CDT Sobo Questions

[Miner]

I gave notice at work so I'm finally ready to thru-hike the CDT in late June. I did a section hike of the southern end to just past Silver City a few years ago. I did the the PCT NOBO back when only 400/year hiked it and was behind the main herd so I'm use to days of solitude, thoough not perhaps several weeks of it.

All my pervious planning for the CDT was NOBO, so suddenly deciding to go southbound has me felling that I'm lacking certain info.

1) Assuming a normal snow year in Montana (looks like MT didn't get hammered as bad as Colorado), how far south would I want to keep an iceaxe and microspikes?

2) When does winter come to the San Juans on average. I'm very experienced with the Sierra Nevada in California, but not Colorado. My usual rule of thumb for the Sierra is it can snow anytime after Sept 19, but nothing to be concerned with untill after the 1st week of October. After which the chance of a major winter storm starts to rapidly climb the later in the month it gets. You may get lucky until sometime in November, but I wouldn't count on it. Would that apply to southern Colorado also? If I hike similar to the PCT, I'm not likey to finish Colorado until something in the Oct 15-21 time frame. That has me nervous and I figure I need to pull that down to an earlier date if possible.

3) Would microspikes in Colorado be of any use in October due to the melt/freeze cycle overnight?

4) How cold could Colorado get? I figure I need to add layers sometime in September, but it's October I'm worried about.

5) In the second half of October, how bad could the snow be north of Grants in New Mexico?

6) If I'm not picky, any place where I need to send a box other than Pie Town or Doc Campbels? Does Docs close before Thanksgiving?

7) As Amtrak is the only transportation into East Glacier, am I better off flying into Seattle or Portland to join the train, or is something in Montana better.. It looks like limited days on bus service or airplane/bus schedule times not working well for transfers and having to stay over in a small town from what little I've discovered thus far. What do people normally do?

[garlic08]

My CDT data is from 2007.

1) You shouldn't need traction or ice axe starting in late June. You may need to bypass the highest ridge walk in Glacier though. Can't remember the name of the route, but the lower option is beautiful.

2) You still won't need traction devices in early fall in the Colorado Rockies. It'll be cold and wet and route finding can be a challenge. No packed snow or ice yet. A heavy layer of snow can come from late September on. Pay attention to forecasts and wait it out for a few days.

3) I haven't experience that situation, but I haven't thru-hiked in that season.

4) Not sure--check weather data. Again, moisture and route-finding can be greater concerns.

5) See 3). October is often my favorite month to day-hike. Perfect temps, dry days, aspen colors.

6) Benchmark, MT. Togwotee Pass WY.

7) I was able to rent a car in Missoula and drop it off in East Glacier. I yogied a ride to Missoula.

[Miner]

Thanks for the response.

[Slo-go'en]

It's been a bunch of years since I went to Glacier, but it was the first week of July and the high route was still closed. We had to start at Chief Mountain. The Ptarmigan tunnel route was also closed so had to go the long way around. Just south of St Mary Lake, a bridge hadn't been put in place yet and we had to turn around as fording it was out of the question. It was raging with snow melt and we would have ended up miles downstream.

Anyway, you can call and ask about conditions when you get close to the departure time.

[Miner]

Is hunting along the trail in fall an issue in New Mexico or Colorado? I suppose my real question is, should I have my bright orange pack cover and wind jacket sent to me somewhere? I normally prefer colors that blend in, but I make exceptions when possible harm is involved.

[RockDoc]

When I did the MT CDT many years ago (1979) I hitched to Waterton, Canada and hiked south, crossing into the USA. At the time there was just an unmanned hut, no problem. Lately it might be more complicated if you're actually going to start at the Canada line.

[garlic08]

That's never a bad idea in hunting season. At least a bandanna.