CDT Post-Trail Days 1-3 (New Mexico to Michigan) - "4 Buses, 2 Trains, a Van, and Yara the Yaris": Quite the trip getting from trail back home.
CDT Days 158-159 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Days 158-159 (Colorado and New Mexico) - "The Sendoff ": after connecting my footpath from Mexico to Canada, I still had to get out of the wild lands to civilization. Had a wonderful last day in town hanging with other hikers, relaxing, and getting ready to travel home.
CDT Day 157 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 157 (Colorado) - "The Day I Completed the Continental Divide Trail": I stopped at the high point and had a snack. I had about 2 miles to go til unreached mile 798.2! I didn't know how I'd react once I saw it. If I'd cry or laugh or yell in triumph?
CDT Day 156 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 156 (Colorado) - "South San Juan Majesty": I was still up around 12,500 feet elevation. I hoped to get down lower to camp, but it was still a few miles to go before the trail started down. Did I make it to this point on the CDT only to get myself caught in a scary cold night situation?
CDT Day 155 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 155 (Colorado) - "Elk, Dogs, a Biologist, Back On The CDT ": Quite a full day of events and a wide variety of scenes seeing as once again ranging from 9,000 feet to above 12,500 feet. CDT, you're crazy!
CDT Day 154 (CO – Creede to Cumbres Pass)
CDT Day 154 (Colorado) - "Last Time Setting Out and School": I felt out of it mentally and my body felt out of it too. I wondered if my decisions and changes to not do the red line San Juans, if that in a way psyched myself out... that I'd lost the momentum and desire/drive to keep pushing ahead.
CDT Day 153 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 153 (Colorado) - "To Creede Or Not To Creede?": At the junction of the red and brown lines, I decide which to take. Go up high and freeze or stay lower with shorter miles?
CDT Day 152 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 152 (Colorado) - "San Luis and The Unexpectedness": A nice cold morning and then a detour to tackle another 14,000 feet peak. Awesome views. The end of the day got some excitement with an unexpected encounter along the trail!
CDT Day 151 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 151 (Colorado) - "A Different Side of the 'Rado": Big miles today. Left some of the high elevation stuff for a bit and cruised once down lower. The end of the day had a unique feel to it, all open as things got cold and shadowy.
CDT Day 150 (CO – Mon. Pass to L. City/Creede)
CDT Day 150 (Colorado) - "Swiftly on Day One Fifty": A day filled with nice sunrise colors, a snowy peak, some green and yellow tunnel, big meadows, and the old Baldy Lake side hike conundrum.
CDT Day 149 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 149 (Colorado) - "Momentum Past Monarch": Finishing the western half of the Collegiates, I made my way to Monarch Pass. Rather than head into Salida, pulled an audible and did a quick resupply at the Pass and headed forward!
CDT Day 148 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 148 (Colorado) - "The Collegiate West High Route": Another top-notch day on trail. Not sure if a saw any humans today as I trudged up and down mostly about 12,000 feet, but great snowy views.
CDT Day 147 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 147 (Colorado) - "Hope, Light, Shadow... and Ann": Wow! A top 147 day on trail today. The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness lived up to its reputation and I was loving it. Always tough stuff when you get up high though.
CDT Day 146 (CO – Leadville to Mon. Pass)
CDT Day 146 (Colorado) - "Around The Twins": A very nice day with nice weather getting going again on trail. I had a relaxed morning in Leadville and then hiking around Twin Lakes before starting up the Collegiate West route.
CDT Day 145 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 145 (Colorado) - "Golden Leaves and Golden Burro's": I had come into town thinking I've got to make a call about continuing our not and already I was regaining my motivation thanks to this stranger (and maybe the coffee and the warmth and the wonderful food)...
CDT Day 144 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 144 (Colorado) - "Octubre... The Start of Winter?": I had three climbs that took me up above 11,000 feet today. Starting off in the morning for the first one, everything was snowy and it was truly beautiful...
CDT Day 143 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 143 (Colorado) - "One Day At A Time": Even on such a beautiful day, the weather can get me down. An image of Eeyore came to mind... of him slumped and downtrodden by a tree in the rain. But, even sad Eeyore says, “The nicest thing about the rain is that it always stops. Eventually.”
CDT Day 142 (CO – Frisco to Leadville)
CDT Day 142 (Colorado) - "Ridge and Resort Hopping": Taking my time, I hung out in Breckenridge before starting my hike over the fridge to Copper Mountain. Once going, it was beautiful stuff and it was fun going by the ski resort stuff with all the Fall colors.
CDT Day 141 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 141 (Colorado) - "By Your Powers Combined": I finally connected up with the Colorado Trail and what a joy this trail is. Beautiful stuff on the way down to Breckenridge/Frisco where I decided to stay a night at Fireside Inn.
CDT Day 140 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 140 (Colorado) - "Such Great Heights": Wow! I think this will stand as the gnarliest day of elevation hiking on the CDT. Took on Grays Peaks, the highest point on the CDT afterall. Plus, the Argentine Spine and a rollercoaster of other mountains.
CDT Day 139 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 139 (Colorado) - "To I-70 And Beyond!": Some awesome morning ridge walking up to another 13'er, the crossing of the monstrous Interstate 70, and setting up camp for an early climb up the high point of the CDT the next day.
CDT Day 138 (CO – W. Park to Frisco)
CDT Day 138 (Colorado) - "Flora, Fraser, and Fury": Beautiful weather makes for beautiful hiking. I got to get atop another 13'er today, resupply in Fraser/Winter Park, and then jump back up to beauty stuff around 12,000 feet. Did come across some ugly mining though, that's the fury!
CDT Day 137 (CO – G. Lake to W. Park)
CDT Day 137 (Colorado) - "James and the Giant Thumb": lot of activity today climbing up to Devil's Thumb, cruising around up high around 12,000 feet in the openness, summiting James Peak, and then go down and back up to a sweet tent site.
CDT Day 136 (CO – G. Lake to W. Park)
CDT Day 136 (Colorado) - "Colorful Colorado Lake Views": A very pleasant day leaving Grand Lake. Some nice flat-ish stuff along the lake shores compared to what I've been doing. Even some reminiscing of familiar places.
CDT Day 135 (CO – G. Lake)
CDT Day 135 (Colorado) - "Shadowcliff": A bit NM of reflection and pause in the action staying at Shadowcliff Mountain Lodge in Grand Lake. Wonderful stay here and can't say enough good things about the staff and volunteers.
CDT Day 134 (CO – Steamboat to G. Lake)
CDT Day 134 (Colorado) - "RMNP: Flattop and the Trail of Cairns": Wow! A special day in Rocky Mountain National Park. Pika, elk, tundra views, a glacier, and just all the feels up high. Pumped I went through the permit shenanigans to make this happen.
CDT Day 133 (CO – Steamboat to G. lake)
CDT Day 133 (Colorado) - "RMNP: A Permit For July": All my scheming and pushing for my Rocky Mountain National Park hiking was to either come to fruition today or be all for naught.
CDT Day 132 (CO – Steamboat to G. Lake)
CDT Day 132 (Colorado) - "Big Animals and Big Ascents": Quite the day on trail. Pushed myself pretty hard getting overtop Parkview Mountain and Bowen Pass. Some some moose and elk and it was awesome.
CDT Day 131 (CO – Steamboat to G. Lake)
CDT Day 131 (Colorado) - "Sunny Among And Above the Aspens": A wonderful day, but long and tough with a lot of elevation gain. The views were pretty sweet with a lot of open yellowish grass in the higher elevations.
CDT Day 130 (CO – Rawlins to Steamboat)
CDT Day 130 (Colorado) - "Sobo Wars: A New Hope?": Today I got the awesome experience of hiking along with a bunch of runners in the Run Rabbit Run 100 Mile race! Changed up my plans to make Steamboat a in and out rather than overnight and kept trekking.
CDT Day 129 (CO – Rawlins to Steamboat)
CDT Day 129 (Colorado) - "Star Wars: Revenge of The Altitude": Time to go up to near 12,000 feet. The power of the high elevation weather showed it's stuff today and I just held on for the ride. Crazy, awesome day on the CDT.
CDT Day 128 (WY/CO – Rawlins to Steamboat)
CDT Day 128 (Wyoming and Colorado) - "Sobo Wars: Return of the Stevie (to CO)": I made it back to Colorado! Woohoo. More weather to overcome, and prevented the typical views, but that's the way it goes yam saying?
CDT Day 127 (WY – Rawlins to Steamboat)
CDT Day 127 (Wyoming) - "Sobo Wars: Revenge of The Altitude": I'm starting to go up, getting to 11,000 feet already. A big change from the basin. Lots of big meadows in the afternoon and still some uncertain weather.
CDT Day 126 (WY – Rawlins to Steamboat)
CDT Day 126 (Wyoming) - "Sobo Wars: Attack of the Roads": Wowsers, a big day today. Cruised through the basin and saw some more wildlife and open views. Got into the Medicine Bow National Forest and started going up.
CDT Day 125 (WY – Rawlins to Steamboat)
CDT Day 125 (Wyoming) - "Sobo Wars: The Phantom Water": My first day starting out solo and sobo. I'm off to try and tackle as much of the CDT that's left as I can before winter comes. Wish me luck!
CDT Days 122-124 (MT/WY – E. Glacier to Rawlins)
CDT Days 122-124 (Montana and Wyoming) - "The Great CDT Road Trip": Before mom and dad head home, they offered to drive me south to Rawlins where I'll pick up the trail again. En route, we saw some sights and had fun hanging for a few days and getting everything ready to start hiking again
CDT Bonus Post – What Now?
CDT Bonus Post - What Now? - "Operation Oreo": Operation Oreo is a go. I'm planing to make my way down the S. Wyoming and keep trekking. Looks like I get to do another road trip with Dave H and Sheryl to get down there.
CDT Day 121 (MT – Waterton to Chief Mtn.)
CDT Day 121 (Montana) - "GNP: Through the Wilderness": We had something like 10 miles left to get to the parking area. Things had gone cloudy and we moved quickly to stay warm. Found Fix It and then the home team got us picked up just as planned!
CDT Day 120 (MT – Waterton to Chief Mtn.)
CDT Day 120 (Montana) - "GNP: Headed Out": After an awesome day reaching our goal of Canada, we now retreated out back the way we'd come. Same spots, different perspectives. Lots of fun and our last night in Glacier NP together.
CDT Day 119 (MT – E. Glacier to Canada)
CDT Day 119 (Montana): " O Canada!": Well folks, here we are. The day we hike to the Canadian border. Will we make it? Will the wildlife stop us? Or the super climb up Stoney Indian Pass? Maybe we'll turn on one another and fall into shambles? Nay.
CDT Day 118 (MT – E. Glacier to Canada)
CDT Day 118 (Montana) - "GNP: Tunnel Vision": after changing our permit up, we parted from the red line onto the Ptarmigan Trail. Got to go through a tunnel, see many gorgeous lakes, and even came across an unexpected but powerful-looking waterfall.
CDT Day 117 (MT – E. Glacier to Canada)
CDT Day 117 (Montana) - "GNP: Piegan, Lakes, & Fee Glaciers": Things kicked off with some headlight walking up and then up more, about 3,000 miles to Piegan Pass. Profound awe. Made our way past crazy blue lakes to Many Glacier Campground and made some moves to change up our permit.
CDT Day 116 (MT – E. Glacier to Canada)
CDT Day 116 (Montana) - "GNP: Ralph, St. Mary, & Waterfalls": Before even making it out of camp, another animal encounter. Then, it was on to the giant St. Mary Lake and surrounding waterfalls. A bit of smoke haze, but still an incredible day.
CDT Day 115 (MT – E. Glacier to Canada)
CDT Day 115 (Montana) - "GNP: The Triple Divide": As the title suggests, today was a climb up to Triple Divide Pass, which signifies the split of three different major water drainage systems. More spectacular Glacier stuff...
CDT Day 114 (MT – E. Glacier to Canada)
CDT Day 114 (Montana) - "GNP: Setting Forth - Scenic Point & Pitamakan": Our first full day backpacking in Glacier was spectacular! Wildlife, views, and even a visit with Dave H and Sheryl. What a day!
CDT Day 113 (MT – E. Glacier)
CDT Day 113 (Montana) - "Permits, Parents, and Preparations": Last zero day before making trekking up to Canada. Good times getting things ready and resting up for the stretch. Amazingly, some 30 new hikers showed up at the hostel.
CDT Day 112 (MT – Augusta to E. Glacier)
CDT Day 112 (Montana) - "Excellent Guests in East Glacier): About 16 more miles to finish out the stretch and make it to town. Stopped to get snacks and then surprise, a visit from some special guests!
CDT Day 111 (MT – Augusta to E. Glacier)
CDT Day 111 (Montana) - "Running With Owls & 2 Medicated Bears": Had a blast detouring up a mountain today, complete with interesting sink hole cave things. After alternating along the Two Medicine River, had my first Grizzly Bear sitings!
CDT Day 110 (MT – Augusta to E. Glacier)
CDT Day 110 (Montana) - "Bobbo Series - Ep. 4 "Reunion & Departure": Continued on my solo expedition through the Bob. Lots of burned stuff today, but eventually found the team and we trekked on to an awesome campsite.
CDT Day 109 (MT – Augusta to E. Glacier)
CDT Day 109 (Montana) - "Bobbo Series: 'The Other Wall'": It's pretty fun not knowing what to expect each day. Creating a route based on other hikers comments, I pieced together an awesome stretch of trail. Plus, one of most beautiful sunrises on trail.
Wandering Stevie 