Questions non-hikers ask about the CDT

I started telling my friends and family that Weasel and I will be touring the CDT this summer. Some look strangely and say it sounds like an affair, but most people start asking detailed and sometimes very personal questions. I’ve compiled the most frequently asked questions friends and family ask and how I answer them.

Where is the CDT? How long does it last? How long will you be walking?

The CDT is an approximately 3,000-mile trail that begins in New Mexico at the Mexican border, crosses New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, part of Idaho, Montana, and ends at the northern border of Glacier National Park and Canada. I hope to hike about 120 days of trail and have 23 days of resupply/rest.

Where do you sleep?

We plan to sleep in our tent most of the time and will average one hotel stay per week to shower, do laundry, resupply, catch up on work, replenish calories, etc.

Are you walking with all your things? How many outfits do you bring?

You wear a single outfit for the entire distance. I will wear a sun hoodie, hiking pants, buff, sun hat, underwear and sun gloves. I carry a set of base layers, a puffer coat, wool gloves, rain gear, and a spare set of underwear and socks. However, carrying extra socks and a pair of underwear adds weight, as I learned on previous hikes that socks become very salty and crunchy after several days due to sweat. Dirty underwear causes cracked skin problems and extreme funk. You can rinse small clothes under running water and then hang them on a backpack with diaper pins to dry. This system works well and I have tested it on many backpacking trips.

You change clothes and shower once a week! Don’t you stink?

Yes, your body and clothes are dirty and you don’t smell like soap.

What are you doing for food?

The current strategy will be date bars in the morning, dried fruits and nuts throughout the day, and dehydrated backpacker meals in the evenings. Many people have started doing cold baths to save weight. Which means putting water in your backpacking food and then letting it soak until soft and eating it cold. However, I think having a hot coffee in the morning and a hot meal in the evening after a long day of walking really boosts morale.

Where do you get the water from?

Mainly streams, ponds, lakes, ditches, horse troughs, etc. Lihat juga rfv5. If possible, try to find clean running water. I use a Sawyer Squeeze for cleaner water and have chlorine drops for contaminated water. I bring hibiscus tea bags for extra funky, bad tasting water. Sometimes you have to transport water a long distance and the water is very heavy. 1 gallon of water weighs 8.3 pounds, so you collect water when you can.

What do you do about having your period?

I use a washable menstrual cup that I carry and I use a birth control ring that lasts 1 year. You don’t have to have a period every month if you don’t want to. I usually keep the ring for three or four months and then have a withdrawal bleed when it is most convenient.

What about the bathroom?

I use standard primitive camping toilet techniques and a camp bidet. Toilet paper is really gross because you have to bag it and carrying around dirty toilet paper for a week is pretty disgusting. The field bidet and a washable pee cloth work great.

Are you afraid of bears?

I will carry bear spray throughout the trip. Along the CDT there are mainly black bears until you reach Wyoming. Black bears are often afraid of humans and are easily chased away by yelling and making loud noises. Wyoming begins grizzly bear territory and takes a little extra caution. . It is important in brown bear country to maintain strict hygiene in the camp. Which means you sleep several hundred feet away from where you store your food and where you cook and eat. We have a lot of experience backpacking in grizzly bear country and follow all recommendations for bear protection. We also never hike alone and in grizzly bear areas, staying together and having a conversation too. The most dangerous part of being around grizzly bears is surprising them because then they get scared and may attack you.

Do you carry a weapon?

No, the weapons are heavy and not likely to be used. I carry bear spray and two trekking poles/spears with me at all times. I feel quite protected with these items from dangerous animals and humans. The probability of being attacked in a remote area by other exhausted humans is quite low.

Why do I want to do this?

I love hiking because it is a great way to reach remote areas for long periods of time. I love the tranquility of nature, far from the noise of engines and the overstimulation of urban life. Listen to the sound of footsteps through the leaves and the rustle of the trees brushing against the wind. It’s fascinating to walk a long distance over several months and see all the different biomes. It is a pleasure to meet people and learn about the regional foods of each state. I love the difficulty of climbing mountainous terrain and struggling to get out of the tent when it’s cold. I love the muscle soreness, fatigue, and sincere feeling of accomplishment at the end of the day.

How long have you been planning this trip?

About 20 years. I first learned about hiking and the Triple Crown while day hiking the Appalachian Trail. My career required a lot of training and hours of work, but I spent time in nature whenever I could. It helped to take time between work contracts to go on longer adventures, like completing the Colorado Trail in 2019. Hiking the Colorado Trail was an inspiration to do more hiking in the mountains of the West and became a summer obsession for the next few years. Finally, during the summer of 2025, while touring the CDT section of Wind Rivers, Weasel and I decided it was now or never. It’s time to get the Triple Crown going before we get old or lose interest in this 20-year obsession. We decided to start with the CDT because it is the most remote and has the longest time between resupplies. It took me many years of physical training, skill development and mental toughness training, now I feel like I’m finally ready.

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