reflection of the isolation and difficulty in hiking the CDT. The peak is near the CDT and has an elevation of 10,300 feet (3,100m). Myth #2: Thru-hiking is not a race. 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. 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. Bowlin Travel Centers Inc. Camping alone when Id flipped up to Idaho/Southern Montana away from the bubble because I was trying to finish to go back to school. "As parents you always worry, but we had a certain level of trust," Tom said. ALSO SEE:10 Best Off-Road Tires and How to Pick the Right Ones. [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. But also know that youll probably die out there. Reply. "My bipartisan bill ensures the trail will continue to provide public access and a continuous route will finally be . Myth #1: The CDT is 70% complete. Hiker Kiana Van Zanten met Alex on the trail and admired the way he approached hiking "really taking the time to enjoy nature and the trail, leaving no trace, taking the time to befriend other hikers even if you're not sure you'll see them again, willing to go on fun side adventures and not just be so focused on staying the line.". He didnt understand that the only thing I was afraid of at that moment was. The Continental Divide Trail Coalition, P.O. 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. So if you have some mental block about hiking the PCT because of all the scary things that are waiting for you out there, then know that despite those things actually existing, they are unlikely to kill you. A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not connected to the open sea.Every continent on earth except Antarctica (which has no known significant, definable free-flowing surface rivers) has at least . By 1995, only 15 people were recorded as having hiked the whole trail, still largely unfinished. The Continental Divide Trail Is Officially 3,100 Miles Long. "I have to come to terms . After George Floyd's murder, he volunteered at a Minneapolis food shelf, eventually becoming a staffer. The residents of Atlantic City, Wyoming, are just fine being off the grid. In 2018, 300 individuals attempted to hike the trail end-to-end. Leaving the Basin, the CDT traverses the remote and rugged 'bench' of the Wind River Range, climbing to above timberline which is about 10,000 feet (3,000m) in this area, and then through the Absaroka Range in the northwest portion of the state. [35] The Montana Wilderness Association is the leading non-profit partner for the northern section of the CDT. Sign-up to get our latest reviews and news before everybody else does. One evening as they sat by the fire it started raining, "like, buckets and buckets.". The thunder and lightning had continued from the previous day when I had slept (didnt sleep at all) trapped on a ridgeline. At the time we were unaware that wed be meeting hikers, mountain bikers, and dual-sport motorcyclists along the route, along with some fantastic folks living in the small mountain towns through which wed be driving. I get a lot of people asking every year how to support the surveys and beyond sharing them with your close-knit bubble of weird hiker friends, the best way to support the survey is to contribute via Patreon. The establishment of the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail inspired proposals to create a Continental Divide trail. In the end, I didnt have the heart to finish so alone I was out there for the community and when I couldnt have that, In Colorado attempting to do five passes in a day. Most hikers typically hike the trail Northbound, from Mexico to Canada. 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. The first section of the proposed trail was laid out in Colorado in 1962 by the Rocky Mountain Trails Association. These people are in the . When Julie didn't hear from her son for a few days, she called the local sheriff's office, which sent out a search and rescue team. Anaconda cutoff. The CDT was originally called the Blue Can Trail, named for the founders who first imagined a trail along the Divide in Colorado, marking their path with blue tuna cans. Since then, she's completed the Appalachian, Continental Divide, and Pacific Crest trails, and is now adding the 6,800-mile American Discovery Trail to her list. Completing the Triple Crown is not an easy feat.