July 2 – July 9, 2020
It was evident during my second attempt to thru hike the CDT it would be impossible for me to be away from home for the length of time to finish the CDT in one long hike. Coming to terms with this disappointment led me to a lessor goal: finishing the CDT in sections. Also, after hiking with Ghost on the CDT, I did not like hiking alone. It is too easy to be misplaced on the CDT.
As the planning began for section hiking a part of the CDT during 2020, the pandemic hit. Because of travel restriction, I decided to focus on the Montana section of trail for easier access to the trail from my home via car. This is how the plan was set up:
The section between Highway 15 where the trail crosses south of Lima to Anaconda my younger sister Anna was planning to hike with me. From Anaconda to Helena (MacDonald Pass on Highway 12), my niece Melissa was planning to join me. I was planning to hike on alone to Lincoln where I was to be joined by my son-in-law, Edward and my grandson, Max. The three of us were going to hike from Roger Pass to the Canadian Border going three the Bob Marshall and Glacier Park. It was an excellent plan.
We stayed the night in Dillon, MT and Jim dropped us off on Hwy 15 south at about 9:00am in the morning. This hike along the border of Idaho and Montana is filled with what is known as “the needless up and downs” and it not particularly a notable section. But there is beauty the trail as one is able to see for miles.
On the first day it was a difficult day of trying to keep our footing along the edge of ridge line with no visible trail. Since the south bounders had not passed here and the north bounders had not arrived there was no visible trail. The first night we had trouble putting up our tents in sustained wind gust to on a grass ridge barren of trees or bushes to use as a wind break. Luckily the trail improved in scenic beauty after the first day.
At our drop off Highway 15, 15 miles south of Lima. My younger sister, Anna.
Our matching tents.
Dinner break with Anna.
We saw snow on the edges of the ridges and sometimes on the trail.
We did not have rain. It was cold at night and in the mornings. There were no other hikers on the trail. We had Sam of the Leadore Inn pick us up for an overnight in Leadore. My sister was struggling with the hike and wanted to skip to Darby to avoid the ATV trails we encountered going into Leadore. I will need to return to hike this section from Leadore to Darby at a later date.
Lucy Ondo 