Day 140: Pushing to town

9/8: Anaconda
Miles: 33 (or something like that)
Total trip miles: 2557.6

Win! No bears all night, a nice cold start to my morning. I guess 30 degree starts are the norm now? Oh well my pack is lighter when I'm wearing every item of clothing I have anyhow.





Yup fall colors





Bear scat is not a bear, I'll stick with staring at footprints and poop thank you very much





After climbing through Queener Basin I make it to the top of Rainbow Mountain. I still can't stop loving views without smoke.





Everything has been signed out here, it's actually great.











I had been seeing bushes change colors but this is the first week the trees have joined in, I guess snowstorms have that effect.











At Goat Flat I split from the CDT, I'm taking the Anaconda alternate into Anaconda instead of the trail and hitching into Butte. Almost everyone takes this alternate because it saves about 80 miles and avoids a hitch which is very needed with how behind I am. Every day I'm crossing my fingers that winter just waits a bit longer.





Heading towards Storm Pass

















At Storm Lake I leave the trail and head towards the highway on a dirt road, 8 or so miles later it's highway 1 and pavement walking to Anaconda.





At least I get to learn things while I hike roads.





Woohoo!





It's getting late but how could I not stop and enjoy this fatty?





I find Rest Stop and the motel right at sunset, a long day but the extra push was worth it. It's warm and I have a bed and food tonight instead of stealthing by the highway.

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Day 139: Mountains Passes Galore

9/7: mile 2438.8-2 miles past Cutaway Pass
Miles: 27
Total trip miles: 2524.6

I'm not going to lie, a hotel room would have been awfully nice compared to what we've been hiking through but man is it gorgeous. I think most of the folks who came through this area this season saw smoke and instead I get snow capped mountains. A trade I'm okay with right now.


It's a chilly start but no more messing around, food is tight and town isn't getting any closer. The whole day seems to be a series of mountain passes. Up and over with not too much of a break in between but since it's mostly well graded and I spend half the day with my mouth hanging open I can't complain.











So many footprints

















Still lots of snow, although the worst of it is only 6 inches or so, just enough for cold wet feet. It's still cold out too, I'm crossing my fingers this was just a system and not winter yet.


One of the many bear prints today





Fall colors for sure





The trail after Cutaway Pass is in amazing shape and I cruise down. I still can't believe how early it's getting dark and while I find a nice campsite it's right next to fresh bear prints. And while I realize the bear probably walks the mile further to where I do stop at least I can't see the footprints anymore.



Wolf? There's definitely no dogs out here


Why I didn't camp at the first spot I found...

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Day 138: Is that sunshine?

9/6: Surprise Lake-2438.8
Miles: 12.2
Total trip miles: 2497.6

The sun was shining but it was 32 degrees when we woke up, and my shoes and socks were frozen solid. So yes we could have jammed our poor cold feet into our shoes and stared hiking but we decided to play weekenders instead of time pressed thruhikers. I fell back asleep for awhile and we enjoyed doing nothing all morning.

Sitting in a warm tent was such a treat, it was the most relaxed I've been these last few days. The cloud cover started growing and when it started to get cold again we decided to get off our butts and get moving. Leaving after 2pm isn't exactly going to get us far but at least we left.


Hmm those mountains look a bit snowy.


Let's zoom in, well okay then yeah that's some snow. I'm going to throw out a wild guess that the trail is headed straight that way (side note, I was totally right those are in the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness right where we're headed).


It was beautiful, mostly cloudy but no menacing gray or snow falling. The first bit was all old fire and beetle kill, but the snow was gorgeous and I kept getting glimpses of giant snow capped mountains which was more exciting than intimidating.

We take a break at a puddle that was our only water until tomorrow (yum?) and then more climbing through snowy forests.





We stopped when we finally found a flat snow free spot and before it was too cold to walk anymore. A curious pine marten watched us set up right as one last snow flurry chased us.

Nighttime decision making, what happens when you take a section that you planned about 3.5 days of food and it becomes a 5.5 day section? Mostly just sitting staring at maps and adding the same miles over and over. It's about 60 miles to the town of Anaconda from here and while it won't be great I have enough food to get there, Rest Stop doesn't. I'm still on my continuous footstep kick so I'll be walking into town but the last 10-15 miles are on a highway which a lot of folks hitch. Rest Stop is going to take off in the morning and is planning on hitching the road, that way he doesn't starve and I'll catch up with him in town. Hey it's been awhile since I've been solo right?


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Day 137: Thunder Snow

9/5: 2419.5-2426.6 (surprise lake)
Miles: 7.1
Total trip miles: 2485.4

It's 34 degrees when I wake up, Rest Stop has been awake awhile and tells me in the last hour it's already hailed, rained and snowed. We have enough food and the decision isn't too hard, we're not going anywhere just yet.

We hear voices a little while later, Elfman and Mouth Gravy have turned around and are heading back to Darby. I tell them about the nice folks at Shultz Saddle and wish them luck. They've been waiting out the storm since we were still in Darby and as section hikers with a time limit they're calling it. It sounds like we made a good decision stopping low, they were only camped a mile past us but up high it sounds uglier. It's startling to see people turning around but we still feel solid about waiting and pushing on.


What do you do when you're low on water and it's snowing? Flip your umbrella upside down of course.


Light and fluffy thunder snow makes for excellent and very distracting snack time.

Around 11 I'm restless and it seems like there's a break in the weather. Right when we decide to finally leave the snow starts full on, complete with wind and thunder. It's so cold, there's no way we're walking straight into this nonsense.

It's another 3 hours before we try to leave again. This time we manage to pack up and peel out and while there's a flurry or two it's nowhere near as intense as the thunder snow earlier.


Climbing through burn, this is starting to feel familiar.


Look I can see more than just right in front of me!


Contemplating the snow capped mountains in the distance and pretending I can still feel my fingers and toes, did I mention it's about 34 degrees out?

We stop when we get to Surprise Lake, it has water, it's cold out and getting late and with snow showering us yet again it seems like as good a place as any other.


Surprise Lake, surprise you accidentally set up the tent in a wind tunnel? At least it's flat and I have easy access to water...

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Day 136: Into the cold

9/4: Chief Joseph Pass-2419.5
Miles: 20.1
Total trip miles: 2478.3

Shane came bright and early just like we asked to drive us back to the trailhead, although with the mountains still lost in clouds I was not super excited to be heading back on trail. The rain started partway up the drive to the pass and by the time we were at the trailhead it had turned to snow, at least it wasn't sticking.

We waved goodbye and after a few last minute gear fixes were back on trail. It was mostly flat easy going snowmobile trail, which is nice although not the best way to warm up. The snow started getting heavier and sticking, not the most reassuring start. It snowed for maybe 2 hours and then was solid rain for at least another 2, yippee.


















The trail was pretty mellow, with lots of signs which was a bit of a change. Almost the whole day was spent in dead trees, it looked like mostly old burn with new growth coming in. All pretty in its own way.











Town must not have been super restful because during our first break where it was finally not raining I completely fell asleep on the wet ground curled into a ball. Thankfully it was Rest Stop not rain that woke me back up.

Rolling through the burn with the clouds looming it was getting colder and starting to shower again. I was almost at Schultz saddle when I saw a campfire and a mess of car camping tents. It turned out to be some lovely folks from the Bay Area who come out every season and have been helping out hikers for years. They fed me hot stew and we chatted a bit but Rest Stop hadn't stopped and I didn't want him to worry about me in the snowy cold so j declined their offer of a tent and pushed on. Coming down from the saddle there was a lot more snow on the ground and with icy wet feet I found Rest Stop huddled under some trees. We pressed on until we found a nice sheltered spot. No need to climb an extra 400 ft in weather like this, it's all mist and snow putting us to sleep tonight.












Right after we set up the snow starts again, this time complete with thunder. Nothing like some thunder snow to make you feel smug that you've stopped hiking.


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Day 134-135: Well it is raining

9/2-3
Miles 0

The first zero was for chores and such, the second well it's awfully hard to be motivated to leave when it's icy cold outside and the mountains have disappeared into clouds. Forecasts are looking grim for the next few days but Canada is calling and two zeros better be enough.

We eat, resupply and chat with the local forest service station trying to picture what giant fire closures are up ahead. I even get to see Shane who I last saw in Pagosa, the Reverend finished last week and with family in Darby we get to harass him and catch up. It's a bit surreal starting to see the finish photos trickling over social media. Oh well still looking like the 3rd week of September for me,but I'm not ready to be done so no great loss being in the back of the pack this time around.









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