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 CDT stretches 4989 km between Canada and Mexico, slicing the United States from top to bottom, crossing New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana. 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. Hiking tips. This scenic trail runs from the USA/Mexico border into Canada and covers 2,767 miles of spectacular remote wilderness. [Authors note: About 2,700 miles of the trail is within the U.S. In high school, Alex spent summers at Wilderness Canoe Base on the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marais. Much of the surface over which we traveled on the Great Continental Divide Adventure Route was macadam, but there was also plenty of dirt, rocks, and gravel, so we needed tough tires with strong sidewalls and high traction treads, which was well provided by the Yokohama Geolandar tiresboth designswithout a single flat tire for the entire trip. Here are 10 intriguing facts you may not know about the Continental Divide Trail. The highest elevation is 9,324 feet (2,842m) in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. 70% (2,170 miles) of the trail is along land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The trail then moves along the forested mountains of Idaho and Montana before ascending the tall, sharp, rocky peaks of Glacier National Park, with the Canadian border on the horizon. I almost camped under some dead trees but decided to keep going through intense blowdowns and got a cut on my leg. Divides are boundaries that separate drainage basins or watersheds of all sizes. WARNING! We thoroughly enjoyed each others companyplus our dogs got along. It is a rare club of hikers that have hiked . 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. With the card in your GPS unit, youll see the route plainly delineated with a blue track (with arrows pointing southward). Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Fifteen miles (24 km) from the Southern Terminus, the trail was ill-defined and rocks were making me roll my ankle every other step. Be alert to all car traffic, which is especially heavy on summer weekends. "As parents you always worry, but we had a certain level of trust," Tom said. 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. If the weather warrants, enjoy its patio. The trail represents a monumental conservation effort, stretching 3,100 miles across the United States, from Canada to Mexico. We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests. 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. [20] There are few facilities along the trail itself, and it is usually necessary for the hiker to leave the trail to resupply or find lodging. In most areas the CDT is well marked. It's the highest, most remote, and, in many ways, most challenging of our National Scenic Trails. It was super windy and the heavy pack was a struggle. by David Rosenfeld. 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 Continental Divide stretches from Alaska down through Mexico . July 04, 2022 - 11:52 AM . Targhee Peak. The discovery this week in northern New Mexico of a 59-year-old known for extensive long distance hikes ends a monthslong search after going missing in December. A series of cold days in Colorado in October, especially the cold during the mornings. So you are interested in hiking the Pacific Crest Trail but you dont know if youre quite ready to drag yourself across a continent for five months and probably die? we left our remaining vehicle at the Lone Star Trailhead, shouldered our 35- to 40 . Twice hail chased us off the first time, the second time it was just hard , Hiking a cross-country alternate in the Spanish peaks. 2 min read. This 13,916-foot peak sits just to the southeast of Longs Peak and can be prominently viewed along Colorado Highway 7. 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). This spectacular trail is the direct result of a tremendous amount of effort by Kevin Glassett (aka GPSKevin; www.gpskevinadventurerides.com). In May/June of 2014 and 2015, we gathered two . He was 32, fit and seemingly healthy, an experienced hiker. "He didn't need a lot of money to do what he did. 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. Walking in super strong winds in a sandy desert, sandblaster. The lowest elevation of the trail in Colorado is 8,044 feet (2,452m) along the Middle Fork of the Elk River near the border with Wyoming[22] and the highest elevation in Colorado is 14,278 feet (4,352m) at the summit of Gray's Peak. Another hazard to hikers is Colorado's 'monsoon season' with violent afternoon thunderstorms that are common in July and August on high mountain ridges [26][27], Notable points on the CDT in Colorado from south to north include:[28][25][1], The official route of the CDT in Wyoming is 513 miles (826km) long,[1] although several alternate routes shorten or lengthen that distance. Starting the Cirque of the Towers alternate in the Wind River Range in Wyoming. Readers can experience the trail as if their boots were on the 3,100-mile path. Lester Pass. 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. Before jumping off on the Continental Divide Trailor celebrating its finish (depending on which direction youre traveling)have a great meal at Caf Jaxwe thoroughly enjoyed the huge serving of kielbasa hash and eggs. Many will leave the trail due to injury, some due to weather, others for financial reasons, and, unfortunately, a very small percentage will die. For many, this allows them to just experience . An autopsy produced no answers. Stephen Olshansky was found in a campground building in the Carson National Forest in New . 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. Wow, what a woman! Outside of Winter Park, it caught up to me and I, Five days of Bob Marshall Wilderness (Montana) with. Reply. Grizzly encounter on day four in Glacier National Park (Montana). I was tired, hot, and fed up with the desert. Continental Divide Trail . Keep in mind, that when looking at the map, only 70% of the actual trail routing is . . There was a lot of snow. While the blue tracks werent all that difficult, the green tracks were definitely easiersometimes all pavement. 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. 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. Going over Edwards Peak to Grays Peak in Colorado. 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. Parkview Mountain (2,913 feet vertical) - 10 miles round trip, with trailhead access from Willow Creek Pass on CO-125. 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. 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. Hitching into Santa Fe, New Mexico in the bed of a pickup doing 85 mph / 137 km/h and passing everyone was pretty scary. Forest fires often result in parts of the trail being closed and the hiker must take alternative routes. Much of the CDT route in New Mexico traverses desert and dry mountains and a challenge to hikers is finding drinking water. For the next 358 miles (576km) the trail closely follows the border of Idaho and Montana, which is also the Continental Divide. "Everybody says there was no trauma, no distress," Tom said. (GPSKevin also offers two-week adventure tours for dual-sport motorcycle riders, and is considering adding adventure tours for four wheelers.) Leaving Grand Lake and hiking through thunder from 11 am to 7 pm, hiking through the rain for hours in a rutted burn area. said man who shot 2 at St. Paul family memorial, Stolen Kia being chased by patrol in Mpls. For hikers who have completed all three trails, ALDHA-West presents the official "Triple Crown of Hiking" (TC). The Continental Divide which consists of the Rockies and several other mountain ranges splits the North American Continent into two watersheds. Resorted to drinking out of a disgusting cattle pond. [8][9] Permits are required to hike or camp along some sections of the trail and a passport is needed to cross the Canadian border. When youre assembling a group for an adventure like this one, you must make sure everyone is compatible. The pilot project will send out a professional for follow-ups after behavioral health crises. The most common problems reported by thru-hikers are injury and snow. In 2021, he cared for his 94-year-old grandmother five days a week until she died in December. Several additional mountains with elevations of more than 14,000 feet (4,300m) are near the trail, The CDT traverses many of the highest and wildest mountain ranges of Colorado, frequently at elevations near or above timberline which is about 12,000 feet (3,700m) in southern Colorado and 11,000 feet (3,400m) in northern Colorado. "I have to come to terms with the fact that I may never know," said his father, Tom Cahoy of Minneapolis. 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. The CDT is now 95 percent complete. A man in a pickup blocked the road I was walking in Northern New Mexico. Next spring, she plans to hike the Arizona National Scenic Trail from the border with Mexico to . 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. But in other locations, the divide is barely perceptible. 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. I was also behind most of the other hikers going south, I often felt like the last one. 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 lowest elevation of the trail in Wyoming is 6,522 feet (1,988m) about 12 miles (19km) north of Rawlins. We give equal recognition to thruhikers/equestrians and sectionhikers/equestrians. 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. The Senator introduced The Continental Divide Trail Completion Act with Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.). Box 552 Pine, CO 80470, +1 720 340-CDTC (2382), info@continentaldividetrail.org. Minneapolis program teaches kids cooking skills, emphasizes community. 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. Our sleeping bags and everything warm we owned was soaked. 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. Sleeping Bag or Quilt. 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. "Money wasn't important to him," Tom said. The CDT crosses Interstate 15 again at an elevation of 6,299 feet (1,920m). "Trail angels" (volunteers) at locations along the trail assist hikers with food, water, and transportation to and from resupply points to trail heads. Same with camping, she said by age 10 or 12, he was a better camper than his parents. She previously covered Carver County and western Hennepin County as well as aging, workplace issues and other topics since she began at the paper in 2011. 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. [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. Called home crying about, Great Basin (Wyoming), no water at the water cache. Alex also liked helping people when not hiking. It was truly miserable. ", "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. 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 in Southwest Montana. The road climbs to the continental divide at the top of the Pass (12,095 ft.). The Triple Crown Hiking Trails are the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail. Interstate 15. 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). He. Share. More than likely, youll hit rain or snow, which means mud and washouts. The Pacific Crest Trail is a test of mental, physical, and emotional endurance. Consider all these things while assembling a group and planning your trip. Water can be scarce and grizzly bears are found near Yellowstone Park. 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. Hiking into Grants was a long, hot day. We were going fast because we thought a party member was ahead of us, but once we got there, they were nowhere to be found. 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. The Continental Divide Trail Coalition, P.O. 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. [35] The Montana Wilderness Association is the leading non-profit partner for the northern section of the CDT. Crazy Cook Monument. The CDT was described in 2013 by a Triple Crown hiker as "Raw, wild, remote and unfinished; it is a trail that will make use of all the skills of an experienced backpacker. Myth #2: Thru-hiking is not a race. 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. Alex always loved being outdoors, his parents said. 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. A lot of the trail can suck (and sometimes it sucks a lot). 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. It traverses a multitude of biospheres, from tundra to high desert, with a vast variety of flora and fauna, including several . [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. [22] Timberline along this section of the trail is 8,500 feet (2,600m) to 9,000 feet (2,700m) in elevation. I was night hiking along the road when a local pulled up. Yogi is the OG of thru-hiking guidebooks, at least for the Triple Crown trails. Over the years, there have been a number of deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail. Learn how to create your own. People used to describe Leadvilles climate as ten months of winter with two months of late, late fall. 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). Kathryn Miles Jun 5, 2019 A, Realized that calcaneus fasciitis was going to require the. For the past few weeks, social media has been overflowing with homeowner complaints about missed pickups. 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. 1.2K. The Continental Divide Trail Is Officially 3,100 Miles Long. 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. The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) is a long-distance trail that runs from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. 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. 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? The world's longest mountain bike route zigzags 2,490 miles (4,007 kilometers) along the Continental Divide from the Canadian border near Eureka . 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]. After George Floyd's murder, he volunteered at a Minneapolis food shelf, eventually becoming a staffer. The main continental divide in Canada follows the ridge of the Rocky . Death Valley; Eastern Sierras; Lassen Volcanic Nat'l Park; The Lost Coast; Sequoia - Kings Canyon; Joshua Tree National Park; Colorado. 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. Thru-hiking the CDT is an adventure of a lifetime, but it's not for the faint of heart. 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). Frequent forest fires in late summer often force closure of sections of the trail and early snowfalls in late September may make the trail in Glacier National Park impassable. People usually hike from south to north. [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. Either way, best to sign up for my newsletter, yeah? It hit me hard but I knew that I was not hiking just to hike and if I didnt want to be out here I could go home. One of the friendly small towns through which we drove was our third gas stop; Datil, New Mexico (on an alternate green route). Extra equipment carried might include an ice ax and bear spray. 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. 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. ALSO SEE: Yokohama Geolandar X-MT Tire Review. 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. Tent stakes didnt go in very well, but it stood up okay. 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 trail is incomplete in a few sections, especially in New Mexico, which requires walking on roads. 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. At various spots along the blue route, Kevin has added alternative green and red tracks. 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 Triple Crown of hiking is a thru-hike trifecta that includes the three most prominent long trails of the United States - the Appalachian Trail (AT), the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). I was exhausted and frankly traumatized. Kevin has put years of personal effort into developing this route, along with several alternative routes along the way. Although, at least one red road was a single track suitable for a motorcycle only. Remember that between altitudes of 10,500 feet (3,200 km) and 13,000 feet (3,962 km) the air is thin, and some hikers may experience difficulty. His body was not recovered until more than a year later. Jump in and jump out at the various interstates as your free time dictates. I was, Giardia in Colorado Colorado was tough enough without having to, I got caught in a nighttime storm in the basin while cowboy camping. [25][1], Notable points from south to north on the CDT in Montana include:[25][1]. Frequent route changes and a large number of alternate routes result in an actual hiking . Eureka acknowledged it's been a tough winter. Hiking The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail . A freezing rain and thunderstorm storm in the Winds made the trail entirely sludge. Detailed Description. That is readily available via the internet and that we know of. 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. 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. MWA staff work to maintain the CDT in Montana and Idaho with the help of volunteers and agency partners. [6][7], Successfully thru-hiking the entire Continental Divide Trail takes an average of five months. ago. Send this article to anyone, no subscription is necessary to view it, One of state's richest families feuds over $1 billion estate, Voting rights restored to more than 55,000 Minnesotans, Court penalizes leader of 'sham' Edina nonprofit that worked with Feeding Our Future. Hikers must decide on a route through the Great Divide Basin as the actual Continental Divide forks, forming an endorheic basin. At the time this post is being updated (as I update it whenever news comes in), the number stands at 15. The Continental Divide Trail explores this iconic crown jewel of America's trails with more than 250 spectacular contemporary images, historical photos and documents from the Continental Divide Trail Coalition archives, and detailed maps. Nobody knows why Alexander Cahoy died suddenly while hiking the Continental Divide Trail. He called to say he'd received them. Several alternate trails shorten the meandering route of the official CDT in Montana. "[2] Distances given are approximate as sections of the trail are uncompleted and the trail is sometimes re-routed. Alex Cahoy was 32 and a healthy and experienced hiker. Bridger Peak. [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. 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. State Land Office, BLM New Mexico Announce Partnership To Improve Continental Divide Trail Access; Scammers Posing As BeWellnm Representatives; Latest e-Edition 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.".