continental divide trail deaths continental divide trail deaths

If you know of any sources for the below deaths or have any that may need to be added to the list, please let me know in the comments. A lot of the trail can suck (and sometimes it sucks a lot). He cross-country skied as a small child, joining the Minnesota Youth Ski League when he was 6 or 7. Continental Divide Trail. Ninety-five percent of the trail is located on public land, including National Parks, National Forests, and land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Deaths. Hikers sent sympathy notes to his parents praising Alex as easygoing, strong, cheerful, always willing to lend others a hand. These people are in the . When firefighters reached him, they were going over his symptoms when he suddenly went into arrest. Either way, best to sign up for my newsletter, yeah? The award is acknowledged here . Road walking with no shoulder and semi-trucks passing by at 70 mph / 113 km/h less than 2 ft / 0.6 m away was sketchy. I mentioned a couple of our favorite eateries early on but I would be sorely remiss if I didnt also mention the Caf Jax in Eureka, Montana (very near the Canadian border). With the card in your GPS unit, youll see the route plainly delineated with a blue track (with arrows pointing southward). Nobody knows why Alexander Cahoy died suddenly while hiking the Continental Divide Trail. We thoroughly enjoyed each others companyplus our dogs got along. [21], The official route of the CDT in New Mexico is 794.5 miles (1,278.6km) long,[1] although many alternate routes shorten or lengthen that distance. You've made it this far, you're either into this site or you're still looking for something. Homer Young's Peak. Frequent forest fires in late summer often force closure of sections of the trail and early snowfalls in late September may make the trail in Glacier National Park impassable. It takes between five and six months to hike through the remote Continental Divide Trail, depending on how fit you are. A freezing rain and thunderstorm storm in the Winds made the trail entirely sludge. The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) is a long-distance trail that runs from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. . As of the end of the application period in late 2021, 525 hikers have been designated Triple Crowners since 1994 by the American Long Distance Hiking AssociationWest. Twice hail chased us off the first time, the second time it was just hard , Hiking a cross-country alternate in the Spanish peaks. The International Continental Divide Adventure Route is designed to be a self-guided adventure.This route can be navigated entirely by GPS. In the yearly Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey, hikers share both their lowest moments on the trail (physically, mentally, emotionally the literal lowest point of the CDT is Waterton Canyon, Montana at 2,972 ft / 906 m), as well as when, if ever, they found themselves in a situation where they felt they were in danger or where they were legitimately afraid. Here is a detailed account of each of the deaths noted above (in chronological order from earliest to most recent): HAPE (UNCONFIRMED) | Maddie Magee | May 28, 2022 | Twenty-three-year-old Maddie Magee died near the top of Forester Pass (the high point of the PCT) in California's Sierra Nevada of (unconfirmed . As this trail follows the Continental Divide, there are parts that are very high in elevation and challenging. Same with camping, she said by age 10 or 12, he was a better camper than his parents. She fell approximately 300 ft / 91 m and did not survive the fall (source), FALL | Emily Lang | August 12, 2017 | Emily Lang (19), died in a fall along the PCT near Mount Hood (Oregon). The Continental Divide Trail (CDT) spans over 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada and is one of the most significant trail systems in the world. It was called the Eagle Guest Ranch, and when we found that they raised and served their own beef, we decided to eat, shower, and sleep at the Eagle Guest Ranch. Before jumping off on the Continental Divide Trailor celebrating its finish (depending on which direction youre traveling)have a great meal at Caf Jaxwe thoroughly enjoyed the huge serving of kielbasa hash and eggs. Detailed Description. Skills Required Hiking, Walking Finishes at Montana, USA Length of route 4989 Km Average time to complete 120 - 150 Days Possible to complete sub-sections Yes. David Odell was the first person to thru-hike the (still undefined) CDT in 1977, although there was an earlier claim. ", "Good time to take inventory on gear - and yourself", "Francis Tapon: The first person to yo-yo Americas wildest trail talks heating, eating and the philosophy of lightweight", "2007 Adventurer of the Year: The Walking Man", "Salem 13-Year-Old Youngest to Hike Triple Crown", "Ore. If you cover a steady twenty miles a day, you will finish it . The highest elevation is 9,324 feet (2,842m) in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness. Extra equipment carried might include an ice ax and bear spray. We were following a trail suitable for motorized travel, and, because of the routes length, we were towing camping trailers. For those who decide to hike the Continental Divide Trail from North to South, then the best time to start is late April, generally finishing in September. [8][9] Permits are required to hike or camp along some sections of the trail and a passport is needed to cross the Canadian border. The average number of days (including "zeros") to complete the hike was 147.[9]. He. The Montana/Idaho Border where you just walk a forest road, After three weeks of hiking and slowly coming to the realization that I was not having as much fun as I had expected. Read the following knowing that any one of these things could (and very well may) happen to you, should you find yourself on the Continental Divide Trail. Here is a breakdown of what has caused them: Here is a detailed account of each of the deaths noted above (in chronological order from earliest to most recent): HAPE (UNCONFIRMED) | Maddie Magee | May 28, 2022 | Twenty-three-year-old Maddie Magee died near the top of Forester Pass (the high point of the PCT) in Californias Sierra Nevada of (unconfirmed) high altitude pulmonary edema or HAPE (source), FALL | Trevor Laher | March 27, 2020 | Twenty-two-year-old Trevor Laher slipped and fell on snow-covered ice near Apache Peak just outside Idyllwild, California (source), FALLING TREE | Finn Bastian | August 27, 2019 | In Stevenson (Washington), Finn Bastian, a hiker from Germany, died after being hit by a falling tree on the PCT. Not being able to keep up with the other hikers while I was approaching Monarch Pass. One night in the Collegiates (Colorado), I had already gotten rained on all day and picked a suboptimal campsite just to get it over with. All hikers must replenish their food every few days, often hitchhiking from a road crossing of the trail into a town to buy food and supplies. You being in the desert - not this high-altitude chaparral crap on the PCT - you're hiking for nearly 100 mi / 160 km through shadeless and waterless desert. Once known as Magic City and Cloud City, and situated nearly two miles in the sky, Leadville enjoyed two gold rushes with a major silver strike in-between. Coming over a ridge to end what was my longest day so far on the trail (27mi / 43 km), only to see a new, active fire less than 10 mi / 16 km away and no way to escape but forward. According to a Google search, The Great Continental Divide Adventure Route is a motorized route that follows closely along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. On a path as long, high, and remote as the Continental Divide Trail, there is little room for gear errors. Sign-up to get our latest reviews and news before everybody else does. The Continental Divide Trail is a choose-your-own-adventure Thru-Hike that runs typically between 2500 miles and 3100 miles from the Mexico and New Mexico border to the Montana and Canadian border. Road biking on Independence Pass/Highway 82 is a popular route in the summer. Alex also liked helping people when not hiking. The Continental Divide which consists of the Rockies and several other mountain ranges splits the North American Continent into two watersheds. [12][13][14] This seven-month journey spanned over 5,600 miles. That is readily available via the internet and that we know of. ", "Most Remote Spots in U.S. Wilderness Complexes", "Hidden Montana: Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness", "CDT Montana Volunteer Trail Stewardship Program", CDT Montana, Montana Wilderness Association, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest web site, Hiking Journals from people on The Continental Divide Trail, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Continental_Divide_Trail&oldid=1138673676. The road climbs to the continental divide at the top of the Pass (12,095 ft.). This is the legendary Continental Divide, also known as the Great Divide. Not everyone who begins a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike will complete their mission of traversing the country-spanning 2,660 mi / 4,280 km trail. One evening as they sat by the fire it started raining, "like, buckets and buckets.". said man who shot 2 at St. Paul family memorial, Stolen Kia being chased by patrol in Mpls. (GPSKevin also offers two-week adventure tours for dual-sport motorcycle riders, and is considering adding adventure tours for four wheelers.) It hit me hard but I knew that I was not hiking just to hike and if I didnt want to be out here I could go home. He'd lost his glasses, so she mailed a spare pair and some cookies to Silverton, Colo. [22], The Rocky Mountains of Colorado terminate in southern Wyoming and the CDT passes through a through a long section of desert range-land in the middle of the state, known as the Great Divide Basin. She previously covered Carver County and western Hennepin County as well as aging, workplace issues and other topics since she began at the paper in 2011. But in other locations, the divide is barely perceptible. We were not following the official Continental Divide Trail its for hikers only since we were in Jeeps. When youre assembling a group for an adventure like this one, you must make sure everyone is compatible. Kevin has put years of personal effort into developing this route, along with several alternative routes along the way. Long water carry out of Lincoln, Montana with eight days of food on ridges. This is not expected. [5] More than 1,000 thru-hikers completed either the AT or PCT in 2019 compared to 150 completing the CDT, a reflection of the isolation and difficulty in hiking the CDT. Completing the Triple Crown is not an easy feat. "He didn't need a lot of money to do what he did. State Land Office, BLM New Mexico Announce Partnership To Improve Continental Divide Trail Access; Scammers Posing As BeWellnm Representatives; Latest e-Edition Girl, 13, Youngest to Claim Triple Crown", "Working Together, Continental Divide National Scenic Trail", "Horror & Heartbreak on the Continental Divide Trail (2018 Edition)", "What are the steepest climbs on the AT, PCT, and CDT? The Continental Divide Trail Coalition (CDTC) is the 501(c)(3) national non-profit working in partnership with the US Forest Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Land Management to complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Most deaths from disease occurred east of Fort Laramie. Hikers don't get the luxury of dictating every aspect of their hikes. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (in short Continental Divide Trail, CDT) is a United States National Scenic Trail with a length measured by the Continental Divide Trail Coalition of 3,028 miles (4,873 km) between the U.S. border with Chihuahua, Mexico and the border with Alberta, Canada. The lowest elevation of the trail in Colorado is 8,044 feet (2,452m) along the Middle Fork of the Elk River near the border with Wyoming[22] and the highest elevation in Colorado is 14,278 feet (4,352m) at the summit of Gray's Peak. At various spots along the blue route, Kevin has added alternative green and red tracks. Much of the CDT follows high, grassy ridges with some walking on dirt roads required. In 2018, 300 individuals attempted to hike the trail end-to-end. was banging a pot and spoon all night. ALSO SEE:The Essential Off-Road Tools You Need for Safe Wheeling on the Trails. The Continental Divide Trail travels through Grand Teton National Park and within close proximity to Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, giving you a chance to visit three of America's greatest natural treasures. The Tour Divide has been raced and completed on both single speed . Hiking The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail . That said, your support is very much appreciated and helps to pay the website (and survey) bills. But Continental Divide Trail thru-hikers are revitalizing the town in surprising ways. The average time to thru-hike the CDT is about six months and most people hike south to north. As it turned out, we accrued almost 8,000 miles total on the expedition because of all the highway travel to and from the trailheads. Courtesy photo. An autopsy produced no answers. The CDT is actually a network of small roads and . Read More. Perhaps now is a good time to discuss possible vehicles for this adventure. He broke one arm, both legs, and suffered a head injury. He was 32, fit and seemingly healthy, an experienced hiker. 800-715-HIKE (4453) (9-4:30 Every Day) . Later that night, she got a call from the coroner. After George Floyd's murder, he volunteered at a Minneapolis food shelf, eventually becoming a staffer. It turns out that the Pacific Crest Trail is a safe place to be (and when the zombies, robots, or aliens finally decide to make their move, Ill bet itll be even safer). Being the descendant of two Western iconsa cavalry scout on the plains and a member of Butch Cassidys Wild BunchI came by my fiddle-foot tendencies honestly and all the attractions of Mosquito Pass and Leadville called to me and my calling infected the others in my group. Continental Divide Trail Survey Collection, Pacific Crest Trail Horror Stories (Class of 2022), Pacific Crest Trail Hiking Advice for 2023 (& Beyond), Hikers Lowest Moments on the Pacific Crest Trail (Class of 2022), All my gear was totally soaked through at 11,000 ft / 3,353 m in driving sleet after Hope Pass, set up, and wound up. "He apparently died peacefully in his sleep on top of a mountain at over 12,000 feet. Added to that, the thru-hiker carries up to a one week supply of food weighing about 2lb (0.91kg) per day and, in drier areas especially New Mexico, up to five liters of water. Thats why we treated the divide route like the trunk of a tree, with branches out both sides, but always returning to the basic route root. The CDT crosses Interstate 15 again at an elevation of 6,299 feet (1,920m). Speaking of trailheads, because of various issueshealth and mechanicalwe completed the journey in three stages, much as you readers might do if youre as intrigued as I with exploring the Continental Divide: First stage: Mexican border to Interstate 40, second stage: I40 to I80, and third stage: I80 to the Canadian border. ", When fellow hiker Tim Brugman last saw Alex, a couple of days before he died, he was on "a really sketchy section" of snowy trail called Knife Edge, "walking along with ease.". It was super windy and the heavy pack was a struggle. Published February 8, 2010. Usually most of the red route was about the same as the blue, with a small section of it being difficult. [25], Notable points on the CDT from south to north along the Idaho/Montana border include:[25][1], Leaving the Idaho/Montana border, the Montana portion of the CDT is 627 miles (1,009km) in length although several alternate routes shorten or lengthen that distance. ALSO SEE: Yokohama Geolandar X-MT Tire Review. We are very excited to offer this new adventure route down the entire length of the west coast of America. 1. New Mexico; Continental Divide; I-40; . The Route covers 5 states: New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana and is a . Map of North American showing the Continental Divide -- an invisible line that separates the major watersheds flowing to different oceans. With the morning sun at his back on August 12,1805, Meriwether Lewis followed a well-worn Indian trail from southwest Montana's Horse Prairie Valley up Trail Creek, gradually topping out on a 7,373-foot pass. This 13,916-foot peak sits just to the southeast of Longs Peak and can be prominently viewed along Colorado Highway 7. [6][7], Successfully thru-hiking the entire Continental Divide Trail takes an average of five months. We use cookies to improve your experience on this website and so that ads you see online can be tailored to your online browsing interests. Hitching into Santa Fe, New Mexico in the bed of a pickup doing 85 mph / 137 km/h and passing everyone was pretty scary. 1 mo. It is a rare club of hikers that have hiked . A, Realized that calcaneus fasciitis was going to require the. Myth #3: You can't go through Colorado's San Juans before June because there's too much snow. The total number of thru-hiker deaths on the Pacific Crest Trail? "And not just a little bitty fire," Hannah said. Interstate 15. One Reply to "Otter's death on the Continental Divide Trail" Anna says: August 30, 2018 at 5:52 am. Frequent route changes and a large number of alternate routes result in an actual hiking . It traverses a multitude of biospheres, from tundra to high desert, with a vast variety of flora and fauna, including several . I experienced vertigo for six weeks from a dislodged crystal in my ear (BPPV) while postholing through snow and low temperatures in Colorado (October and November). The alternate was probably fine for a northbound hiker, but going down this field of scree and causing small landslides while jumping from boulder to boulder and, I slipped climbing over the 100th downed tree coming out of the Scapegoat Wilderness.