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Post by CompassRds on Sept 9, 2016 12:57:51 GMT -8
OK, let's see if I can answer your questions simply first, then get into some more detail on the hike if I get more time later.
Yes, I hiked down a section of the Maah Daah Hey closing on a decade ago. But I did not do the whole thing. I got dropped off at TRNP North/CCC by friends who had never been to TRNP. They camped/hiked the north and south units then picked me up at Elkhorn several days later.
Even though I say that I was often sharing it with mountain bikers it was never actually crowded. I started from on a Saturday morning and saw less than 20 mountain bikers total headed toward/from Medora. Disturbance was in the first half day both days in groups of 2-4. The only issue was that they were spread out and that they came up fast and startling several times. Saw 2 hikers headed north and a group 4-8 of horses/riders near after crossing the Little Missouri. (re-re-edit: OK Don't quote me on exact numbers, every time I think about this they change, and my wife tells me that it was less a few years back).
Water was not a problem. They had decent rain recently, but it had been a couple weeks, so perfect conditions. No creek bed had dried up fully, but the mud had, so it wasn't too slick. That said I still remember packing in 2 gallons and checking Beicegel Creek near the Ice Cave on the way in to see if it looked like I could filter more in that area.
I actually went over to Maah Daah Hey Trail Association to try and jog my memory about parts of the route and it looks like they have actually established water cache sites since then.
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Post by CompassRds on Sept 9, 2016 14:23:43 GMT -8
Sorry Coolkat , I realized when I went back and read your post again I doofed the questions because I got caught up in thinking about / reliving the experience.
Let do me better.
I have done part of the trail, a bit over half.
It has been too long for me to venture a guess as to how crowded the trail might get these days. I would recommend asking the trail association.
Yes. Water is a problem. See the above mentioned water cache sites. The creeks in the area can completely dry up, and as I understand it even the Little Missouri can be more-or-less a mudflat some seasons. I had no water problems because I was prepared, it was a good year, and I scouted ahead.
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