[Day 94] Rinse & Repeat


Now, I’m not dissing the Montana-Idaho border with my title. The country is gorgeous, the ridge and forest walking have been a welcome change, and the scenery only catches the eye more as I continue north. The days since leaving Yellowstone, however, have been a bit of a blur. Hike out of town. Hike 30 miles. Hike 30 miles. Hike into town. Briefly refuel. Repeat.

How do I break the cycle? I don’t know. I guess I could take a day off. But, with chore-less rest, I quickly find myself plotting my escape. So, I will not hinder my will, even if my drive leaves me tired. I guess I could hike lesser days. But, with daylight lingering until after 9pm, I can’t expect myself to crawl into a tent early with valid moving hours available. So, I will continue to hike as long as my legs and daylight allow. Do I fear it will pass by too fast? No. With a trail of 3,000 miles in length, I have to accept that I can not see everything. There is much in my immediate vicinity that I am not experiencing. I look at these long trails as a sampler platter, providing tastes of many segments of American territories. If I like a flavor, sure, I can have a couple more sample bites, but I’ll need to place an order if I want a significant portion (by that, I mean return for more dedicated explorations to specific regions).

🗓️ DateAugust 1st
⇢ Mileage35.8
📍 Trip Mileage2219.0
⛅️ WeatherSunny 80°F with light smoke flavor
🏞️ Trail ConditionsWell groomed trail with occasional dirt road connections and some chosen off trailing

I woke up, took down my food bag, and cooked up some oatmeal. I typically hold anti-breakfast sentiments, but oatmeal packets have been a treat in the morning and I am certain to not eat oatmeal later in the day. My pack was slung over my shoulder by 8:30am — later than I’d like for an anticipated bigger day.

Thanks Henry for making me take this photo.

I made my way through some dry, young forests for the first eight miles of the day. Exposure increased, and I entered into a walk along shale, rocky ridge. Personally, I wouldn’t consider it a knife edge — maybe a butter knife edge. I found myself dozing off as I walked these rounded, rocky ridges. But, I got quite good sleep last night! Then it occurred to me: the allergy medicine I took for my skin reaction was making my eyelids heavy. I started reevaluating my planned 35-mile hike.

Atop the ridge, trail separated from the divide and dipped into the valley below. I realized I could cut trail and eliminate some pointless up and down (PUD) by staying on a 4×4 road atop the ridge and cutting down the valley. What’s a day on the CDT without dirt roads and off-trail work?

On my map, I noticed the old Jahnke Mine near Jahnke Lake. I decided to hike to the lake to catch a view of this mine on the wildly steep mountainside. Unfortunately, the trees blocked any view of the mine, but I did come across a series of old mining cabins likely used by the crew.

Great dinner spot.
Night walking in bear country.

I followed a slow and steady descent along Pioneer Creek for while, which brought me to a slow and steady ascent along Berry Creek. Despite my dozing, I managed 28 miles. Before my last two steep bumps of the day, I took dinner along Berry Creek. After filling my belly, I hit the last seven miles of the day, hiking down in the dark to a woodsy hole at Miners Creek Trailhead. I once had a dream that followed very similar in scenario and feeling to the last two miles of my day: I walked a switchbacking descent in the dark of dusk to a pocketed valley, reached the creek, and a ravenous grizzly bear ran out of the forest to maul me, tossing my like a rag doll similar in fashion to the scene from the movie the Revenant. Luckily, the bear part of dream didn’t play out tonight.

I called camp, pitched my tent, made a bear hang, and got some rest.

Signing off,

Zeppelin / fReaK (ON a leash)

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