Month: August 2024

August 22, Planning on Rawlins to Grand Lake

From Rawlins, Wyoming to Highway 34, Colorado(outside of Grand Lake) is a great stretch. It starts with Rawlins at mile 1381.5 SOBO to Highway 34 at mile 1616 SOBO. Since we flipped up to Rawlins and did the Gread Divide Basin going north, going there and heading south lets us fill in the trail from Rawlins to the place outside of Grand Lake where we got off.

Others roadwalked Highway 40 because there was too much snow, but this is some beautiful hiking without bear canisters required and only four days of food and a liter or so of water at a time needing to be carried.

Map of trail where it meets highway 34.

This is the resupply path in an area of the trail that doesn’t currently have fire problems.

  •              Start at 1381.5              Rawlins
    •               Gentle from 1381 to 1440.  Then there is an ascent the last twenty.
  •               (82.2 miles or four days of food)
  •               Resupply 1463.7        Riverside & Encampment
  •                                            (hitch on Wyoming Highway 70 into town)
  •                                            (or text Patti, trail angel, at — — —-)
  •               (84.4 miles or four days of food)
  •               Resupply 1548.1        Steamboat Springs
  •                                            Hitch US 40.  1546.2 to 1548.1)
  •               Has a stretch of almost 20 miles above 10,000 feet.
  •               (68 miles — three to four days of food.)
  •               Finish 1616.1              Highway 34, hitch to Grand Lake.

For the altitude and ascents, there is the following:

  • Border of Colorado is mile 1480 and is 9580 ft
  • At mile 1492.1 and altiutde of 9,458 ascent begins
  • Mile 1493 is 10,066
  • At mile 1496 it starts to drop back towards 9,431
  • Mile 1505 is around 8,000 feet
  • Starts to climb.
  • Around 1513 it is over 10,000 feet again.
  • This section peaks just shy of 12,000 feet (11,852 at 1517.1)
  • Mile 1541 isstill over 10,000, but drops below shortly after that.
  • At mile 1566 climbs back over 10,000
  • By mile 1592.2 it has risen to 12,296 feet
  • Down to 9,218 at mile 1601.4
  • Back up to 11,500 feet or so just before mile 1610
  • Drops to 8,793 feet at mile 1617.  Trailhead.  Can hike to Highway 34 from here and hitch or continue on to mile 1616.1.

Updating my table of contents it was good to see the twenty mile days and the times at 12,000 feet or higher we had, and enjoyed. This could make a great two to three weeks of trail or so.

For comparison from Halfway Anywhere:

  • ⛺ Grand Lake – 82.5%
  • Steamboat Springs via Rabbit Ears Pass – 93.7%
  • Georgetown – 1.6%

Wyoming Resupply

  • ✉️ Encampment via Battle Pass – 55.1%
  • Riverside via Battle Pass – 23.2%
  • ⛺ Rawlins – 99.3%

August 21, misc.

Bear near Florida Trail.

Turns out I lost my baselayer top on trail. Realized it was missing and thought I had dropped it or left it accidentally at my daughter’s place.

We are back at our daughter’s as we work out post trail plans and I didn’t find the top—which confirms that I lost it on trail instead of leaving it behind at her place.

I’m a little sad because I had that top a long time (it is a mid weight REI wool long sleeved t-shirt top, treated with insect shield, part of my original starting gear). I have alternatives that are also InsectShield treated, but it was like an old friend. It is also mid weight while my alternatives are heavy or lightweight.

Otherwise we still looking at alternatives and possible hikes and what to do until November.

August 18, About the Wind River route

Ok. First the fires. Parts of the red line were closing and there were other problems popping up as we were getting ready to go back.

Then an aseasonable storm blew in with really cold wind.

As of August 18 there was heavy rain, with the temperature dropping to 26 degrees in the mountains where the trail was.

So glad I’m not there. Happy’s job wants her back ASAP.

So we started home instead of back to hike.

We told the lodge to just hiker box our box contents we left there.

(To “hiker box” something means to put it in the hiker box where all the stuff being made available for free to hikers goes).

Realize that the weather is strange and that predictions often switch, but we will hike more next year.

Happy and I have several times run into fire blocking us or gotten off trail to discover that fire hit where we were going to go.

I’m getting tired of fire seasons.

Essay about fire & the PCT

August 17– Yellowstone

As my shin splints recover we are taking a quick trip to Yellowstone.

I learned something. Shin splints can be caused by getting dehydrated. Suddenly explains how they came out of nowhere.

Treatment includes rehydration, electrolytes, anti inflammatories (ibuprofen) and some rest/massage. I’ve had dramatic improvement.

Yellowstone is almost empty compared to how it usually is. We had dinner and there was one other family.

Got a campsite. Someone was kind enough to give us bear spray. This makes cans 5&6 we have been given (we’ve given the others away).

Strangely enough we always get the two same different types and Happy and I got the same different holsters we’ve had every time.

I’m hoping to be able to hike the Winds/Cirque next week. There is a campground we can park at and then we can hike a loop and enjoy the scenery.

Then we will decide what is next.

However. I am embarrassed. I’ve never gotten dehydrated like this. Ever. I figured as long as it wasn’t clinical (you quit peeing and get clammy) it wouldn’t hurt.

I was wrong.

I’ve always avoided pushing it. This time there was plenty of water. I could have avoided all this. But I figured why not. Even when I felt some nausea and headaches. I just blew it off.

Lesson learned. Hydrate.

Happy’s post. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/vwXdmcguyGcdxY7k/?mibextid=WC7FNe

August 15 …

Utah to Lander to the trail.

Today we got up, packed, etc and were on the road by 8:00.

Ended up on I-84 for the first time due to accidents blocking I-80.

Paralleled the California, Oregon & Mormon trails for a while which was neat.

We got to Big Sandy Lodge and dropped off our resupply, then went to Lander and then Arapahoe to drop off our car.

Then we were kindly shuttled to the South Pass City/28 junction and started on the trail at 7:30 pm.

We got to 1733.4 as the sun started setting and had our tent up by 8:10 when the rain started.

Tomorrow should be a wonderful day.

Continue reading “August 15 …”

Trail Names

Every year people start talking about trail names. It causes many people too much stress.

Simply put, a trail name is a nickname.

While people give themselves trail names, the best ones come from stories on the trail and are given by someone else. You never have to accept a trail name someone tries to give you if you don’t like it and you never have to keep a trail name

People often have lists of rules, but the best rules are simple and are as follows:

  • Three syllables or less. Otherwise other hikers are going to shorten your trail name for you and you might not be happy with the abbreviation.
  • Don’t use a trail name that is overused. The sixth time I hit a “Daddy Longlegs” was too many times. This list shows 15 hikers with that trail name, spread over two spellings. The list can clue you in to overused trail names. If your name is in the 100 most common names it is probably overused.
  • For comparison, only Happy Six uses that trail name and I’m the only one using d20. Her trail name comes from people offering her beer*. Mine trail name comes from running a D&D game in the Smokies.
  • Along with not having your name be too long, it should not be too complicated or obscure. People getting confused with your trail name doesn’t help. Acronyms that have to be explained more than once are too complicated.
  • Your name should be related to you somehow. Usually this means the name will have a story connected to you. Above I noted Happy Six and beer and d20 and D&D —the trail names have stories that connect to us.
  • Try to make your name not too obnoxious. So no built in sermon, or lecture, etc. Before you ask, yes, people craft trail names that let them launch into a sermon when you ask about the name.
  • You can use the same trail name or nickname from trail to trail or on trail and off-trail and let it build its own identity and connections to you. You do not have to change your name with every trail, though you can.
  • Using some famous trail names for examples: Dixie, Darwin on the Trail (who invariably gets shortened to Darwin) and Anish are all trail names that have strong connected identities. They’ve become trademarks of a sort. Your trail name can be the same.
  • Here is a sample story of how someone got a trail name. More stories of how people got trail names. More stories.
  • Don’t get too attached or impressed with your trail name. Having a guy go “I’m the one, the only, strikes pose <trail name>!!” — and be one of 7-8 people that year with the name isn’t a good introduction. For more, here is a discussion of Bad trail names.

Here are some discussions by other writers on trail names.

That is my two bits on the subject.

A trail name is only a nickname. You can accept, reject or change it as you like. Avoid overused, too long, or pretentious names. Don’t overthink it or worry about your trail name.

As for fellow hikers, ignore the obnoxious types intent on forcing a trail name on everyone they meet. You can ignore trail names others use if they annoy you.

Enjoy yourself.

I’ve heard some terrible trail names people tried to force on others. Don’t let anyone do that to you, including yourself.

* we saw no one for days in the Great Divide Basin and a truck pulled up and handed her a beer. Laundromat worker in a town gave her a beer. That sort of thing. It wouldn’t be as funny of a trail name if she was a beer drinker.

August 10, planning, updates

General updates

I am still recovering from GenCon.

This made it worthwhile.

We are looking at trail conditions on the CDT with all the fires (*more below after everything else). Grateful we were not in the Bob when the fires broke out. We would have been caught smack in the middle of the fire.

Otherwise this post is just miscellaneous updates.

Picture from Glacier National Park

I’m getting over a bad cold. Visiting grandchildren and getting ready to participate in first day of school and birthdays. Really enjoying the visit.

But in our down time we are looking at how and where to get back on the trail.

Maybe by train again

Tomorrow we are picking up new shoes for Happy.

Monday my replacement stuff sack for one that tore comes in.

Our youngest is being published.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p77QLqsYrxnu4i1c/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Link

I am feeling so much better as I recover from this cold. While I rest I am trying not to gain too much weight while off trail. Having such a great time visiting family.

That is what has been happening with Happy & I.

We expect to drive up to Lander and start hiking at Atlantic City/South Pass City and head north.

Will see Thursday.

Fires/commentary

*Fires and other events are ingrained into the PCT and CDT experiences now.

For example, on the PCT this week Stehekin was evacuated. In places fire there was and is down to the waters edge. Lassen had another fire and is closed again with no walk around.

On the CDT Ghost Ranch had a fire closure on the way there and the roadwalk was so dangerous the forest service paid for a free shuttle to take hikers around it.

An area of Oregon we had hiked through that was hit by fire before we hiked it had another fire sweep through and it is burned down to the ashes now. Bleak. Like another planet.

Not just fire damage. Fire devastation. This was it before the fire.

This now passes for undamaged trail.

Now it is just ash.

The CDT has fires breaking out all over. 2024 has had more than 90 relevant fires (the link is a list).

The current fire map (August 10, 2925 at 8:30).

Currently there is a lot of flame. Luckily there are rainstorms. Rain often dramatically changes the course of fires and the risk. But I’ve learned, not always. The Spotted Bear Fire hit after rainstorms dropped almost 3/4 of an inch of rain.

Close up. Makes the Big Sky cut-off more attractive.

Anyway, the constant fire closures changes the character of hiking long trails.

It is no longer just a matter of a road walk or two changing the route. Many of the fires have no safe walk around. Many trails are really constrained by hiking parts of them in wet seasons or skipping parts.

Here you can see the burned area above after a second round of fires.

https://www.facebook.com/carol.dickey.3?mibextid=LQQJ4d took this picture.

There are so many fire damaged areas, changed vistas and miles of blow downs from fire and beetle damage.

It has changed the experience and nature of a hike.

When there is cell service you can sign up with the trail associations and you’ll get warnings and updates. But there are a couple of long hauls (like the red line through the Bob) that have no cell service for days.

If we had not turned back, Win and I would have been smack in the middle of the Spotted Bear route in the Bob when it was engulfed by fire.

(As a side note, I’m going to keep closer watch on my daughter’s audit schedule. Every time she has an audit we almost end up in a fire on trail.).

One thing you can do is use a service like Garmin that you can check everysooften for fire updates. That pings off satellites and is always in service.

But the western long trails are no longer walks through untouched old growth forests. Which has changed everything.

Virginia video

A year ago today as we got off trail and went to Virginia.

Into and out of “The Bob.”

We left East Glacier and headed south.

The alternative trail is in great shape. Also has a CDT trail marker. The alt is officially approved.

Happy’s account for yesterday.

Seventeen and a half miles later and ten wet feet water crossings we were at a campsite at mile 124.9 having started at mile 99.4.

We took the High Water /Two Medicine stock trail to avoid overgrowth and blowdowns.

We had ten wet feet water crossings (about ankle deep) in six miles.

Happy suggested that this was the time to not “embrace the suck” and do something else.

Hiking out we met Crusher who started the week before we did and road walked all of Colorado.

I feel like I’m fighting off “con crud” or something. Not what I want to head into a large wilderness area with. I’m feeling less healthy now that I did this morning.

We caught a ride from the trailhead to East Glacier with the trail crew that was doing maintenance (they were rotating out).

Video

Happy’s post from today.