2021 Jun 24-Sep CDT SOBO
- Category Price Weight
-
Food
$13.50
3.75 lb
-
Water
$0.00
2.2 lb
-
Clothes, Worn
$3.00
0.11 lb
-
Sleep
$481.89
2.15 lb
-
Clothes, Carried
$511.29
1.73 lb
-
Shelter
$278.00
1.17 lb
-
Pack
$221.50
1.1 lb
-
Electronics
$165.99
1.03 lb
-
Water
$37.00
0.48 lb
-
Kitchen
$80.55
0.29 lb
-
Ditty
$41.93
0.26 lb
-
Navigation
$75.00
0.1 lb
-
Toilet
$1.00
0.06 lb
-
Glacier NP
$0.00
0 lb
-
Yellowstone NP
$0.00
0 lb
-
CO
$0.00
0 lb
-
NM
$0.00
0 lb
Results
Averaged ~30 mpd and enjoyed it; Montana and Idaho flew by, Wyoming started out great but I hated it by the end, Colorado really threw me for a loop and broke my rhythm; loved the state but had non-stop trouble there. Great peaches though. Injured my knee peakbagging Mt. Massive near Leadville, managed to hobble as far as Pagosa Springs and had to call it; a hard decision. Happy I made it through the San Juans, the first full day west of Lake City on the CT was one of the best days on trail. I will definitely finish the remaining section (NM and change) at some point. My most memorable CDT experiences were almost always when I went off the trail proper on alts, shortcuts, road walks, fire closure workarounds, peakbagging, etc. The CDT has taught me that the trail isn't as important as the journey. I'm satisfied with all my major decisions re: the CDT -- timing-wise, gear-wise, going SOBO and going fast is definitely the way to go -- but ultimately I liked the PCT and AZT more. Going forward on my next trip I would like to go faster, lower volume and cheaper.
Gear worked out well, no major fuckups. Base layer+wind shell were enough 99% of the time, enjoyed sleeping in just the bivy with no tarp 95% of the nights before Colorado (Gatewood Cape zipped up makes a great pillow), Prolite was fast to inflate, very comfy and didn't pop, quilt was great but too hot a number of times. Burn was comfortable and durable: only damage was 3 small holes in the mesh from endless blowdowns in the southern Winds -- though it rode a bit lower than I would have liked. Cook kit worked well; I ended up enjoying alcohol more than esbit which was a pain to light, blow out and clean up. 550ml was just enough for ramen+peanut butter+olive oil, I wouldn't go smaller. Often I wished I had cold soaked just for efficiency, it was nice to stop sometimes but I didn't always want to have to stop to eat... then again, hot coffee in the morning was a nice luxury. Didn't really need the snow gear in Glacier but it was reasonable to bring, wouldn't do so again unless I started earlier or the snow was higher. 50cm axe simplified shipping as it fit in the stock USPS box, East Glacier postmaster mentioned it. Gatewood Cape was just ok as rain gear, it was kind of fiddly to walk in and I didn't like it as much as a rain jacket, but for me rain jackets are impossible to avoid sweating excessively in. MVP rain layer was definitely umbrella, which worked better than expected for rain (and hail) as long as the wind wasn't too strong. Could have survived without the gloves, but they were nice to have in Yellowstone which had very chilly mornings. Puffy was used 5-6 times total, mostly in town, could've been a light fleece instead. NU25 worked great but could've been a tiny rechargeable flashlight with a clip for my visor. Sawyer Squeeze was fine but I used it less and less as I went, after it froze I tossed it and didn't replace it. 1 oz hand sani was overkill, I never came close to using it up. 13L dry bag for food was overkill and enabled me to carry too much food, will downsize to ~10L draw cord sack instead. My DCF stuff sacks are fraying badly, I will replace them with Ziploc or silnylon bags. The dual shoulder pockets were great, I would like a pack with integrated shoulder strap pockets as they were incredibly useful; I'd like to start carrying some water up front to redistribute some weight. Paper maps were a waste of time; I legitimately tried to use them for navigation on 2 occasions where my digital maps fell short but they never helped -- I ended up using best guesses and that worked out, would not bring paper again.
Used single digit number of times, could've lived without: puffy, gloves, bug headnet, paper maps, rain jacket
Overkill: food: carried too much and always had some left over. socks: I carried socks based on my PCT experience of them being destroyed in short order but this didn't happen, I had socks last 1000+ miles(!); I think the difference was the relative lack of dust.
Torn to shreds but still hanging on: gaiters: I brush my feet together very occasionally when I walk, this kills gaiters. Goodrs: love these things but a thru is hard on glasses. GG Thinlight: increasingly ripped and patched but not dead yet
R.I.P.: Sawyer (froze in Aug @ 11k ft), EE Copperfield wind pants (blew away in the San Juans), trekking pole (left in a car on a hitch), pot lid (blew away), USB C to lightning adapter (died almost immediately, just use a dedicated cable)
Stupid light: DCF stuff sacks, USB C-to-lightning adapter
Never used once: compass, printed permits, thermometer
The next year I picked up where I left off...
Planning
SOBO June 24 — with the east side now open: fly to Kalispell, walk/hitch/train to East Glacier, hitch/walk to Two Medicine, try to get a permit to/from Chief Mountain, get it or give up when food runs out. either way, take best route available to first resupply @ Summit Mountain Lodge south of GNP and head into the Bob...
Highlights: CO overall, Glacier NP, Wind River Range, San Juans, the Collegiates, MT/ID border, ~~the Bob~~ , Yellowstone NP, the Gila, ~~RMNP~~ .
Conditions:
- COVID: got vaccinated, bringing a dedicated mask.
- USPS: still under attack from within, luckily none of the CDT states are battleground states...
- hitchhiking: assume hitching in the back of a pickup truck is still viable. if not, consider Butte Cutoff as regular MT/ID border route relies on long hitches.
- thunderstorms: on the PCT I just wore a Frogg Toggs jacket and hiked through the brief afternoon thunderstorms, sometimes in my wind pants, and was fine. the thunderstorms on the CDT are worse, so my plan is to bring a windshirt, poncho, umbrella and wind pants and figure out which combo I like best.
- snow: snow and melt is certain in GNP and the Bob but the specifics are impossible to predict. bring spikes and an ice axe for GNP, and if the snow is high consider keeping the spikes through the Bob. i've considered some combo of tights, a light fleece and neoprene socks but don't think i'll actually need them.
- ~~it's a La Niña year so prepare for possible higher than average snowfall up north and possibly lower precip down south...~~ scratch that, snowfalls are avg
Things I'm focusing on/doing differently:
- Training: wearing minimalist shoes around town and on a treadmill to try to toughen my feet, build my arches; control my diet and stay fit.
- Resupply: all boxes; value control over flexibility + minimize distance traveled off trail (learned this from Mercury on the PCT)
- Food: get calories per ounce up to ~150 inexpensively and enjoyably
- Time: make the most of long days early on: walk more hours per day at a slower pace, longer carries and resupply faster
- Nav: bring paper maps + compass for backup + alts, but expect to use Guthook 99% of the time.
- Compact: I expect more blowdowns due to less trail maintenance due to COVID, so I am using an MLD Burn which is narrow and can be ratcheted down with all its straps and buckles
- TP-less: a combo of found objects, water and hand sani is enough
- Pilot stake: using 1 durable stake to create pilot holes for other lighter, less durable ones
Resources:
- Postholer snow report for GNP-Bob
- Ley maps hosted by Francis Tapon
- GNP Webcams
- Sie So's 2017 CDT SOBO thru vlog
- US Drought Monitor: UPDATE: this definitely made me more nervous than I should have been re: water availability
- HalfwayAnywhere 2020 CDT Thru-Hiker Survey
- GNP Logan Pass Webcam
- GNP North Fork Trail Status
- GNP Closures
- GNP Backcountry Camping
- GNP Plan Your Visit
- CDT fire incidents and info
- PMags' quick and dirty guide to the CDT
Check/Ship:
- tent stakes
- trekking pole
- ice axe
- microspikes?
- 125ml olive oil container >100ml liquid cannot be carried on, either carry on empty or check/ship
- peanut butter :(
- fuel: cannot check, buy at destination
Red star = need to get
Gold star = need to weigh
-
-
Food
Price Weight qty -
food
1 day
$4.50
20
oz3
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Water
Price Weight qty -
water
1L
$0.00
1
kg1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Clothes, Worn
Price Weight qty -
sun hat
Headsweats Supervisor. shades my nose and face, adds a small amount of warmth. layers nicely with hoods. sometimes wrapped around my wrist.
$19.00
1.5
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
sunglasses
Goodr midnight ramble blue lenses good for blue skies. scratched to shit
$25.00
22
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
mask
reusable
$2.00
0.5
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
base layer
Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoody II (L) (2019) 100% polyester, wicking, breathable, stretchy, comfortable, durable. best sun hoody ever made. discontinued 2023.
$41.00
6.8
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
shorts
Soffe Infantry Performance (5 inch) (M) cheap and durable
$18.00
3.4
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
$0.00
0
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
socks
Gold Toe nylon dress socks (XL). thinnest socks i can find, my feet sweat like crazy in anything thicker.
$3.00
1.8
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
gaiters
Dirty Girls (size=DANG!)
$20.00
1.3
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
footwear
Altra Olympus (size=15)
$80.00
30
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
trekking pole
Black Diamond Distance Carbon Z (130 cm) (strapless) packs small, moderately durable, light. doubles as shelter pole
$0.00
5.3
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Sleep
Price Weight qty -
quilt
Nunatak Arc UL 30F (2"+ loft, 370g 900 fill goose down, 78" x 54" x 44", etc) (2019). best in the biz
$430.00
21.1
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
pad
Therm-a-Rest Prolite (small) (R=2.4) secondhand, quick setup and teardown. lower to the ground like CCF, cushy like an inflatable. tough and reliable. best of all worlds.
$32.89
10.7
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
pad
GG Thinlight 1/8" (R=0.4) corners trimmed. triple duty as pack frame, sit pad and sleep pad under inflatable
$19.00
2.6
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Clothes, Carried
Price Weight qty -
top midlayer
Montbell Ex Light Down Anorak puffy (XL) (2019) (fill=2.3oz, fp=900) secondhand. still can't find anything better
$199.00
7.3
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
top hard shell
OR Helium II (XL) don't trust it
$75.00
6.7
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
umbrella
Montbell U.L. Trekking Umbrella
$49.00
4.5
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
top softshell
Montbell Tachyon parka (XL) (2019) love the fit and features, use it every day. thousands of miles later still going strong
$99.00
2.9
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
second socks
Gold Toe (XL) — breathable, cheap
$3.50
1.8
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
bottom soft shell
EE Copperfield 10D (size=L, inseam=34") (CFM=10) these are my absolutely favorite windpants I've ever tried, the fit is fantastic. if only they fit over my shoes...
$64.00
1.4
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
buff
merino, black-ish. versatile: beanie, eye mask, bandana, towel, balaclava, mask
$15.00
1.2
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
glove liners
Decathlon Adult Mountain Trekking Fleece Liner Gloves - Trek 100 (XL) cheap, surprisingly durable
$2.00
26
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
bug headnet
doubles as clothes sack / pillow
$4.79
17
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
poncho belt
belt that wrangles poncho tarp
$0.00
12
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
poncho
Gatewood Cape. functional poncho but awkward in the wind and doesn't work for insulation. used on the CDT and it works ok.
$0.00
0
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Shelter
Price Weight qty -
tarp
Gatewood Cape (15d) (gray) one of a kind -- a better poncho than a poncho, a better tarp than a tarp. would love a zipperless one in silpoly...
$145.00
10.9
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
bivy
Borah Gear Ultralight Bivy (XLong, Wide) thanks John!
$109.00
6.2
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
stakes
Ti shepherd hook
$3.00
6.5
g6
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
stake
Vargo Ti Nail (UL) use as pilot stake
$6.00
8.5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Pack
Price Weight qty -
pack
MLD Burn (L) (2020) evolved design, top-notch craftsmanship, legendary shoulder straps, durable, love the hipbelt too. can never fill out squared back bottom corners
$220.00
16
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
pack liner
nylofume. surprisingly durable with care
$1.50
0.9
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
shoulder pocket
Justin's UL (700ml) love it
$0.00
11
g2
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Electronics
Price Weight qty -
power bank
RAVPower PD (mAh=10k) -- USB C + fast charge
$49.00
6.6
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
phone
iPhone 6s (mAh=1810) nav, comm, camera. battery recently replaced
$0.00
5
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
phone case
Lifeproof case
$20.00
1.2
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
headlamp
Nitecore NU25 (mAh=610) + UL headband. slight weight penalty over flashlight
$30.00
32
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
wall charger
Anker 511 USB C Charger (2022)
$19.99
30
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
cable
USB C to lightning cable, 36 inch
$11.00
24
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
cable
USB C to USB C, 6 inch
$5.00
5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
electronics bag
Ziploc (quart)
$0.00
5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
adapter
USB A to USB C
$3.00
3
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
adapter
USB C to USB A
$0.00
2.5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
camera storage
128 GB
$26.00
2
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
adapter
USB C to micro USB
$1.00
1
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
adapter
USB C to lightning
$1.00
0.03
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Water
Price Weight qty -
water filter
Sawyer squeeze (original). don't trust mini or micro -- greater reliability / flow is worth an extra ounce
$30.00
3.1
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
dirty bottle
1L + sports cap. LifeWtr fit narrow MLD Burn side pockets better
$2.00
1.5
oz2
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
water bladder
Platypus 2L. hiker box
$0.00
1.3
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
water treatment
Aquatabs x 30
$3.00
6
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
low water scoop
Capri Sun pouch, chopped
$0.00
3
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Kitchen
Price Weight qty -
pot
Toaks 550ml (w/o handles) just enough for ramen + topping
$31.95
41
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
fuel
Coghlan 9565 solid fuel tablet
$0.20
7
g3
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
pot holder/windscreen
MYOG 95mm caldera sidewinder cone. couldn't buy one
$15.00
15
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
food bag
turkey bag
$1.00
0.5
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
lighter
Mini Bic
$1.00
11
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
utensil
Sea to Summit Alpha Light spoon
$11.00
10
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
stove
poor man’s Kojin: blue tin + rock wool
$1.00
8
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
pot ring
silicone band. TODO: roll bead in pot
$0.00
3
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
stuff sack
zPacks cooking pot stuff sack (400-550)
$19.00
2.5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
pot lid
MYOG from soda can (95mm)
$0.00
2.5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
fuel bag
generic sandwich bag. TODO: ditch and store fuel in stove(!)
$0.00
2
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Ditty
Price Weight qty -
toothpaste
travel size
$0.97
1
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
first aid kit
24 ibuprofen for pain, tweezers for splinters, 4 aspirin for heart attack, 3 Sudafed for illness, 2 Benadryl for illness, 2 Loperamide/Immodium for diarrhea, 2 Zyrtec for allergy in a baggie. only ever used Ibuprofen, and tweezers (cactus spines on the AZT)
$1.00
0.6
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
wallet
2 cc + id + rubber band
$0.00
15
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
sleep aid
one Ibuprofen PM per night until the next Walmart
$3.97
8
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
patch kit
Therm-a-Rest patch kit, chopped, repacked
$0.00
7
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
thermometer
Sun Company Zip-o-gage
$2.00
6
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
knife
Micro Scissors. cuts tape, floss, mail, nails.
$3.00
5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
ditty bag
zPacks stuff sack
$0.00
5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
gear repair
silnylon patches. for shelter, quilt, bivy, pants, jacket, ... used once on the CDT, another hiker had their tent chewed by a skunk. cut with scissors, worked great.
$9.00
5
g2
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
gear repair
super glue, mini
$3.00
2
g2
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
chapstick
Blistex SPF 15, repacked in 1.5ml Litesmith
$1.00
4
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
blister repair
leukotape strips on shipping label backing
$1.00
3
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
toothbrush
bamboo, chopped. surprisingly durable
$1.49
3
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
earplugs
for sleep. plus extras because i lose them
$0.05
2
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
gear repair
Tenacious Tape, mini. for pack, jacket, food bag, ... used once on the PCT for a quilt rip
$3.45
1
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
spare Sawyer gasket
people say they fall out... 🤷
$0.00
0.5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
sewing kit
floss + needle for repairs, use with microscissors. used twice, once on PCT for quilt rip, lent to someone else on AZT for clothing repair
$0.00
1
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Navigation
Price Weight qty -
paper maps
CDT Ley map double-sided 8.5x11 to next resupply
$0.00
5
g6
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
map bag
Ziploc (gallon)
$0.00
8.5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
compass
Suunto clipper compass
$15.00
5
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
app
Guthook CDT + USGS National Map topo layer
$60.00
0
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
pdf
Ley Maps saved to phone
$0.00
0
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
app
GAIA GPS trails and topo
$0.00
0
g1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Toilet
Price Weight qty -
disinfectant
hand sani
$1.00
1
oz1
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Glacier NP
Price Weight qty -
traction
Kahtoola MICROspikes (XL) (2019) barely fit my size 15 clown shoes
$25.00
15.5
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
ice axe
CAMP Corsa (50 cm) (2019)
$63.00
7.3
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
map
Cairn Cartographics Glacier NP topo map -- too beautiful to cut up
$16.00
3.6
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
bear hang bag
Sea-to-Summit dry bag (13L)
$25.00
2.3
oz0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
bear hang cord
25ft + mini biner
$8.00
23
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
microspikes bag
USPS priority tyvek envelope
$0.00
14
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
permit
Glacier NP
$42.00
5
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
permit
Blackfeet
$20.00
0
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
Yellowstone NP
Price Weight qty -
permit
Yellowstone NP (call up)
$30.00
0
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-
-
-
CO
Price Weight qty
-
-
-
NM
Price Weight qty -
permit
New Mexico Recreational Access Permit
$0.00
5
g0
- oz
- lb
- g
- kg
-