We were surprised to see so many of the posse already in Darby by the time we arrived. I had done a 35 miler the day before and was several miles past where the posse had camped. Chip’n had got up in the dark at 4:30A and started hiking well before anyone else was even stirring. Meredith was also up and out not long after Chip’n and had reached me at sunrise just as I was stepping out onto the trail. We reached Chief Joseph Pass by 11A with me having done nearly 15 miles and them nearly 20 miles and then got a hitch with nearly the first car that went by. It turns out that a few of them took a bushwhack shortcut through the woods to one of the roads and hitched from there skipping a nice long section of trail. Bloody Hell! I have to keep reminding myself that everyone has their own idea of what a thru hike is and that it’s not a race. In any event, it was nice seeing everyone in town. Besides, it was Meredith’s birthday and a time to celebrate.
With Meredith and Chip’n at the Idaho border
The next morning, I was feeling pretty shaggy so I got a quick haircut and then headed out of Darby solo. Once again, only a couple of cars went by before I was picked up. Although the first ride was only a few miles, the driver was fun to talk to and I got a second ride right away that took me right back to the trail head. Montana is the best place anywhere for hitchhiking.
Southie enjoying first and second breakfasts
On the second day out, I was privileged to see, from a distance, two bull elk fighting horn to horn while a herd of doe elk looked on. The rut was just starting. Normally they would have noticed me well before I noticed them.
Herd of elk
It was during this time that I was able to contact my trail buddy Radioman from the Appalachian Trail and he said that he would like to get me some trail trail magic in 2 1/2 days when I got to Bannock Pass. Yikes, that was 80 miles away through the mountains! I’d have to get my hustle on again. Fortunately the last day was an easy descent and I was able to squeeze out 20 miles by 1P to be on time where Radioman had fresh fruit and beer waiting for me. It really was great seeing Radioman. It turns out he drove 5 hours one way across Idaho to meet me. Unbelievably generous of him. We stayed at a friend of Radioman’s in Salmon ID, and after a quick resupply, dinner, clean up, good night’s sleep, and a delicious breakfast, he dropped me off where he had picked me up only to be greeted by about half of the posse who were a day behind me and looking for a ride to Leadore, ID.
Radioman dropping me off and picking up the posse to go to Leadore, ID
The next section of the CDT to Lima MT saw the trees thin to grassland and sagebrush. The wary pronghorn antelope were starting to show up again. You would often hear the antelope barking at you before you saw them but sometimes you could sneak to within 50-100 yards of them before they noticed you. It was through this section that the CDT would often just disappear and you would just follow a valley or bowl or meadow or compass heading indicated on your topo map.
Trail out of Bannock Pass
On the last section before Lima MT, the CDT follows the treeless ridge line of the actual Continental Divide. It’s a strange feeling when you think that your left foot is in Montana and your right is in Idaho. Raindrops falling to your left will eventually find their way to the Atlantic while raindrops falling to your right will eventually make their way the Pacific. For some of this ridge-line I walked with Wilder until he bonked and dropped off to take the easy valley floor (he had been doing big miles to catch up to me), but much of it I walked alone. Like much of the CDT, it was difficult, and brutal, and beautiful. After a glowing sunset, I rolled into camp and pitched my tent not too far from Wilder so we could catch a ride into Lima Mt first thing in the morning.
Wilder on the Continental Divide
The next morning, after a 7 mile hike out, we were picked up on the side of the highway by Mike and his dog from the Mountain View Motel in Lima. During the day, other folks from the posse slowly trickled in until we had quite a group assembled. Toward the end of the day, Ninja (whom I had last seen at Chief Mountain in Glacier) and Snapper also showed up. Over the next few days we would take the Mack’s Inn Alternate which was the straightest path to Yellowstone and also would take us through Island Park ID for an easy resupply. The trail was fairly uneventful except for the clouds of biting flies and mosquitoes and occasionally getting lost. It was a nice change though to camp with the posse through much of this section.
You can rent these if you’d like a place to stay in Lima
Yes, he is doing what you think.
The posse back on trail
A lot of little ponds and thus swarms of mosquitoes
On the day before going into Yellowstone, we had assembled a big group of hikers right before the park boundary so we could all make the 19 mile dash to the Backcountry Office in Yellowstone to get our campsite permits for the next couple of days as we traversed through the park. I left camp early as I also wanted to catch the Post Office before noon as I had a resupply package waiting for me there and also, my neighbors just happened to be in Yellowstone at the same time and the early start would allow a nice visit.
Posse hitching a ride through the road walk
If you look carefully, the kitty seems to be eating pizza then a taco.
Lunch break next to a spring with Ninja, Snapper, S&M, and Wind NaN
Camp on Yellowstone Border
Wyoming / Idaho border
Yellowstone at sunrise
New Mexico -done
Montana -done
Idaho -done