Routes for winter CDT, lets do this!‏

[Timinator]

Time for the fun part, I need to figure out my northbound winter routes! I honestly couldn't tell you when I will end up hitting winter because part of the reason I'm preparing for winter is because I want to be able to hike at my own pace and enjoy myself where possible instead of fretting over making it to Montana in any time frame (not to mention I'll be starting in july probably). With that being said I think I should make this a full winter trip thread for all states as I can always follow the normal route and switch to the winter route when winter starts to come along. 1. I want routes with as little hitching as possible as long as it doesn't conflict with winter safety because standing around relying on a godsend isn't appealing to me, also not interested in begging, tricking, or paying people into driving me back out of towns. (I actually want as little human interaction/reliance as possible)
2. I'm fine with taking alternative routes and skipping "scenic" routes when needed to avoid hitching and also dying :P
3. It should be noted that I'm resupplying as I go to avoid dealing with PO hassles and to save me cash.
4. Links to gps files or hq maps on suggested routes would be nice if you have them.

5. I'd prefer to take the most isolated (from people) routes possible as long as they don't interfere with the above.

Any and all advice is welcome as long as you respect my right to make my own conclusive decisions.
Lets keep this civil and on topic please



I prefer if we start from the beginning and work our way up one step at a time so the thread isn't all over the place, starting with new mexico I'll be taking greyhound bus to lordsburg. If there is any special advice on new mexico section let me know.

[RangerPhil]

Are you planning on going summer 2013?

[Timinator]

Yes. Sometime in july.

[Suttree]

Timinator,

Since your goal is self-reliance: why not plot a set of winter alternates on your own (working from JLey, USGS, and Trails Illustrated perhaps), post said alternates online, and invite comment?

As of yet, noone has commented on your plan to hike NM in July - what route will you be taking?

Ed

[Timinator]

I don't know enough about the routes to be able to make my own winter routes. People here are more knowledgeable about routes along the cdt than I am. The ley maps and other maps I have don't really give me sufficient information to be able to create my own routes they are only a "follow the line" type thing. I could use the maps I have to take the safest path displayed on them but I will probably need to take routes that aren't actually on the cdt as someone suggested in one of my other threads like the bike trail in CO.
I'm just looking for insight on to what parts of the trail should be avoided in winter and what alternates I should take.

[Spirit Walker]

In winter (basically late September to June) you will run into snow from northern New Mexico to the Canadian border, and beyond. Basically, if you hike the CDT, you need to be prepared for snow from mid-September onward, everywhere on the trail. Early snows may not last very long - or you may end up with solid snow that prevents you from hiking in the mountains at all. Read Karen Berger's book. If you start in July, hike south from the Montana border. You'll have two good months before the cold starts - though you may have freezing nights in the high mountains even in July and August. Then be prepared to deal with snow and cold from the Colorado border onward. Even in New Mexico, you will have cold and snow in November and December.

[Spirit Walker]

There are no alternate routes in the mountains that will be snow free. You can follow highways around the mountains - many do - but that gets old very quickly. Those who hike the mountains generally enjoy the trail a lot more than those who do a lot of roadwalking. If you want to roadwalk - get a highway map. If you want to hike the CDT, just get the gear that will get you through winter mountaineering conditions.

[Timinator]

Thanks for info. Should be noted again that I'm going northbound and have no interest in southbound. I'm set in the gear department, I'm not really looking for "no snow" I just want to know what parts of the trail are too dangerous and what alternatives are available. Road walking is always a last resort but obviously not something I'd WANT to do.

If winter doesn't start til late sep I guess I'm set on new mexico then since I'd have to be really enjoying myself to stay there that long :P. Moving on to colorado, Mags suggested I should take the Great divide mountain bike route because it avoids high elevations, for how long should I use this route, anything I should know about this route in particular?

[Feral Bill]

Wouldn't New Mexico in July and August be rather warm? Or is the trail high enough to beat most of the heat? I've been thoroughly roasted at 8,500 feet in Oregon.

[Mags]

Mags suggested I should take the Great divide mountain bike route because it avoids high elevations,

It avoids the highest areas..but it still goes fairly high. Even the foothills in CO are often 8k+ ft.


As for where it goes, I suggest you google their website, look at their maps and plan accordingly.

[Slo-go'en]

Wouldn't New Mexico in July and August be rather warm? Or is the trail high enough to beat most of the heat? I've been thoroughly roasted at 8,500 feet in Oregon.

I imagine starting at the Mexican boarder in July would be brutal. There is no shade to speak of. Water is scarce and far apart. Your not at any significant altitude at that point. You'd have to hike only at night or fry. Just watching the Cookie and Paul CDT thru hike video of them doing that section in May is enough to make me never want to do it!

July start you'd definately want to SOBO.

[Mags]

July start you'd definately want to SOBO.

I started July 1st at Glacier. I was in New Mexico through October. Thought it a very pleasant month to be hiking there over all.

[handlebar]

What kind of miles have you done on long trails? Unless you can pound out 30+ miles per day, you'll likely run into extreme winter conditions doing a straight nobo starting in July...to say nothing about extreme heat and drought in NM. Even with 30 mile days, with a July 1 start you're still talking a late Oct finish at Glacier. Most of the bridges will have been removed there and it's doubtful you'll get through. You'll be missing one of the nicest parts of the trail.

An nobo alternative for an early July start would be to start at Rawlins, WY or Steamboat Springs, CO and hike north. Snow and worst of mosquitoes should be mostly gone unless it's a crazy high snow year like 2011. Then skip back down to wherever you start and hike sobo. That would put you where you would be most likely to meet up with other nobos and sobos. It's easy to get to either Rawlins or Steamboat when flying into Denver (shuttle to Greyhound station then Greyhound to destination). Getting from Canada back down to the starting point is also fairly easy using public transport (RR to Whitefish MT, then bus via Salt Lake City to either place). PM me if you need more details on bus transport---these connections aren't listed on the bus company web sites.

[Timinator]

I'll consider rawlins or steamboat. Like I said before part of the reason I'm doing this whole winter thing is so I don't have to rush against the seasons and so I enjoy myself (within reason). Considering the increase in pack weight during winter months there's no way I'm going to be doing 30+ miles (not to mention it's impossible in snow anyway).

For now I want to figure out these winter routes so I have them in case I need them, rawlings or steamboat might be a good alternative but I'll have to decide that over time.

What would be a good time to step off the bike trail and back onto the CDT?

[Spirit Walker]

If you start in early July, there is no reason you can't hike on the CDT for the first couple of months or longer. Hike Montana south to the Winds or start at the southern Colorado border and hike north as far as you want. You could do a straight SOBO hike on the trail. People have finished at the Mexican border in late December. We finished Nov. 30 and, although we had cold and intermittent snow from mid-September on, the trail wasn't impassible, just cold.

July start could actually be quite hot. Certainly southern NM would be brutal. In Montana you are very exposed - so thunderstorms and heat can be an issue. I know one LD hiker who ended up with heat exhaustion in Montana in July. Thunderstorms will certainly be an issue in Colorado in July and August. In summer 2006 Colorado had a heat wave. It was in the mid-90's up in the mountains of northern Colorado. I remember one SOBO complaining, "We were warned about how cold a SOBO hike is, no one warned us about how hot it would be."

Remember, every year is different.
You could run into serious snow in August, or not until November. Fire closures could completely change your intended route. There have been years when NM was closed from early May until the summer monsoons. There have been years when all of Montana was closed from July - September.