Everything Thru-Hikers Need to Know About the CDT: Continental Divide Trail Q&A
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ย. 2024
- Today I wanted to answer as many questions about the Continental Divide Trail as possible. After thru-hiking in 2022, I remember all too well the feeling of overwhelm that can come before taking on this extremely exciting but daunting trail. It certainly is a beast with more unknowns and logistical concerns than the other triple crown trails, so in hopes of helping prospective thru-hikers I wanted to share a little bit of what I know about the Continental Divide Trail.
This video goes over a lot of common CDT questions, including: Should you hike the CDT nobo or sobo? When’s the best time to start the CDT? What is resupply like on the CDT? Where should you send boxes on the CDT? What gear do you wish you’d brought on the CDT? What are the water sources like on the CDT? What alternates should you take on the CDT? How do you find alternates on the CDT? What are the trail towns like on the CDT? What are the BEST trail towns on the CDT? How do you prepare for the CDT? How do you stay motivated on the CDT? How do you deal with bears on the CDT? AND SO MUCH MORE.
If you have any MORE questions, please leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer.
Getting the Jonathan Ley maps:
Download the Avenza Maps App from the App store. Search for “Jonathan Ley” and download the map sets you’ll need for each section. The maps are available for free, but I encourage you to donate to Jonathan to thank him for all of his meticulous work. You can do so by sending money via PayPal to his email: jonathan@phlumf.com.
Getting the Farout CDT Alts:
Download the FarOut app: bit.ly/3Km90wY from the app store and purchase either the CDT maps or a FarOut subscription. Alts will be obvious once you are looking at each section.
New videos every WEDNESDAY!
Blog version: www.eliseott.c...
My CDT Series following my 2022 thru-hike: • Continental Divide Tra...
My favorite CDT alternates: • Beyond the CDT: Must-S...
*These links are affiliate links which means I receive a small commission if you use them to purchase, at no cost to you! Thanks for your support!
CDT Gear List: www.eliseott.c...
Specific gear mentioned in this video:
Ursack: app.rockporch....
Sun Umbrella: bit.ly/4afF3J8
Remember to always follow LNT!
Good coverage. Great input. This is a great year going, NOBO. Over 400 on the trail to date.
Love to see it!! thanks for watching!
Thanks Sauce. Really enjoyed the motivation portion and breaking things down into small mental chunks like I can do anything for a half a mile. I have certainly struggled on bad days over the years, so always love hearing how people deal with the harder mental days. Peace and happy trails to you and Kid
It's interesting how we all handle those differently! Happy trails! :)
I always enjoy your videos, you do an excellent job with really good content information.
thank you so much!
PERFECT!! - many thx! come & see us when u come thru Lordsburg - anyone reading this! ENJOY! x
A native Lordsburgian! That's so kind of you!
I really liked having my umbrella for doing the Colorado Trail. Both for sun and rain. I was really skeptical when I decided to get one, but was really happy that I did.
Thanks for the video. While I have done the Colorado Trail I have resisted the idea of doing the CDT or PCT. The PCT just seems like a hassle, and the CDT very long. But I'm rethinking this and perhaps I'll do the CDT next year.
Umbrellas are one of those controversial pieces of gear that people either hate or love. I'm definitely in the love camp! Why does the PCT seem like a hassle? And the CDT definitely is long, but I would say for most people it's more like 2,700 miles instead of the 3,100 you often hear.
@@eliseott It seems to me that permits are required and the trail seems to vary depending on closures for fires. It also seems a lot more crowded than the Colorado Trail. I did the Colorado Trail from South to North. I found this interesting as not many people go that way. I would say probably roughly only 5-10 percent. Of course for CDT people the opposite may hold true.
Good luck with your channel!
Great overview. Thanks for answering all those questions.
Thank you so much for this. It’s exactly what I needed.❤
This is great I feel like I see so much about the pct and AT but not this detail for the CDT! Thank you for posting!
yay!! you're welcome! I've noticed that too, just tyring to help out my fellow backpackers! thanks for watching :)
Thank you for this. I’m downloading for future reference. Totally enjoyable and informative presentation.
awesome! thanks for watching!
Thank you for doing this! I'm starting NOBO in late April and this is very helpful/validating. Thank you.
YAY!! have so much fun!! it's an awesome trail. Glad it was helpful!
Great Job! Thanks for sharing.
This is amazing, thank you!!
thanks for watching!
Sauce, thank you so much for the validation! I am heading to Crazy Cook on April 7th. I'm also hiking the CDT to show myself that I can and to show that women belong on the trail. I hiked the CT in 2022, and it was such a rewarding experience. You've been such an inspiration for me, and I'm very excited (and nervous) to get out there!
SO SOON! YAY!! I'm tearing up at this comment. You are going to ROCK it. The nerver are normal, I was a total wreck before the CDT, but Colorado is honestly one of the hardest parts and you already have that experience! Have so much fun!
Why shouldn't women be on the trail?
@@canesrock82 they should be! Backpacking can be a more male dominated activity but I think that’s changing.
@eliseott to be fair, I think she was trying to say something more.
I live in the PNW. I've been hiking since the 90s. There are definitely more women on the trails now.
The issues start when other women attack other women for hiking solo. I'm active on several blogs, and it's other women discouraging solo hiking instead of support and just encouraging them to be prepared.
I've followed several women that thru hiked or section hiked the CDT. I wish they were acknowledged more.
Very informative 👏🏻 thank you
thank YOU for watching!
starting cdt 7th april, thanks for all the tips.
yay!! congrats and have a blast!! it's a fantastic trail!
Had the same experience leaving Grants. Only 2 liters but I continued to follow the road and a few cars stopped and gave me water and some gatorade.
I feel like walking out of town lulls you into a false sense of security that you'll be able to get water, but then all of a sudden you can't. That's great some cars stopped though!
Good sound advice
thank you!
Great tips for CDT hikes. 🌿
P.S. My longest food carry is 28 days in the Sierra. Started off with a 72 lbs pack. Brutal. 🌿
thank you! and OMG!!! Honestly being out for that long sounds fantastic but I bet that first week was brutal.
@@eliseott When we came down off and finished at Mineral Springs, you could have busted a 2x4 over my body, I was so solid. At age 62 now, I continue to reap the benefits of an always active lifestyle. As a female, a lifetime of physical exertion has made many of the foibles of getting older far less dramatic.🌿
@@Swimdeep that’s amazing! I love that feeling of being so in shape you feel invincible. I hope to stay as active as you throughout my life! I know that load bearing exercise is good for the bones.
@@eliseott It totally is. Keep doing you forever Elise. 🌿
Everybody loves sauce!
Idk if that's true but I'm blushing!
Do you have a video like this for the PCT? Starting in 3 weeks 😬
I don't currenlty, I'm a little worried some of my info would be too outdated (since it's been since 2019) but I'll try to do one and answer what I can! If you have any burning questions in the meantime feel free to ask or message me on IG (I get to DMs there pretty often).
How did you get the trail name 'Sauce?'
It was originally 'SOS' which stood for Soup On Sand, after I spilled my dinner of soup on a sandy creek bed. It was my last dinner so I still ate most of it, buried the rest. Then it just started being pronounced phonetically and after a few situations where I realized "SOS" wasn't the best thing for people to shout to me in the woods, I started just going by Sauce.
Lewis Jennifer Jackson Timothy Brown Steven
I’m offended that the best steak of your life was in Lima.
hehe