Finish the PCT and go to start the CDT

This morning I was quite exhausted when I got up around 5:30 am but I knew we had 6-7 hours of driving to go to East Glacier. And I definitely wanted to get there as soon as possible. You can only obtain permits for Glacier National Park the day or day before your planned arrival. Then, obtaining permits today was basically essential if I wanted to start early in the morning.

Once we got up, we were on the way very quickly. And my main mission for this long trip was to be as productive as possible with writing and video edition. That is a great luxury about being a passenger in a vehicle. So almost immediately I began to pass and edit a ton of blog posts. I am quite optimistic that thanks to some next walks on the roads, I will be able to catch completely in all my edition very fast.

Of course, I can often perform multiple tasks while I’m on my way. But in reality I can only make voice to send text messages if I am walking in the forest. I have to walk by road if I really want to write or make a video edition. Otherwise, it is too dangerous. I spent the next two hours doing all the work as I could. Then, finally, we end up, stopping in a really great general store on the road. It was fun to treat the trip a bit like a road trip.

Time passed quickly and I could do a lot of things. Sometimes, when I edit my eyes, I just tire! Randy took some of these Coffee Monster drinks and had two during the day to try to stay lucid. I knew that it would eventually crash, but before that I had some work to do.

We end up entering the glacier area around 1 PM. He then led to the West Glacier to go to the Apgar Desert Permit Office. Before arriving, I quickly looked at my maps and tried to make a game plan. It seemed that he had two options for Glacier National Park. Or could make a short days, which was honestly a nightmare. Or I could try to do two absolutely massive days and walk throughout the park. That would imply making more than 40 miles the first day and just 50 miles on the second day. But by God I would begin with an incredible note for the CDT.

When I entered the permit office, the ranger that helped me was actually one of the same rangers that helped me last year! And she was super friendly and incredibly helpful. Sometimes, the rangers can really be felling and try to deter it from making a great mileage. Obviously, they are accustomed to hikers of sections and hikers less experience that make reservations. So when I got there. I put everything on the table. Let him know how many miles I have done during the year and what I felt comfortable. And she had no problem issuing a permission for some massive mile days.

I was trying to get permission to spend the night at the Reynolds site tomorrow night. But, of course, I was completely reserved. However, the Ranger was useful and told me that he had another option. I could do 40 miles and go to the road to go to Sun. Then he could try to hook St Mary and stay in his camp. The only annoyance with that plan would be that it would probably go to the road just around the dark. And I would need to take to the camp and return in the morning. That seemed incredibly unlikely. But I paid for the site anyway and reserved it. And I thought I would only pray and hope that everything will work.

After returning to the car, I explained all the permission things to Randy. He is planning to hang out for a couple of days because he is going to visit his son at Cut Bank. And he also wants to return and help as much as I can go up to the desert of Bob Marshall. After that, I will be out of rank for a while. He kindly offered to return from Cut Bank tomorrow night to take me from the beginning of the path to my camp. Which would be incredibly useful. Honestly, that would eliminate so much stress! And then I could take a trip back to the path the next morning. What would really be the best scenario? I will only have to play all of the ear.

After leaving the desert permits, we continue towards East Glacier. I was very excited to return to the glass shelter. Luna and her husband run such an absolutely incredible shelter! I have such good memories of being here last year. I let him know a few days ago that he would be arriving. And I signed some boxes here with team without which I can’t continue. I also sent my credit card here, because the one that I have literally expires in five days. The moment could not have worked better.

It was very lovely to look at the glass and see Luna. She was so kind and excited to see me. And, of course, I kept telling me how thin I saw me. That I completely understand. I think I look quite healthy and I feel very healthy. But I am very skinny. He immediately tried to feed anything and everything that existed. And he took two fillets from the freezer he had bought only for me! So I guess I know what I’m going to have dinner tonight.

In the kitchen to the glass oron.

Before getting there, I felt quite clear. But after I started looking at the maps, thinking about permission and dealing with math mathematics, I felt fogged. So, when I was hanging out in the glass looking, I felt like an absolute disaster. My brain was not working at all, and I swear I felt I was losing it completely. Even making the simplest decisions felt absolutely impossible.

Luna gave me the keys to one of her little cabins to spend the night. Then Randy and I went out and went through all the food he brought for me. He brought enough things to pack multiple refueling boxes if I want. So I went through all that and tried to make plans for the next week or so. My current plan is to go through the Glacier National Park in two days. So I presented two days of food to get me out of the Canadian border back to the east glacier.

Once you return to the east glacier, you almost immediately go to Bob Marshall desert. The last time I crossed the bob and then re -re -re -re -created myself in the city of Augusta. But that is a rather difficult problem and seems slow. When I saw the other day, he told me that he had been from the glacier to Lincoln from the glacier. And after looking at the map and seeing a couple of alternative routes that could shave mileage, I decided to do the same. So, once I return to the East Glacier, I will collect about five days of food. Then, plan to average 36 miles a day and go from the east glacier, through Bob Marshall Wilderness, to Lincoln. That would be a ridiculously solid beginning for the road.

I also looked over the maps and made some difficult estimates to take me through Colorado. And honestly, for the first time in a long time, I felt that I had an opportunity to fight to achieve it. Due to some of the alternatives that I can do, like Big Sky, I really think I can overcome the state of Colorado at the end of the first week of October. If I can do that, then I really think everything will work perfectly. Big Sky is going to cut around 300–400 miles somewhere. And there are currently tons of forest fires in the area north of Yellowstone. Therefore, it is very likely to have to make a slightly different version of Big Sky Cut AFF. One that implies even more walking by road, because a particular desert has a lot of fire.

Randy and I outside the glass shelter.

It was a relief to work on all that and really feel that I had resolved it. And for the first time I felt I could breathe. I know that a fact will work perfectly. I will overcome the CDT in the correct amount of time. I have the complete faith that all this will work. And within six weeks, I will stand at the Colorado and New Mexico border, breathing the greatest relief sigh of my life.

The next six weeks will be very long and exhausting. I have basically been averaging 35 miles per day during the last month and a half now. And literally I have to average 35 or more miles per day for this plan to work. But I know with certainty that I can do that. I am definitely tired and will take a lot to achieve this. But I really think I can do it and I can do it safely. I am excited to move tomorrow and start attacking this mileage every day. Every day it gets closer and more to my goal, and it probably feels really quieter and calm with every mile that passes.

Passing with Luna and her husband in Glass Hostel looking.

After passing through all the food, I said goodbye to Randy. He went to visit his son, Andy and Cut Bank. Then plan to return tomorrow night to help me in the St Mary area. Which will be invaluable! After he left, I took an incredible shower and handed it by hand a little of my clothes. I have not washed clothes from Snoqualmie and I can’t do it here. Which means that I probably can’t do it again until Lincoln. And by then they will probably have passed about 20 days since I did it.

After that, I began to attack my other tasks. I wanted to download all the off -line Gaia maps for this area. Because I’m going to take any alternative that can buy me time. Also in the CDT there are only many things that can happen and unpredictable components for hiking. So I want to have all these maps in case you need to pivot in something.

Classifying all Randy’s refueling. I need two days for the next few days. Then you will need five days for the next section.

Then I got charged and organized things. And after that, I just tried to write a writing and video work the best I could. I also fit five days of food to go out here to look glass. That way I can pick it up in two days after I come back here. Later at night, one of the people who is hanging out and helping The Looking Glass offered to cook my fillet for me! I am 29 years old and I have never cooked a steak a day in my life. He was very kind to offer me cooking.

Then, we both ended, sitting and having dinner together inside the shelter. He was an interesting, friend. It was really pleasant to talk to him for a while. Although I have the expectation that I will have a very lonely experience in the CDT, I also know that this will not be the case. Every time I make a long way and I mentally prepare for loneliness, the universe gives me human interaction. It may not be with all your hikers, but it will be exactly what I need.

The CDT board in southern direction last year! So many family names there.

We went out for a while and talked. Then I went out with the other two hikers who go north and stay with a glass to spend the night. They were very fun and we are running like manic. It was like seeing two young children playing together. Honestly, that was the most beautiful.

Inside the appearance glass shelter.

At this point, it was too late at night. I did not return to my little cabin until after 11 pm! And Luna helps me to ensure a trip to Chief Mountain tomorrow morning. She has a friend named Teresa who charges Shadow’s hikers. And I was more than happy to pay a trip to the Canadian border. Especially if that meant that I could start as early as possible.

She will come around 6 in the morning and pick me up. Then, the trip to the border is a little more than an hour. Because I have to go 40 miles for the day, as soon as possible. Especially because I will have to climb and more than a couple of mountain passes tomorrow. I am a little stressed for the moment and everything for tomorrow. Just because I know I will not have a crazy early start. And some of the mountain passes in the Glacier National Park are quite steep and slow down you. But I only know that everything will work.

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