When I blog on my hikes I do not create posts for every day because after hiking all day my strongest urges are to eat and sleep. And I assume the readers do not need to know every detail, like where I was when I ate lunch, the names of every hiker I met, etc. Although, they will get mentioned from time to time. Days blend together, and what seems less important one day may grow to be of greater significance later.
Day 1, July 9: 12.5 miles, ascent 3009 feet, descent 1870, high 9140.
Day 2, July 10: 14.2 miles, ascent 2050 feet, descent 3540, high 9460.
First, I was elated to start hiking at Bannock Pass rather than re-hike some 60 miles I did two years ago. Second, I would reach 9000 feet elevation on July 9, the first day. Fears of having troubles with the thin air dominated my feelings as I began climbing.
The weather is great! The locals point out the drought that persisted for 15 years gave way to a cold, snowy winter and much need rain in the spring. The wildflowers are amazing along the CDT, and the sagebrush gives the mountains nice green hue. This is the greenest I have ever witnessed in Montana.
Satisfied with hiking 12.5 miles, I was also surprised the 3000 feet of climbing did not adversely affect me very much. The trail was never too steep, and the shadeless sage-covered hills were interspersed with forests of lodgepole pine. I rested frequently. I had done only one day of high elevation training over one week previous to July 9. Setting up camp was not routine because I had not done it for months, and I was nearly seven months removed from hiking the Appalachian Trail.
High in anticipation of reaching the historic Lemhi Pass, I enjoyed Day 2. The trail was mellow and followed old jeep roads much of the time. Having learned about the Lewis & Clark Expedition, which reached the Continental Divide in 1805 at this pass, I was thrilled to reach it by foot, just like the Corp of Discovery did. I camped near the trickling spring that was deemed the source of the Missouri River. Doing so was my goal since 2016. While cooking dinner I looked up at a tall, old tree near my campsite. Was that tree standing 217 years ago when Sacagawea was there, having been reunited with her tribe, the Lemhi Shoshone? Regardless, Sacagawea is a national hero. The site at Lemhi is dedicated to her. Read more:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacagawea
I was lucky to get a ride to Tendoy, Idaho to pick up my parcel of food on July 11. Kelly, who owns the Tendoy Store, took over running the store after his mother passed away. Listen to this story from Montana Public Radio to learn more about the changes she witnessed over the many years she lived in Tendoy.
https://www.mtpr.org/arts-culture/2014-02-26/the-tendoy-store
Those are some gr8 pics! Enjoy your writing, almost feels like we are there with you…. except we would probably feel very achy and not able to keep up with you. Be safe!
Just glad you are doing better this time around! Hike ON!