July 25, 2015
Lemhi Pass to Benchmark
My last day on the job was Tuesday, June 30 and before 6 a.m. on Wednesday, July 1 we were driving to MT. Our goal - finish the trail this year, come hell or high water! Success! We finished hiking the entire CDNST on Saturday, July 25 at Benchmark, MT. What a great multi-year adventure it has been!
Highlights from this year:
* Everything fell into place this year. It was magical! The weather was great, we enjoyed MT's renowned haze-free "big skies" (we finished before the fires in the west became so massive), no car problems and our figured-out-at-home hiking plans actually worked well when put into practice on the trail. Best of all - we both felt physically strong and healthy with only minor aches and pains.
* We especially enjoyed hiking between Lemhi and Goldstone Passes, the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness and the section between Swift Current to Waterton, Canada in Glacier National Park. Beautiful areas! The GNP section was a "bonus hike" because we had already hiked to Canada on the CDNST alternate trail to Chief Mountain.
* This year we each used one-person Zpacks Solplex tents. Big thumbs up! We had to assemble them several times before the trip to understand the best way to set them up but our time was well spent. On the trail we were able to move out more quickly and efficiently in the morning - no bumping/jostling/time wasted while one of us packed and other one waited. We no longer said "Hey, where is my xxx?!". Because our gear was packed/unpacked within our individual tents it wasn't getting comingled and temporarily misplaced. I didn't wake up in the middle of the night because Mike needed to see a man about a horse, and I didn't disturb him when I wanted to click on my headlamp at 2 a.m. and bury my nose in a John Sandford paperback
* It was a pleasure to meet, camp and hike with Heather Burror and her daughter, Sierra (trail names - Mama Bear and Monkey). Mama Bear generously allowed us to share their Glacier National Park campsites when it looked like we were going to be shut out of obtaining backcountry camping permits.
* We also enjoyed swapping stories and gear ideas with Chuck Shugart (trail name - Hawkeye). We bumped into him near Goldstone Pass and again, at Rogers Pass, then we camped together at Lewis and Clark Pass.
* How satisfying it was to have full bellies from an all-you-can-eat breakfast at the historic Many Glacier Lodge before our bonus backpack in Glacier National Park. Yum!
* A shout-out to the beautiful town of Waterton, Canada! Although we were there on a Canadian holiday - Heritage Day - we were able to easily move about the small lakeside town. We thoroughly enjoyed lunch at the restaurant, Trappers. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and we were able to casually eat in a shaded outside courtyard in perfect weather. And to top it off, it was fun watching those passing by. We followed that up with great ice cream a few doors down. Not long after stuffing ourselves we napped on a relaxing shuttle ride back to U.S. Funny observation - none of the Canadians we asked knew why they celebrate Heritage Day!
Next adventure:
We aren't sure. Maybe the Pacific Crest Trail. Hmmmm...
Highlights from this year:
* Everything fell into place this year. It was magical! The weather was great, we enjoyed MT's renowned haze-free "big skies" (we finished before the fires in the west became so massive), no car problems and our figured-out-at-home hiking plans actually worked well when put into practice on the trail. Best of all - we both felt physically strong and healthy with only minor aches and pains.
* We especially enjoyed hiking between Lemhi and Goldstone Passes, the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness and the section between Swift Current to Waterton, Canada in Glacier National Park. Beautiful areas! The GNP section was a "bonus hike" because we had already hiked to Canada on the CDNST alternate trail to Chief Mountain.
* This year we each used one-person Zpacks Solplex tents. Big thumbs up! We had to assemble them several times before the trip to understand the best way to set them up but our time was well spent. On the trail we were able to move out more quickly and efficiently in the morning - no bumping/jostling/time wasted while one of us packed and other one waited. We no longer said "Hey, where is my xxx?!". Because our gear was packed/unpacked within our individual tents it wasn't getting comingled and temporarily misplaced. I didn't wake up in the middle of the night because Mike needed to see a man about a horse, and I didn't disturb him when I wanted to click on my headlamp at 2 a.m. and bury my nose in a John Sandford paperback
* It was a pleasure to meet, camp and hike with Heather Burror and her daughter, Sierra (trail names - Mama Bear and Monkey). Mama Bear generously allowed us to share their Glacier National Park campsites when it looked like we were going to be shut out of obtaining backcountry camping permits.
* We also enjoyed swapping stories and gear ideas with Chuck Shugart (trail name - Hawkeye). We bumped into him near Goldstone Pass and again, at Rogers Pass, then we camped together at Lewis and Clark Pass.
* How satisfying it was to have full bellies from an all-you-can-eat breakfast at the historic Many Glacier Lodge before our bonus backpack in Glacier National Park. Yum!
* A shout-out to the beautiful town of Waterton, Canada! Although we were there on a Canadian holiday - Heritage Day - we were able to easily move about the small lakeside town. We thoroughly enjoyed lunch at the restaurant, Trappers. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and we were able to casually eat in a shaded outside courtyard in perfect weather. And to top it off, it was fun watching those passing by. We followed that up with great ice cream a few doors down. Not long after stuffing ourselves we napped on a relaxing shuttle ride back to U.S. Funny observation - none of the Canadians we asked knew why they celebrate Heritage Day!
Next adventure:
We aren't sure. Maybe the Pacific Crest Trail. Hmmmm...
WE DID IT!!!! Celebrating finishing the entire trail at Benchmark trailhead (30 west of Augusta, MT).
Goldstone Pass
Lemhi Pass in the distance
Distance lakes from one of many passes in Anaconda Pintler Wilderness
Up to rustic Granite Chalet and backcountry campsite in Glacier National Park
Hiking near Fifty Mountain backcountry campsite in Glacier National Park
Goat Haunt at Waterton Lake in Glacier National Park. Lake sits between U.S. and Canada.
Zpacks tents perched on narrow ridge at Cutaway Pass in Anaconda Pintler Wilderness
Enjoying afternoon with Mama Bear and Monkey at Granite backcountry campsite in Glacier National Park
Hawkeye setting up his Zpack tent at Lewis and Clark Pass
Many Glacier Lodge
Diningroom at Many Glacier Lodge where we enjoyed all-you-can-eat breakfast
Ice cream in the quaint lakeside town of Waterton, Canada
Waiting our turn to cross the border from Canada to U.S.
