Stormy Weather (July 28th to August 4th) CDT miles 1915.2 to 2119.1)

Dubois was a nice rest stop. The morning of the 28th I awoke and gathered my things. While sitting on the stoop outside my room I saw Dosu walk by and yelled hello. He, Redfish, and Lumber were in a hotel just down they road. I thought they were way in front but apparently they had taken a side trip to the Tetons and had actually gotten behind and arrived in town the day after me. I walked over to the hotel and said hello to everyone then went back to my room and finished packing and getting checked out. I walked down the highway to the edge of town and started trying to hitch. It took a while but eventually I got a ride. When I got back to the trailhead there were several hikers trying to hitch in. I hadn’t met any of them before so I said hello and then crossed the highway and returned to the woods. The trail wasn’t bad and I planned on stopping early, my permit for Yellowstone wasn’t until Wednesday and it was only about 50 miles to the park so I had plenty of time. I hiked through the forest and went down by a lake then crossed into the foothills and made it through a deep valley before reaching trail creek where I decided to set up. I had hiked 11.5 miles to mile 1926.7. Redfish, Lumber, Dosu, Hobo Max and Fruit Salad came by a little while later and then continued on.

I slept well and woke early on the 29th and started walking. It was a good morning and I made miles before a storm rolled in and the rain came. It came and it stayed. I had mailed my raincoat home with my winter gear to lighten my load before crossing the desert in the Basin and hadn’t gotten another one yet so I was soaking wet in no time at all. The trail was turning to mud and it was a soggy slurping hike. I pushed on regardless but figured if the rain kept up I would end up camping early again since I still had loads of time to get to Yellowstone. Several horse trains passed by heading south with dripping tourists riding scrunched down in the downpour.

I kept on and saw some southbounders and we stood under a tree and bonded in our misery for a few minutes and then went our separate ways. The rain picked up even more and it was getting colder as I rose in elevation. I came to a field and had to cross a creek when I strop in the mud along the shore my foot sank above my ankle into the muck. I pulled my foot out and the mud kept my shoe. I had to literally dig it out of the mud. It wasn’t quite 4 in the afternoon yet but I looked over and saw some good camping spots under some nearby trees and decided I was done. I dumped as much mud and water out of my shoe as I could and jammed it back on my foot before walking over and setting up. I crawled into my tent and wrapped up in my warm sleeping bag. Warm and mostly dry I remained till morning. Mile 1944.1 a 17.4 mile day.

The 30th I awoke and the rain had subsided so I got going. It was Tuesday and my permit for my first night in Yellowstone was for Wednesday so I was planning to hike to the park border and camp just south of the line. It was cloudy and sprinkled a bit but overall the weather was nice. The day went by quickly with lots of open grasslands between the mountains. There were a couple of steep climbs but nothing too bad and soon I reached a field. There was a small sign in the middle that said Entering Yellowstone National Park. I found a spot in the trees bordering the meadow just shy of the sign and set up my tent excited to finally be entering Yellowstone in the morning. CDT mile 1964.6 a 20.4 mile day.

The 31st I crossed into a Yellowstone National Park. It wasn’t much different than what I had been hiking through already but it was pretty. Meadows of wildflowers dominated the morning as I crossed over and between the mountains. It was to be a short day as the campground the ranger had reserved for me was only 18 miles into the park on the shore of Heart Lake. As the morning turned to afternoon thunder rumbled and lightning lit the distant peaks. I forewent my rest breaks and hurried on, hoping to make camp and set up before the storm hit. I made it to the lake and set up at Beaver Creek Campground as the winds picked up and the thunder closed in. The rain mostly passed me by but the thunder and lightning put on a show over the lake and on the peaks across the water.

I chilled in my tent for a while and then some other hikers came in. They were all flippers heading south. Flippers basically means that they started in the South but when the snow came and times got hard they decided to find an easier way. Most of them took some time off and then flipped up to Canada and are now hiking south to wherever they flipped from. We hung out for a while and all ate dinner by the lake. They were cheerful and clean and looked fresh, unworn by the Colorado snows. They carried strange things like inflatable chairs and hair brushes, their gear wasn’t worn, or their clothes threadbare.

I retired to my tent, and looked at the mileage for tomorrow, the ranger had planned a 30 mile day for me. That was going to be rough, also the highway to Grant Village was 8 miles from where I was currently camped and there was a breakfast buffet there. Plus the campground I was going too was near Lonestar Geyser which erupted every 3 hours and if I made it by 9 pm I could watch it. With these thoughts I drifted off to sleep. CDT mile 1981.7 am 18.1 mile day.

I awoke early on the 1st of August and packed up, nary a flipper was stirring. I walked out and walked along the lake shore for a bit watching the first rays of sunshine peak over the distant mountain tops. I could see steam rising from hot pools on the shores across the lake and birds sang in the pines. It was not a time to hurry and I slowly ambled along almost in a dream, just soaking in the wild. Frogs croaked in the shallows and fish jumped. Insects buzzed as the day shift woke and creatures of the night yawned. It was that strange magical time when all the worlds half awake.

I found a ranger cabin and sat on the porch for a while enjoying the moment. I had a busy day planned and needed to be hiking but nature moves at it’s on pace and it had taken me in “sit a while” the winds seemed to whisper. The suns rays rose over the peaks and danced and played in the branches slowly bringing warmth to the chilly day. I finally rose as the sun melted my lethargy and walked on. I crossed dozens of hot springs and passed thermal pools. I stared into the depths of several wondering how hot they were and saw bleached boiled bones in a few thinking “oh, that hot”. I walked along through field and forest until I made it to highway 191 where I could hitch into Grant Village. I got there at 9 and I still had to hike 23 miles to my campsite but I really wanted breakfast so I decided to hitch in. ( Plus I was out of toilet paper, luckily there had been a bit in the outhouse near the Rangers Cabin that morning) I got a ride really quickly and soon I was happily eating all I could eat. Biscuits and gravy and bacon and eggs and orange juice and coffee “sigh” it was heaven. I ate my fill and then ate some more; then I waddled out to the general store and bought some toilet paper and a few snacks for later ( and a jar of Nutella, I have an addiction) From there I made it back to the highway and it took me a long time to get a hitch but eventually a slightly sketchy van stopped and told me to climb in the back. Something I wouldn’t recommend in a regular life, but in my life you take what rides you can get; so I climbed in and rode back to the trail sitting on a mattress with my new canine friend. The driver was awesome of course and let me out at the trailhead where I had gotten off. I crossed the highway and found a couple of throughhikers sitting on a log. I had seen them before, when I had hitched out of Dubois, they were hitching in and we had said hello. Their names were Watchman, and Rattlebones and they were brother and sister (apparently there had been another sister on trail but she had quit just after making it to Wyoming.)

They had the look of true nobos and we talked for a few minutes. It was 1230 and I had a long way to go so I soon headed off. Of course I’m slow so they passed me by before long. I was hiking through Yellowstone! The legendary world’s first national park! I had always dreamed of visiting it and now here I was. Of course it’s huge and I’m on foot so I wouldn’t be able to see as much as I’d like but still I was there. I hiked through the woods and by lakes. I hit the CDT 2000 mile mark and sat on a stump and ate a bag of peanut m and m’s to celebrate. I waded a small river and saw Rattle bones and Watchman again. I was still trying to make it to Lonestar Geyser by 9 so I tried to hurry. The siblings passed me again. Then when we came to Basin Beach Campsite on Shoshone lake they stopped for the night; I still had 7.5 miles to go.

Shortly thereafter I hit a bog. The trail simply ran into a grassy wetland. There was nothing to do but wade into the grassy waist deep muck. Luckily it only lasted for a few hundred yards and soon I was back on dry ground. Clouds were rolling in and the temperature was dropping. I waded into the next river after the bog tensing for the cold water and found myself pleasantly surprised, the water was warm! Heated even! I washed off the bog muck and reveled in the warmth. Out the other side and I trekked into a geyser field. Thermal pools were everywhere. Boiling puddles, small water spouts, Steam rising from all over. It was amazing. I forgot I was trying to hurry and wandered about in awe of Mother Earth. The liquid sounds, of boiling, gushing, venting, spouting, splashing water filled the air. None of the geysers were big but still small water spouts sprayed out into the air. I slowly crossed and meandered, through staying on trail so as not to get sprayed by boiling water. Huge ravens played in some of the warm puddles. I wasn’t sure if there was food there or if they just wanted to warm their feet. Their harsh caws mixing with the sounds of the water. A harsh, wild, lonely place, a powerful, beautiful, free flowing place, mesmerizing, thought provoking, get lost in your thoughts place. Wishing to linger longer, I hiked on.

The thunder rumbled and the lightning electrified the sky. Rain drove through the trees and as the temperature plummeted turned to hail. I pushed on shivering and hunched against the onslaught and the cold. I had to keep moving trying to stay warm. The ice pummeled and bruised hitting like it was thrown at me as a game from the children of the thundergods themselves. A little before 8 the skies cleared and the onslaught ceased and a freezing, soaked mess of a hiker stumbled into camp. I set up my tent and took off my soaked shirt, replacing it with my puffy coat which was still dry in my pack. I grabbed my dinner and took off to find the Lonestar Geyser which was still a quarter mile away and was supposed to go off around 9. I got there at 8:33 but alas Mother Nature doesn’t care for our schedules and I got word from a Dayhiker the Geyser has gone off early from 8:16 to 8:26. I had missed it by about 5 minutes. It would be around 3 hours before it was due to erupt again and I was still shivering and cold I needed to get to my tent and get my core temperature back up. I ran, stumbled, and shivered my way back to camp as a light rain set in. I got in my tent climbed in my warm, luxurious, mummy bag and shut out the world. I realized I needed to either get my warm dry long sleeve sleeping shirt back from my folks house where I had mailed it before the desert or buy one. I had missed the Lonestar Geyser but I was only 4 miles from Old Faithful Village and I would be there the next day to see the most famous Geyser of all. CDT mile 2012.5 a 30.8 mile day.

The 2nd I slept in till 6. The sun and I were stirring about the same time for once and the world was already warming when I crawled out of my tent. The air was still cold though and I could see my breath in the crisp air. I got to hiking a little after 7 and made the 4 miles to the village fairly quickly. Suddenly my quiet natural world was full of cars and tourists: they were everywhere. I found the Old Faithful lodge which is a uniquely awesome wood and log structure built long ago. I found a corner of the lobby with an outlet in the floor and plugged in my electronics to charge and set my pack on top hoping the dirt and smell would keep people from bothering it. Then I hurried up to the 2nd floor balcony where I sat with a clear view of Old Faithful. I was in luck and within 15 minutes the old lady blew her top. Sadly I couldn’t get a great picture cause of all the tourists in the way but hey there’s enough pictures of her in the world already. It was really cool to see and another check off my list. I imagined what it was like before all the people and infrastructure and daydreamed about wandering into a wild, unexplored Yellowstone and seeing her spout.

After the show I wandered over to the general store and bought snacks and found an awesome warm long sleeve shirt in the clearance section for 15 bucks. My new sleep shirt! I was hoping to find a cool shirt or onesie for my new niece Rose that was born in June but they didn’t have any souvenir clothes for a baby. From there I found the post office and got my resupply box then returned to the inn.

It’s a little kept secret among thru-hikers that there are shower rooms on the second floor and the staff looks the other way if a CDT hiker quietly steals a shower. I ,though, had heard rumors of a tub room with luxurious Victorian claw foot bath tubs. I ambled around the inn and found a room, sure enough marked Tub Room and inside it was partitioned into separate rooms with each one holding a claw foot tub and there was body wash, shampoo, and conditioner in dispensers on the walls. I found a maid cart and borrowed a towel and then committing the crime of the century; I stole a bath. A long luxurious bath.

Afterwards, all I felt like doing was sitting. I made it back to the 2nd floor balcony and Old Faithful had just started up again so I sat and watched and I guess I nodded off for a minute in the warm sun. An Older Lady walked up and eyed my dirty ripped duct taped, clothes. I suppose I must look pretty rough and half starved to most people. She got this concerned look and asked quietly “are you ok” do you need help” I smiled with my missing tooth which didn’t seem to put her at ease and said “I’m really great, I’ve just been living in the woods for quite a while” She gave me a look I can’t quite describe and walked off to her husband. She talked to him and kept looking at me; I was obviously one of the most interesting things she had seen on her trip to Yellowstone.

I sat there and read and relaxed until Old Faithful erupted again and watched her for a third time then walked down to the restaurant intending to eat the Buffett but there were so many people. There was a grill next door that was mostly empty so I went there instead and found a quiet place in the corner where I had a chicken sandwich and a glass of water. Afterwards I grabbed my pack and hiked out. I still had over ten miles to go to reach my campsite.

I walked through the small geysers and saw thermal pools and was on a tourist trail and boardwalk for a while before entering the woods again. It was a long 9 mile climb up to Summit Lake where my site was and even the Ranger had told me no one but CDT hikers ever go to that part of Yellowstone. I reached camp and set up around 7. Rattlebones and Watchmen showed up later and set up their tents; quickly climbing inside to get away from the bugs. I slept well on my last night in Yellowstone knowing I would have to return and see the rest of the park at some future date. CDT mile 2026.6 a 14.1 mile day.

The third I reached the Idaho border early and sat down for a snickers, then hiked on and left Yellowstone. I was headed for Macs inn in Island Park on the Macs Inn Alternate and planned to arrive that evening for dinner. I met loads of flippers and a few true Southbounders on the way. Sometimes in groups of ten or more. I turned off the main trail onto the alternate at mile 2039.0. I got to Macs Inn 15 miles later and realized it had been torn down to build a Marriott which was under construction. I went to the Cafe Sabor which was a Mexican Cafe on the bank of a river. I ate there and then walked a mile toward the main part of Island Park and set up camp in the woods slightly off the highway. Macs Inn Alternate mile 15.5 a 27.9 mile day.

The fourth I awoke and walked to the small grocery store in town where I bought a few supplies (they didn’t sell Nutella) ate a muffin and got some coffee for breakfast and then continued on. I hiked uphill for ten miles to the top of (or near the top) of Sawtell Peak and then the trail went off into the woods and fields. It was quite a bit of bushwhacking for the next few miles. I met a bunch of Sobos headed the other way and they all said “stay right of the river”. I did but then realized I would have to cross it to get back to the trail despite what they had told me. I found a likely spot and tried to cross but slipped and fell in. My tracking pole washed away and I struggled to the other shore. I dragged myself out and then looked downstream and saw my pole caught on a rock so I waded back in and grabbed it. Then I made it back to shore again and laughed at my antics, then realized the trail was somewhere on the other side of the huge hill I was facing. Sighing I started to climb. I made it to the top and down the other side and there she was “my home” the CDT. I rejoined the official trail at mile 2109, walked around a bend and found Sea Legs sitting under a tree. She said hey, and I said hello and sat down next to her in the shade. We chatted and then she got up to hike and I soon followed. We climbed mountains and hiked meadows, drank from streams, walked by boulders and climbed more mountains. A storm was raging down in the valley as we climbed the last mountain of the day and lightning was flashing across the heavens accompanied by thunders crash. As we rounded the ridge at the crest we came to a large flat field on the ridge overlooking the valley and there we found. Dosu, RedFish, and Hobo Max camped, all watching the storm rage below. We joined them as the night replaced the day and we all sat in awe as we watched nature’s fury rage. Lightning crossed and spiked and danced in the distance as the thunder reverberated through the night. We watched late into the evening before retiring to our tents for the night. CDT mile 2119.1 a 25.7 mile day.

TO BE CONTINUED..,,

I apologize for getting behind, and promise to catch up soon. WiFi’s a bit scarce and it’s a long way between town stops. For those who wish to know I am currently at mile 2389.7, I have less than 650 miles to go. The trail varies each year in distance a bit and this year it ends at mile 3014 on guthooks maps so I am probably going to finish a bit early around the 15th of September and have some time to kill before my plane on the 28th. I’m sure I can find something to do in Montana. 🙂