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View Full Version : Most important mail drop points on the CDT?



Colter
12-25-2007, 22:49
I'm a minimalist when it comes to mail drops. I realize there are innumerable variables, but what points are considered "essential" when it comes to mail drops by most thru-hikers on the CDT?

A second question: what is/are the busiest forum(s) dedicated to the CDT?

Gracias, and Happy Holidays!

Colter

Spirit Walker
12-25-2007, 22:58
CDT-L is the best forum for the CDT. Lots of thruhikers, a couple of trail angels, plus CDTS and CDTA read and comment occasionally. It's quiet most of the time, but if you ask questions, you'll usually get answers.

We have a maildrop list on our website (www.spiriteaglehome.com) in the CDT information section. There are few maildrops that are essential, and even the most common ones can be avoided if you're willing to carry food for a longer stretch (i.e. Doc Campbells in the Gila, Pie Town, Benchmark, Twin Lakes, Big Sandy). Some places you can hitch to towns that are farther away, but still within reasonable distance (i.e. Lander instead of going to Atlantic City or South Pass).

Sly
12-25-2007, 23:22
There are few maildrops that are essential, and even the most common ones can be avoided if you're willing to carry food for a longer stretch (i.e. Doc Campbells in the Gila, Pie Town, Benchmark, Twin Lakes, Big Sandy).

IMO, mail drops at Doc Campbell's, Pie Town, Ghost Ranch, Twin Lakes and South Pass City, Old Faithful (could buy to Mack's Inn) and Macks Inn are no brainers as you walk right by them. Well, maybe not Doc Campbell's, I forget, but it's close by and a nice diversion.

Skipping Big Sandy (which charges $25) is made easier by having a drop at South Pass City, however it would leave about 170 miles.. Skipping Benchmark ($20) leaves another 170 mi stretch or you could hitch to Augusta on the same road.

Basically, you can buy as you go the rest of the time.

Spirit Walker
12-26-2007, 02:34
One thing you might consider, you'll need at least some mail drops because of maps (you need a lot for the CDT), so you can combine the two. Makes having to do a few maildrops a lot easier.

As Sly said, the reason that most people do at least some maildrops is because there are some places that are near the trail that accept maildrops and don't have supplies for long term resupply. They break up otherwise long sections - like the ranches at Benchmark and Big Sandy, the tiny store at Twin Lakes, Doc Campbells (another small store) in the Gila, the bar/mercantile at Atlantic City -- but they aren't absolutely essential, just useful. We used several on our first thruhike and skipped a few the second time around because we wanted to try the alternatives (like going to Leadville instead of doing a maildrop at Twin Lakes and to Lander so we could have a break between the Winds and the Great Basin). Sometimes the alternate routes require a long hitch, but it is usually doable, just slow. For example, I wouldn't go to Augusta, but several hikers have gone there to resupply. Faster hikers sometimes skip some of the wilderness stops because they can do 170 miles in 7-8 days. I prefer not to go that hard a pace. YMMV

Sly
12-26-2007, 03:40
I should point out I had some issues, such as losing my maps and guidebooks before starting southbound, and in haste to arrange to get those replaced and stay on schedule with my backcountry permit to hike Glacier ($5 per night), I completely forgot about doing a mail drop to Benchmark. I was prepared to hitch into Augusta, but found Benchmark had a great hiker box and was able to hike the 50 or so miles miles to Lincoln. Northbound it's 120 miles to East Glacier, but I'm sure I could have made do if I was hiking that way. Beverly was very accommodating. If you do mail a drop there you NEED to put day of arrival on the package to be assured she'll be there. You also need to make prior arrangements over the phone.

Direction makes a difference to your resupply strategy. Jim and Ginny's website (http://www.spiriteaglehome.com) is a great planning tool.

chris
12-31-2007, 16:14
I would not send a mail drop to Benchmark. Instead, just pull the whole stretch from East Glacier to Lincoln. The hiking is pretty easy and route finding a snap (with a few exceptions) and the miles go by pretty fast. There is a lot of boring forest walking to speed things up. There are some grand stretches to linger in.

I made it to Benchmark in 4 days and a morning. I made it to Lincoln 2+ days later (7 days total).

slow
01-01-2008, 01:26
Colter,no help from me,But i will say if packing with anyone on this board remote YOU are #1 on my list.MAG'S#2 if he learned to cook old school.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

Mags
01-02-2008, 12:22
MAG'S#2 if he learned to cook old school.





Well, I do make an awesome marinara sauce if I do say so myself...

:D

I really don't have too much to add. I will say that I am glad I *did not* get a maildrop between Dubois and South Pass City. The extra food weighed a lot, but it really made the Winds special. Also, if you are going SoBo, Doc Campbells has enough food to get you to Silver City.

chris
01-02-2008, 15:35
Has anyone gone out to Pinedale? Seems like the hitch should be pretty easy (big trailhead) and Pinedale is a big, full service town. The trailhead isn't super far from the CDT/Fun Route through the Winds.

Mags
01-02-2008, 15:51
Has anyone gone out to Pinedale? Seems like the hitch should be pretty easy (big trailhead) and Pinedale is a big, full service town. The trailhead isn't super far from the CDT/Fun Route through the Winds.

I did not, but my buddy d-low (CDT 2005) did. It requires and out and back on a side trail IIRC OR a loop of sorts that avoids part of the high country in the Winds (Ready and Spur did this method).

It is indeed an easy hitch from what I understand.

Sly
01-02-2008, 17:21
I made it to Benchmark in 4 days and a morning. I made it to Lincoln 2+ days later (7 days total).

Just be aware of the mileages from East Glacier, 120 miles to Benchmark, another 55 miles to Lincoln.

175/7 = 25 miles per day.

Yeah, it can be done but if you're just starting out, why would you?

Mags
01-02-2008, 17:54
Yeah, it can be done but if you're just starting out, why would you?

That is what I did, and for me, it was an enjoyable pace. So much daylight!

As always, YMMV. Most people would prefer 15-20 MPD to start admittedly.

8kPeaks
01-02-2008, 18:45
Mr Chris,

From my experience of hiking the CDT this year I would love to share. I'm one that doesn't follow what the guide books say vice what other folks praise about. I'm going by what my experience was for me since I had no desire to follow someone else's writtings.

If you have an idea of your daily mileage/section your covering, right. For example: Chief Joesph Pass to Monida Pass some 225 miles. My first stop was Wisdom for that leg of the trip, then stopped in Lima, ID a short 9 day blast to rap up my trip.

But lets make this straight...grab urself the forestry maps for the entire length of trail and decide what towns would suit your fancy. Hence do a google search on um to see if they have a Safe Way or PO. I've had stops that I actually hitched an additional 55 miles to the next town b/c they didn't have what I was looking for:mad:

Make sure you have your mileage down to a science b4 you start planning my friend. For me, Going from Glacier to Lincoln in one stretch took me a shear 9 days. But I had no intentions of running that far due to the forest fires I encountered! They were all Blazing and having hiked thru 3 Hot Spots!!! Groovy times, man.

Forestry Maps and google are your best friends for now. Everyone is going to tell you that their way was the best and I am not saying that here. Only my experiece of my thru hike. My maps that I had bought/guide books didn't match up to the Topo's, vice water sources that where reliable when they were not at times. Thats where I gave up and used the forestry maps and the hell with everything else.

cheers,

Sly
01-03-2008, 03:42
Mr Chris,

From my experience of hiking the CDT this year I would love to share... blah, blah, blah...

Hence do a google search on um to see if they have a Safe Way or PO.




LOL... What's your trail name Mr 8K? If you hiked this year, there's a good chance I either met you or heard about you. Is it Just Joe? Not a good report.

A-Train
01-03-2008, 13:45
LOL... What's your trail name Mr 8K? If you hiked this year, there's a good chance I either met you or heard about you. Is it Just Joe? Not a good report.

Lol. I'm getting a funny feeling those videos he recomended watching on youtube are his own work:)

Haiku
05-03-2008, 23:11
Skipping Big Sandy (which charges $25) is made easier by having a drop at South Pass City, however it would leave about 170 miles..If you can skip Big Sandy you get to hike the Cirque of the Towers. Definitely worth it. I missed it, and only saw it from afar. I wish I'd done differently.

Haiku.

Spirit Walker
05-04-2008, 22:34
Actually, you can do both Big Sandy and Cirque of the Towers. It's a slight detour, but worth it.

Actually, we've done both the Cirque route from Big Sandy to Sweetwater Pass and the Temple Pass routes - they're both great. The only bad route is the official route around the southern Winds that follows jeep roads. It's better for horses - but not for hikers.