The Continental Divide Trail (CDT):

The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is a continuous ridge of summits stretching from the Mexico’s border with New Mexico (Crazy Cook Monument) through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana to Canada’s Waterton Lakes National Park.

This Continental divide separates the two main watersheds of North America. Rain or melting snow on one side flows west to the Pacific Ocean. On the east of the divide, the water runs toward the Atlantic Ocean and southeast to the Gulf of Mexico.

The trail will follow the spine of the Rocky Mountains. The trail remains between 4000’ to 14,000’ in elevation.

Portions of the trail are still in the planning stages. Approximately 70% of the trail is complete with 30% of the trail requiring road walking (both dirt and paved roads) and bushwhacking where there is no defined trail.

There are many alternate routes and the mileage varies from 2,600 miles to 3,100 miles depending on the routes taken.

Approximately 150 to 200 hikers attempt the thru hike in any given year; however, it is becoming more popular in recent years. For the long distance hiking community the CDT is one of the three trails for the “Triple Crown” of hiking.

I started the trail in April 2017.  On the fourth day of my hike while simultaneously bushwhacking and looking at my GPS I fell into rocks breaking my glasses and tearing the meniscus of my right knee.  I limped into Lordsburg bent over in pain and rested for two days.  After continuing on to Silver City under heavy medication, I made the difficult decision to leave the trail to return home to seek medical care and recover.

Surgery was not considered a good option as I already suffer osteoarthritis in both knees.  On the doctors advice I did not return to the trail in 2017 as expected.  This was a major disappointment for me.

On April 2nd, 2018, I will make the start of my second attempt to thru hike the CDT starting at the border with Mexico again at Crazy Cook.  As much as hiking in the boot heel of New Mexico was not my favorite place to hike, a “thru-hike” requires my start at the border.

I am not at all certain if the CDT is a realistic goal for me; however, I am going to give it a go.