Backpacking The Continental Divide Trail
(Part 3 -1998)

I didn't have a very enjoyable hike this year. I started at Lima, MT, in July, arriving by bus. Hiked about 15 miles southwest on roads to the CDT. Finding and following the trail is not always easy through these sections, sometimes XC is required. There's a lot of gain and loss of elevation, especially down and up from I-15, some of the ridges quite rocky. Saw Elk several times, but no bears, only their scat. I experienced several days of cold rain, and the nights usually were chilly, or cold. A suprise to me, lots of grazing land in this area, for cows and sheep. Had to divert around Hellroaring creek, current was just to swift for me. Instead of following the CDT to Macks Inn, I turned north to Red Rock Pass. Then went eastward, south of. Henrys Lake. Reaching highway 70, followed it to West Yellowstone, MT. This was my first time to visit Yellowstone NP. At the west entrance, had to watch a bear video, to get a backcountry permit. Due to sites being all ready taken, my first camp was at Mallard Lake, that same day. It's about 30 miles to the trailhead off the park road, so I stuck out my thumb. It took me several hours and two rides, to get to the trailhead. Hiked five miles to the site (up and down) and camped. It had been a very hot day. The next day was just as hot, but the first five miles were all downhill, to the lodge at Old Faithful. Cleaned up there (showers marked for guests only, wasn't I?) Ate some goodies, watched the geyser erupt. Left about 1PM, as my next camp was 8T1(Basin Beach) on the West Side of Shoshne Lake. It's about a 1000 foot climb up at the start, but not to rough afterward. There are several streams to ford, but they weren't a problem. Right near that camp is a beautiful geyser field that the trail skirts. Saw a coyote, or wolf, running across a field near it. My next camp was at 8S1, on the East Side of the lake. The day was very hot again. Got some relief from the waist high ford, at the Shoshne Lake outlet, a few hundred yards from camp. Left camp early, this day's hike was to site 8H4 on Heart Lake. Again, it was extremely hot. Along all these trails there's little shade, as the wildfires about 10 years ago killed the trees. Just before the lake is a very long switchback down to it. About halfway down, I started getting sick, having dry heaves and light headness. Upon reaching my campsite, ran into the ranger, who mans the cabin nearby.

Before I could say anything, he stated that I didn't look to well. Said I wasn't, but probably after good nights rest I would be. He stated he would be over the next morn, to check on me. He came by the next morn. I still wasn't feeling well, and he suggested I stay behind the cabin, as a trail maintenance them was coming in late afternoon, and one of them was an EMT. Indeed, the team came in about 6PM. The EMT ranger checked me; he tells me that I'm completly dehydrated. Radioing the hospital, they suggest that I go to it. I declined, and had to sign a wavier. The EMT then suggested I stay the night behind the cabin, the next morn I could hike back to the trailhead, and they would carry my pack on a horse. At the trailhead, they would transport me to the south entrance of the park. There, I could rest up at the Sheffield FS campground, and get some good food at the Flagg Resort, right up the road. I decided to do that course of action, I figured after few days rest, I would be able to continue on down the trail. Rested up for two days, and started on the trail again, but only hiked a few miles, realizing I just was too weak to go on. So, went back to the campground for the night. The next day, I hitched-hiked out of Yellowstone, to a bus terminal, and went home. My doc at home checked me over, said it was best I hadn't tried to hike on, it would be another several weeks before I was well. While hiking this year, I had a vision of me flying down the trail. Think I determined what that meant. Next year I'm going to try biking through here. Note: Did bike in '99. Stared above Macks Inn, ID. Got inside the WY border, on the Great Divide Bike Trail, when I crashed, breaking my right collarbone and contusing my ribs. Pedaled to the ranger station at the Flagg Resort, the same place I ended up at last year! The rangers there took me to the clinic at Jackson Lodge. Got treated, went into Jackson, then home. That region of WY just isn't to kind to me! Will try again in 2000. Many CDTA and CDTS members are blazing and maintaining new and established trail sections. Checkout the CDTA and CDTS sites, in the National Trails/Clubs Section! I carried a Eagle Explorer GPS receiver, which came in quite handy a few places on the CDT. Here are some of the Waypoints I saved.

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