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bearcreek
10-03-2012, 16:03
We just returned from 3 weeks in Montana / Wyoming after hiking a number of new trail alignments that were completed this year.

Bannack Pass to 3 miles north of Deadman Lake. (Maps 23-24)
New trail is now complete. Well marked, easy to follow. No confusion here.

Goldstone Pass to Berry Creek (the Cowbone Lake mess) Maps 37-38)
New trail is now complete. Joins old route at about mile 16.7. This is well marked, easy to follow trail. It takes one of the worst places on the Montana CDT and turns it into one of the nicest hikes. Also creates a long dry segment between Lemhi Pass and a stream crossing at Jahnke Creek. Take enough water to go 25 miles.

Konda TH to Champion Pass via Four Corners. Maps 66 – 68
New trail was opened this year eliminating a long roadwalk. It is well marked. Additional new trail is scheduled for completion next year between Champion Pass and Leadville.

Bison Mountain. (Map 71)
This piece of trail was actually finished when we did the original map. We walked by a totally unmarked intersection heading north. It is still unmarked, but I built a small cairn there and scratched “CDT” on a rock. This is at a point just north of waypoint 19_44.5 on map 71. Once on the trail, it is well marked and easy to follow. The trail rejoins the old route on map 71 at waypoint 19_50RL. That intersection has a sign pointing up the old route, so if you are hiking SOBO, you should turn left instead of right at this intersection. The new piece of trail is nice, and hopefully the USFS will get the signs straightened out soon.

Homestake to Maude-S (Maps 63-65)
This piece of trail is no finished as far a the statue of Our Lady above Butte, where it dead ends. Plans seem to indicate that it will be finished next year. We mapped new trail from Homestake Pass to a connection down Maude-S Canyon into Butte. It is spectacular trail and is getting a lot of local traffic. For now hikers should continue to use the roadwalk past Delmoe Lake.

Sawmill Creek TH (Map 21) The mapping crew incorrectly followed some obsolete markers heading NOBO when we originally mapped this piece. It was marked up one trail going north and down another going south. (The southbound alignment is 1.7 miles shorter and is correct.) We re-mapped it this year in the correct alignment. The offending marker has been removed at the Sawmill TH. When hiking NOBO, hikers should go west from the Sawmill TH (waypoint 05_25.3 AP) 200’ and cross the creek, then turn right and uphill immediately. Once you get on it follow the trail up the ridge to where it joins the old line at waypoint 05_30.5 GT.

There are two new alignments in Wyoming as well.

On map 17 north of Rawlins, the turnoff at waypoint 06_13.0 RL is on private property and has been relocated about 600’ further north along the highway. It is at a large solar panel mounted on a pole.

New trail is being finished now that gets hikers off of the road at Lake Of the Woods on Map 50. The new trail follows the south shore of the lake and rejoins the old route at 16_02.0 RR.


I am post-processing the gps data now and new waypoint files for all these changes will posted when finished. Look for the new MT and WY Mapbooks around the middle of November. New Mexico is done and I am waiting for a proof copy so those should be available in a week or so. Colorado should be ready in November as well.


best wishes,

Jerry Brown (bearcreek)

mailto:[email protected] ([email protected])
www.bearcreeksurvey.com (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/www.bearcreeksurvey.com)

litespeed
10-03-2012, 17:51
Thanks bearcreek. That's awesome!