If you had time to hike one continuous 300 mile stretch of the CDT next year, which would you pick? The Winds are very tempting but I'm not sure about the sections north/south of them. What are they like? If you think I'd be better off pairing a CDT stretch with other connecting trails to get to the 300 mile mark, I'd be open to that as well. Thanks folks!

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https://continentaldividetrail.org/closures-and-notices/

Is there anywhere in Grants besides Walmart that sells MSR cannisters?

Planning to start the northbound cdt February 1st 2025 (obviously weather permitting). Thoughts?

Hi there, Karma here,

My girlfriend and I are hiking the CDT this year, yay!
However, I would love to ship my Durston X-Mid Pro 2 (+) to the States to cut down on expensive taxes and import costs.

Because every state has its own tax system thing get a bit complicated for us Europeans. :)

I have a friend in Chicago and one in Seattle (where we will be passing anyhows). What would be the best option for us to deliver our tent to one of these two states?

Thank you all so much for helping out!

Dear SOBOers, would like to know your plan to Chief Mountain, the private shuttle is like $75 for 4 hikers (quotation from private cab), not sure about the difficulty for hitchhiking from East Glacier to Chief Mountain, thank you :)

My son will be graduating high school and we'd like to hike one of the CDT sections. Unfortunately given our schedules we have to do it in either mid or late June. Might be able to go into very early July.

I've been scanning the maps, reports and postholer trying to come up with some options for an interesting CDT section, but thought I'd ask here where many of you have actually been ON the CDT, which I still haven't been.

We're both reasonably experienced backpackers. Have done all the PCT through Washington, can do off trail navigation reasonably well, etc. We do winter snowshoeing, navigation, and snow camping - but I don't want to be spending the majority of our time on snow for this. With not-horrible trail we can do days of 18 miles and 4000' up and down without too much trouble. 20-22 miles and 6000' up and down are doable but not as much fun. We can probably do longer stretches on the flat, but out here in the PNW not much is flat!

Any suggestions for an interesting section that would work for mid to late June? My son isn't that interested in hiking deserts (and I have no experience with them) but we're not ruling them out.

As the title says, I know this is random but has anyone ever seen a kula cloth for sale in Silver City?

Planning my hike I've been making sure I have all my safety stuff in order (GPS, ice ax, food protection from bears and so forth) but one thing I've heard people talk about, that I'm not sure how to protect against, is lightning. What does everyone typically do when there is a lightning storm? I anticipate they will be somewhat common, last time I was in NM they were crazy (but I was bikepacking then, on roads, so we would duck inside a Walmart or a building or whatever at our first chance. Only once was I in a lightning storm while hiking, and I just prayed and kept going, which was probably stupid.)

I've heard the guidance that you should try to time your daily mileage so you're not in any exposed area during the time it's supposed to storm, which of course makes sense, but if that fails for whatever reason and you are stuck, how does everyone here handle that?

Like the title says.. where do NOBO and SOBO hikers typically start running into each other?

I realize there isn't as big of a bubble as the PCT or AT in either direction. But where do thru-hikers start meeting? I assume somewhere mid or north Wyoming? Also, good luck to all out on the trail this year!

Hello CDT hikers, kitchen Sink here.

I got a partial sound system working at the toaster house, this means that you can listen to any of the cassettes located in the kitchen!

If you have a usb to aux, you could also plug that in as well!

Please enjoy and I hope you have the best Wa-Wa ❤️

In general, how does the trail legibility/condition of northern Colorado compare to southern Colorado (after the CT split)? I don't mean right this moment as I presume there is lots of snow and plenty of deadfall.

I have section hiked Cumbres--Wolf Creek Pass and Wolf Creek Pass--Silverton (2022 and 2020, but both times in August), and I found the trail decently marked, pretty easy to follow using only paper maps, not particularly brushy (some annoying willows in places), and with only occasional deadfall.

Given that was my impression of southern Colorado, how does northern Colorado compare? About the same, worse, or better?

Hi all, I am trying to make arrangements to get a permit for GNP, campsites, getting around etc. I have spend so much time on this already and I still can't figure it out (one of my goals for doing the CDT is to worry less, plan or control life less; I am off to a good start :-)

What stresses me out is that camp sites in St. Mary are already almost fully reserved, hotels are super expensive, even shuttle services cry out that one better make reservations well ahead of time. There goes the spontaneity.

I will be arriving in East Glacier on June 8 around 9:30am fully loaded with supply. Should there be too much snow, I will hang around until it's feasible to start. But let's assume, that snow levels would allow for an early start, and all I would need is to get the permit. I would have a few questions:

1. Is it feasible to arrive on a morning in East Glacier get a shuttle (e.g. with Rhonda and Chief Mountain Cab) and show up a the visitor's centre early afternoon and get a permit for the next day or even same day (just a short trip to one of the first camp sites in the park)
2. If I had to stay overnight in St. Mary and camp sites are full, are there any good alternatives (I know there's another one but charges 60USD for a simple tent which I consider a quite aggressive price tag)

What arrangements did you make for a SOBO start at Chief Mountain?

Any insights are appreciated...

Hey! We just finished the first section to Lordsburg and boy are our lips F-ed up! The chap sticks we brought did nothing for the 5% humidity and Uv coming in, even with a hat and hoodie. Get yourselves some of that SPF lip balm! I want to gorge myself on food and it hurts to eat! Also, the Mother of Dragons Comet is supposed to be visible to those far from cities and with a clear view to the west. That’s US! It peaks April 21st, but should be visible every night this month low on the western horizon an hour after sunset!

I wanted to backpack a section of CDT in northern NM and was wondering what the snow situation/conditions are like at end of April around there as I’m not super familiar with the area.

I'm doing a SOBO section hike starting the end of June. Will a solar panel work through Montana or will I be better off with a battery?

I really want to try section hike the stretch in northern Wyoming, probably starting in Yellowstone through to Parting of the Waters, and then down along the Wind River Range to AC, thinking of doing this towards end of May and ending latest around June 12/13th. Any idea how long that is, how feasible it is for a kinda experienced hiker (20miles a day is definitely doable for me without any long steep climbs), whether it’s doable at that time of year and what kind of precautions I should take with wildlife (never hiked in grizzly territory before).

Looking for idea on what others have found useful/efficient in the bear areas of the CDT. Ursak Major or Major XL? It seems like the major is just over 10L and would be okay, but tight, for 7/8 days of food for 1 person. Has anyone had experience with that? Do people use an OPSAK as well? What about the Ursack Allmitey? Is it worth the additional $$?

From what I’ve read the ursack should just be tied to a tree and not actually hung in a bear hang. Is that accurate?

Just wondering where are people sending their ursacks too for use on the trail? Chama for CO? Or further north into CO? Or waiting until WY? Yes I know you need a hard sided cannister for RMNP. Thanks

Looking for beta from any hikers this year who flew into Tucson and got themselves to Lordsburg by Greyhound or Amtrak. Still deciding which to do in a couple weeks. Thanks!

(1) Does any place in Lordsburg (or further north) sell pepper spray, the dog/human size? I expect the hiking poles to suffice for normal yard dogs, but dogs keeping bears and mountain lions away from cattle would be presumably not care about some thin sticks.

(2) Do people normally sleep with their food until Lander? Is there any point of carrying a hanging rope before then? I am planning to have an Ursack and a hanging rope north of Lander.

(3) Where can I expect mosquitos, in material amounts? Is a head net really needed? On the PCT in 2021, without snow, I was harassed by them only a few times, while in shorts and before putting on picaridin; carried a head net through the Sierra, but never used it. It was nothing compared to the worst of the New England mosquitos.

(4) Where can I expect ticks and to what extent? Should I put permethrin on my gear just before that? assuming there is a place to buy it there... 

As people are starting going NOBO I have interesting alternate in mind. Starting at mile 12 going NOBO near Sheridan Wells Windmill cutting northwest XC, I'm thinking that it could be interesting to do Big Hatchet Peak in the bootheel section of New Mexico (as posted in the image). CDT goes east of the mountain through the low desert, whereas it looks like from satellite view that north side of the mountain is covered in pine trees (which I would think would break up the monotony of the bootheel section?) Also the views from the peak look pretty cool!

I’m a solo female heading nobo shortly. Anything I need to worry about? I did the pct solo but usually had people with me at night or when I needed to hitch. I know there’s fewer people on the cdt so having them around when I need to hitch might not be possible. Any suggestions?

If you come with your first resupply box you can leave it at the front desk for when you arrive back in Lordsburg. Also Ramona’s across the street has an all you can eat soup and salad bar for $12.50

Is it a pretty easy hitch between Lordsburg and Silver City? I’ll be passing through Lordsburg right before trail days and would love to hitch up, hang out at trail days, and then hitch back afterwards to get back on trail. Is it possible? Or should I look for shuttle options?

The countdown to Trail Days has begun! We're less than a week away from gathering in Silver City!

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Will you be joining us for the Friday night Fiesta at Little Toad Creek, with live music, libations, and sweet raffle prizes?!

There will be a HUGE array of items from our sponsors, including Six Moon Designs TOAKS ReadyWise Outdoor Osprey Packs Ultralight Adventure Equipment Oboz Footwear Enlightened Equipment Deuter Katabatic Gear Mountainsmith Big Agnes and more!

Check out the schedule of weekend events made possible by NM Outdoor Recreation Division: https://continentaldividetrail.org/trail-days-2024/

I will be thruhiking the CDT this year SOBO but still not decided what video gear I will be using. I basically have no training in creating videos, but am an occasional-enthusiast photographer. That's why I will not rely only my iphone 12 but bring along a Sony RX VII. I have ordered the Osmo Pocket 3, but have not received it (in Switzerland) as it is out of stock (I ordered like 2 months ago). But I am also tempted to bring along the DJI .

I am looking for ease of use (given that I am inexperienced as a videographer), versatility, weight to benefit ratio, battery life considerations.

Here are my considerations:

• RXVII: would basically be enough to take videos, but limited stabilitzation, need a tripod of some sort (which one, if it's just a gorilla, then I am restrticed to low angles mostly); I also kind of dislike the idea of setting it up, walk back, walk into the frame etc; feels kind of artifical, am also not so much interested in making myself the topic of the video but rather the landscape and me in it).
• DJI Osmo Pocket 3: gimbal, can attach it to the backbag, (small) tripod included, ease of use, would not replace RXVII as no zooming options and just overall image quality (I would think)
• DJI Mini 3/4 Pro: can put myself into the vide without the selfi-feeling, more cinematic perspectives, adds additional photography options, but adds weight and might be too burdensome and a hassle in daily/occasional use.

So clearly, weight is an issue, prize is an issue (although I can afford technically, but still question of justification), and question is, whether I will end up not actually using it, as I will be too tired or it becomes too much of a hassle. I am aware that particularly the last consideration is subjective and I need to figure it out. But still would be interested to learn from your experiences and read your considerations.

So I've been contemplating a late May/early June start- my plan is to take Amtrak to East Glacier and bring my ice axe/microspikes with me.

My dream would be to start the trail at Waterton Park and get a walk up permit in Waterton. My reasoning is that I want to visit as many national parks as I can and with Waterton Lakes NP right over the border, I would ideally want to start there if possible.

1. Is it possible/legal to hitchhike in Alberta? My tentative thought process was to hitch to Chief Mountain, cross the border by foot, and hitch again to get to Waterton Park- would this be feasible? Google Maps said that it was 32 km drive from Chief Mountain to Waterton so it seemed do-able if it was legal?
2. I've heard that the stretches of the Highline Trail south of Waterton Lake- specifically Ahern Drift are sketchy in the early season. My thought was that by bringing microspikes/ice axe I would be safer- would this be enough or would I need crampons? (I'd be willing to bushwhack around the sketchy section and stick to the bottom of the snow line as some FarOut comments had recommended but not sure if this would be do-able this early in the season? I understand everyone's risk tolerance is different but wanted to get some thoughts.)

Hi! My dad isn’t on Reddit but he’s looking to do the CDT from the Colorado Springs area (we know the trail is a ways away but he’d fly in there) to the Denver area. And he’d like to do Grays Peak at the same time.

We’re having trouble finding info online for that specific section so I was hoping anyone could give some tips or ideas as to where he could start/stop, how many miles, and where to stay overnight (he wants to avoid camping if possible lol). Thanks so much!

The Gila National Forest, Wilderness Ranger District is implementing an area closure while it conducts the 320-acre Sapillo prescribed fire project. The area closure goes into effect at midnight on April 8 and will remain in effect until the area is safe for public re-entry. This area includes a 1.2 mile section of the CDT.

CDT users should use Forest Roads 4078R and 88 as bypass routes. They bypass the burn unit to the east. At the intersection with Forest Road 4078R, hikers should follow the road to the east toward Skates Canyon, then following Forest Road 88 north out to NM Highway 35, and along 35 back to the west to get back to the trail. Signs will be posted with those directions.

Visit https://continentaldividetrail.org/closures-and-notices/ for more info.

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