CDT Montana-Idaho, Days 16-19, July 24-27: Finished!

NOTE: My previous blog post was sent out incomplete. Read the full post here: https://elkpass.com/2022/07/30/cdt-montana-idaho-days-14-15-july-22-23/

On the morning of July 24 I wished for a high energy level, at least for a 68 year-old hiker. I ate well the day before but I anticipated the terrain would be more challenging. Moreover, I wanted to complete the 220 mile hike on the 27th, the day I would run out of food. I wanted to feel good about this hike when it was over. Early in the morning I knew my first wish was granted!

July 24: 15.9 miles, 3375 ascent.

July 25: 15.6 miles, 4155 ascent

July 26: 16.4 miles, 3190 ascent

July 27: 18.7 miles, all downill!!

Although there were more burned areas to hike through, the meadows leading up to Pintler Pass were green and alive. The pass was only 8700 feet and I took my time enjoying the foliage. A group of four backpackers mentioned a hail storm they encountered, which explained the dark, ominous clouds I watched earlier. I did not get hit was rain or hail. It was important for me to camp in some places more scenic than the places I slept on all of the previous days. Johnson Lake was the best option for the 24th. With much fatigue I arrived at the lake and watched a deer trot through the area unconcerned by my presence.

The 25th was the big test of the trail segment from Chief Joseph Pass to Anaconda. I set a goal to get beyond Cutaway Pass and camp somewhere along a creek beyond the pass. But I needed to go over two passes to get to Cutaway. The weather was fabulous, the forests were fulled with wildflowers, beargrass, and dotted with small lakes. I was very tired as I approached Cutaway Pass, but the trail leading to it was outstanding. The ascent was well graded and the trail well constructed. My compliments go to the trail builders! I purposely positioned my tent so I would have a view of the rocky ridge near Cutaway Pass. I had the kind of fatigue that was ever so satisfying. After eating dinner I realized just one more remained in my food sack. p

I was blown away by the incredible beauty on the 26th. After ascending a pass near Rainbow Mountain, which was above treeline and surrounded by majestic peaks of equal stature, I left the official CDT route at a place named Goat Flat. My altimeter recorded the highest elevation of 9,555 feet, and it was truly the highest emotional point of the entire hike. I did not want to leave the heather-covered plateau of Goat Flat. I struck up a conversation with three very friendly hikers from Missoula. Margie, Beverly and Jim were descending from the mountain above Goat Flat. We shared our appreciation for the incredible terrain, views and past experiences hiking the area. I described my hike along this part of the CDT in 1998 and how few details I actually remember. That year I started at Storm Lake, the body of water I would reach within an hour on this hike. This time I was finishing a 221 mile section of the CDT, and my enthusiasm was at a high level. It was fun telling stories as we hiked towards Storm Lake Pass. Margie, a trail runner, knows Katy Brown, a hiker I met on my 2016 CDT thru-hike.

My campsite that night was near the edge of Twin Lake. Check out the photo of the lake and the mountains! I did finish the hike the following day, July 27. But the 26th was one of my treasured days of hiking ever, the climax of a hike I had wished to do for over five years. Injuries and health vulnerabilities kept me from seeing it through. Patience, persistence, and some good fortune helped make it a reality. I arrived in Anaconda grateful for the good work of the trail builders, the Anaconda Trails Society, and the Gateway Community of Anaconda, Montana. Thanks to trail angel the Society President Robin McKernan for the ride to Butte so I could take a bus back to Lima to reunite with my car!