Post by Westy on Aug 18, 2020 6:21:25 GMT -8
2020......all plans FUBAR to the max. Primary target of completing final 400 miles of CDT not feasible due to closure of Blackfoot Reservation, long-term trail angels taking season off, multiple hitch hiking sequences for resupply and air and train travel to and from Salt Lake. The proliferation of variables combined with the inevitable encounter with Murphy and excessive social contact made primary target unwise.
After much contemplation and strong motivation to hike some of the CDT, developed the Butte Boomerang Plan.
The Boomerang: Establish a base for two 100 mile point-to-point hikes both ending at the same trailhead. One a CDT NOBO and the other a CDT SOBO.
Create Personal Hygiene Travel Kit (surgical gloves, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, anti-bacterial soap, face masks, Lysol. etc.)
Travel by Personally Owned Vehicle (Petrie Dish for One)
Establish Base Camp at Lodging Provider Executing Effective Cleaning and Social Distancing Processes w/Multi-Week Safe Parking (Fairfield Inn - Butte, MT)
Select Common Trailhead Ending Point for Both 100 Mile Hiking Segments - Maude S. Canyon TH Known as Butte Connector
Continue Across I-90 to Three Bears Market
Call Butte Taxi for Transportation Back to Base Camp (Thank you Tammy!)
The Variable: Transportation to Storm Lake TH (west of Anaconda) and McDonald Pass TH (west of Helena). Allowed Initial Two Night Stay to Hustle a Driver and Hired Montana Tech Student and Football Player, Mr. Esai Longoria!
FIRST HUNDRED MILES
Storm Lake TH - Needed to Hike 3-4 Miles to the CDT (Part of the Anaconda Cut-Off)
Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
Goat Flat, Where I Left CDT at Mile 2427.5 in 2018.
Upper Seymour Lake
Beautiful Single Tread Switchbacks
Dead Reckoning Trail
Two Track Trail on the Actual Divide
The CDT Butte Portion has been Significantly Rerouted and Miles of New Trail Built. Trails Well Maintained - Blowdowns Cleared
Still Road Walks Near Multiple Crossings of I-15 and I-90
Westy's Cut-Off - Improvised
Have Tendency to Pitch Tent High, Open and Not Near Water Sources.
Meet Swing Shift. One of the Five Hikers I encountered on Trail
Cross Several Areas Used for Grazing - This is Burton Park - Several Hundred Cows.
Not So Itsy Bitsy Spider
Swampy Area
From Pipestone to Homestake Pass - All New Tread Perfect for Hiking and Mountain Biking
Butte Area Mountains Consist of a Large Granite Batholith
Meet Retired Forest Ranger Dan - A Walking Forest Encyclopedia - Learned a Lot
Crossing the Massachusetts Turnpike - Red Sox are Awful This Year
First 100 Miles Ending - Butte Down Below
ZERO DAY
Back to Base Camp - Complimentary Upgrade for Two Nights
M & M Bar - The Local Favorite - Practicing Social Distancing - Arrived 2:30 PM - Only Customer
Would Never, Ever Eat This But.....BBQ Cheeseburger w/Bacon & French Fries Smothered in Gravy, Washed Down with Three Glasses of Merlot Was Heavenly
Butte has a Long Mining History, Very Comfortable Here, Great Downtown Area, Not Pretentious
SECOND 100 MILES
The Gate at McDonald Pass
Beautiful Forest Hiking
Friendly Local Offered Ride - Poached 2.9 Miles - Was Fun!
Good Morning! On Trail Between 06:15 and 06:30 AM Daily
More New Tread and Well Maintained Trail Near Thunderbolt Mountain
Wetland
View Looking North Near Summit of Thunderbolt Mountain
Evidence of On Going Trail Maintenance - Best I have Ever Encountered
Meet Salty Dog - De Ja Vue! - Meet Him Twice - As I Leap Frogged 100 Trail Miles Then Went SOBO
Tall Grass! Tricky Route Finding
Local Family Outing - Many Parts Multi-Use and Not Abused Like Similar Forest Service Areas in Utah!
Hikers Dream Source - Right Out of the Pipe. Next Water 20 Miles
Just Past Champion Pass - Only Area Not Cleared on the 200 miles I hiked. Very Challenging
Crossing Underneath I-15 - About 7-8 Miles of Road Walk - Paved and Gravel
Abandoned Mine
Recently Installed Bridge - Many of These - From a Trail Maintenance Perspective CDT Near Butte Superb!
Hiking Out on the Maud S. Canyon (Butte Connector) Sad to Leave, Especially Since My Trail Legs are Back!
Predictable Happy Ending! Giving the State of Utah a Mental Middle Finger Salute. Reluctantly Returning to the One at a Time State.
THE END
After much contemplation and strong motivation to hike some of the CDT, developed the Butte Boomerang Plan.
The Boomerang: Establish a base for two 100 mile point-to-point hikes both ending at the same trailhead. One a CDT NOBO and the other a CDT SOBO.
Create Personal Hygiene Travel Kit (surgical gloves, hand sanitizer, hand wipes, anti-bacterial soap, face masks, Lysol. etc.)
Travel by Personally Owned Vehicle (Petrie Dish for One)
Establish Base Camp at Lodging Provider Executing Effective Cleaning and Social Distancing Processes w/Multi-Week Safe Parking (Fairfield Inn - Butte, MT)
Select Common Trailhead Ending Point for Both 100 Mile Hiking Segments - Maude S. Canyon TH Known as Butte Connector
Continue Across I-90 to Three Bears Market
Call Butte Taxi for Transportation Back to Base Camp (Thank you Tammy!)
The Variable: Transportation to Storm Lake TH (west of Anaconda) and McDonald Pass TH (west of Helena). Allowed Initial Two Night Stay to Hustle a Driver and Hired Montana Tech Student and Football Player, Mr. Esai Longoria!
FIRST HUNDRED MILES
Storm Lake TH - Needed to Hike 3-4 Miles to the CDT (Part of the Anaconda Cut-Off)
Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness
Goat Flat, Where I Left CDT at Mile 2427.5 in 2018.
Upper Seymour Lake
Beautiful Single Tread Switchbacks
Dead Reckoning Trail
Two Track Trail on the Actual Divide
The CDT Butte Portion has been Significantly Rerouted and Miles of New Trail Built. Trails Well Maintained - Blowdowns Cleared
Still Road Walks Near Multiple Crossings of I-15 and I-90
Westy's Cut-Off - Improvised
Have Tendency to Pitch Tent High, Open and Not Near Water Sources.
Meet Swing Shift. One of the Five Hikers I encountered on Trail
Cross Several Areas Used for Grazing - This is Burton Park - Several Hundred Cows.
Not So Itsy Bitsy Spider
Swampy Area
From Pipestone to Homestake Pass - All New Tread Perfect for Hiking and Mountain Biking
Butte Area Mountains Consist of a Large Granite Batholith
Meet Retired Forest Ranger Dan - A Walking Forest Encyclopedia - Learned a Lot
Crossing the Massachusetts Turnpike - Red Sox are Awful This Year
First 100 Miles Ending - Butte Down Below
ZERO DAY
Back to Base Camp - Complimentary Upgrade for Two Nights
M & M Bar - The Local Favorite - Practicing Social Distancing - Arrived 2:30 PM - Only Customer
Would Never, Ever Eat This But.....BBQ Cheeseburger w/Bacon & French Fries Smothered in Gravy, Washed Down with Three Glasses of Merlot Was Heavenly
Butte has a Long Mining History, Very Comfortable Here, Great Downtown Area, Not Pretentious
SECOND 100 MILES
The Gate at McDonald Pass
Beautiful Forest Hiking
Friendly Local Offered Ride - Poached 2.9 Miles - Was Fun!
Good Morning! On Trail Between 06:15 and 06:30 AM Daily
More New Tread and Well Maintained Trail Near Thunderbolt Mountain
Wetland
View Looking North Near Summit of Thunderbolt Mountain
Evidence of On Going Trail Maintenance - Best I have Ever Encountered
Meet Salty Dog - De Ja Vue! - Meet Him Twice - As I Leap Frogged 100 Trail Miles Then Went SOBO
Tall Grass! Tricky Route Finding
Local Family Outing - Many Parts Multi-Use and Not Abused Like Similar Forest Service Areas in Utah!
Hikers Dream Source - Right Out of the Pipe. Next Water 20 Miles
Just Past Champion Pass - Only Area Not Cleared on the 200 miles I hiked. Very Challenging
Crossing Underneath I-15 - About 7-8 Miles of Road Walk - Paved and Gravel
Abandoned Mine
Recently Installed Bridge - Many of These - From a Trail Maintenance Perspective CDT Near Butte Superb!
Hiking Out on the Maud S. Canyon (Butte Connector) Sad to Leave, Especially Since My Trail Legs are Back!
Predictable Happy Ending! Giving the State of Utah a Mental Middle Finger Salute. Reluctantly Returning to the One at a Time State.
THE END
