Day 138 - Continental Divide Trail - Pentagon Creek to Strawberry Creek

Day: 138

Date: Saturday, 21 September 2024

Start:  Pentagon Creek

Finish:  Strawberry Creek

Daily Kilometres:  35.3

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  4011.9

Weather:  Very cold early, then cool and mostly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts/Muesli

  Lunch:  Protein Bars/Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals 

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported

Highlight:  Nothing in particular.

Lowlight:  The crossing of the Middle Fork Flathead River turned out to be both time-consuming and frustrating.  When we arrived at the river it was obvious, disappointingly, that it was not rock-hoppable as hoped.  We did not want to wade through so, after some investigation, found a log jam downstream that looked a possible crossing option.  Just as we were about to try, another CDT hiker, “Owl”, turned up and walked down the main log across the river with aplomb.  To fall off the log would have been catastrophic given the jumble of logs below and the fast-flowing water.  Julie went across more carefully, but Dave decided he didn't have the agility or balance to justify the risk and returned to where the trail crossed and changed out of his boots into his sandals and waded across while Julie waited on the other side.  Once there, Dave dried his feet and put on his boots before we began walking along the trail again.  In less than 100 metres, we came to a second crossing of the river and both had to take our footwear off to wade across.  Extremely annoying and the whole exercise cost us nearly an hour.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke at 5am and began hiking around 6am in pitch darkness.  First we had to rock-hop across the Pentagon Creek which was not easy in the dark by headlamp and Julie ended up with one very cold wet foot.

Then we had a 3000’ climb up to the aptly named Switchback Pass (7792’) over the next 10km.  It took us nearly four hours and had seemingly endless switchbacks and false summits, though the grade wasn't too bad and the forest lovely.

At the Pass we stopped for breakfast in the sun and admired the views with craggy rocky summits on either side.  After the Pass came a long descent past some picturesque lakes and beneath craggy cliffs on trail that had been badly cut up by horse traffic.  We had seen some horse riders with pack horses on our way up to the Pass.

The trail improved as we got further down and began following Clack Creek for many kilometres along the valley floor, mostly through meadow.

We left the creek to cross the Middle Fork Flathead River (see above) then follow it upstream for some kilometres, finally rejoining the CDT (from the Spotted Bear Alternate).

We had dinner at the trail junction, then walked another 5km through a burnt landscape until we found a rare place to camp on a tiny island with Strawberry Creek flowing on either side.  It will be cold tonight and it looks like we will have to ford the creek first thing tomorrow morning.

We didn't get quite as far as hoped today because of the slow climb at the start and the time lost at the later river crossing.

Day 137 - Continental Divide Trail - Burnt Creek to Pentagon Creek

Day: 137

Date: Friday, 20 September 2024

Start:  Burnt Creek 

Finish:  Pentagon Creek

Daily Kilometres:  37.6

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3976.6

Weather:  Cold to cool all day and partly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts/Muesli

  Lunch:  Snacks/Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals.

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles with his left ankle particularly sore; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Hiking along the base of the Chinese Wall for about 13km.  The Wall is a high escarpment (~8000’) with a sheer and forbidding rock cliff that towered above us as we hiked along about 1000’ below its crest.

Lowlight:  Nothing in particular.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We woke at 5am and were hiking by 6am on a cold morning.  We climbed steadily towards the base of the Chinese Wall, a very impressive escarpment (see above) which stretches about 20km in total, reaching it around 7:30am.

We then followed the Wall for about 13km through a mixture of pine forest and meadows, dipping down to cross many small creeks.  A strong cold wind came up and we both were quite cold by the time we stopped for breakfast, even though sitting in the sun.

When we reached the end of the Wall the CDT swing eastwards and we followed it for a few kilometres before joining the Spotted Bear Alternate route.  Most CDT hikers take this Alternate.  Not only is it 25km shorter than CDT but also because, reputedly, the scenery is just as good.

After descending from a pass, the Alternate followed the Spotted Bear River, which we crossed a few times.  The trail was quite good underfoot, but also quite overgrown, so we felt like we were bashing our way though vegetation much of the time.  Nevertheless, we made reasonable time and the more even tread of the trail took the pressure off Dave's bad ankle a little.

Later in the day we were passed by three northbound CDT hikers, all of whom we had seen back on Augusta, and also three men on horseback, with a pack horse, all of them with rifles on the saddles, just like in the Westerns.

Around 7:20pm we reached a more open area where we could camp, a rarity on the wilderness along the Spotted Bear River, and stopped for the night.

Day 136 - Continental Divide Trail - Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead to Burnt Creek

Day: 136

Date: Thursday, 19 September 2024

Start:  Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead (but staying in Augusta MT)

Finish:  Burnt Creek

Daily Kilometres:  30.0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3939.0

Weather:  Cool to mild and partly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Microwaved breakfast burritos

  Lunch:  Meat & cheese rolls

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals.

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles with his chronic left ankle being particularly sore today for some reason; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  As we walked the mile through town to the Benchmark Road junction at dawn, we worried about how long it would take to hitch-hike back to the Benchmark Trailhead along the rough dead-end forest road.  We reached the turnoff and had begun walking along the forest road, when a pickup towing a large horse trailer passed us, then stopped 50m up the road.  The passenger walked back to us and said if we were willing to sit in the tray of the pickup, they could take us to the trailhead.  Then he (Dave) and the driver (Bill) reconsidered and moved everything (saddles, etc) from the back seat of their dual cab into the tray of the pickup so we could sit in the back seat.  We then had a very interesting drive out to the trailhead learning about the two weeks they, who were from Wisconsin, were to be working as volunteers for the Forest Service in the Bob Marshall Wilderness repairing corrals, gates, etc.  In the trailer were their two horses and two pack mules. They delivered us to the trailhead around 9am, the earliest we could have hoped for when we left the motel.

Lowlight:  Nothing in particular.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

We left the motel around 7am, walked through Augusta, and managed, against expectations, to quickly get a ride back to the Benchmark Trailhead (see above).

We were hiking by 9am and soon in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and following the Sun River upstream which turned out to be what we did for the entire day until we camped.  The trail was well-used and somewhat muddy not helped, judging by the evidence, by frequent horse use.  We passed through occasional meadows, but were mostly in lovely pine forest, with high mountains rising on both sides.  It was a very clear day and the views were fantastic.  Along the way we saw some very large bear tracks and some bear scat, but no bears.  We did see a few hikers.

Dave was struggling with a sore ankle and the usual post-town heavy pack, so our pace was not fast, but we managed to get done what we had hoped and found somewhere to camp around 7:15pm.

Day 135 - Continental Divide Trail - Augusta

Day: 135

Date: Wednesday, 18 September 2024

Start:  Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead (but staying in Augusta MT)

Finish:  Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead (but staying in Augusta MT)

Daily Kilometres:  0.0

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos from her run this morning.

Total Kilometres:  3909.0

Weather:  Cool, overcast and breezy.

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Denver Omelette & hash browns, toast & jam.

  Lunch:  Meat & cheese rolls

  Dinner:  Cheeseburgers & fries, ice-cream.

Aches:  Nothing reported.

Highlight:  Nothing in particular.

Lowlight:  Nothing in particular.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

Another decadent day off in Augusta for us.  Breakfast at the motel's cafe after Julie went for a run, then planning, admin and some chores while watching the TV in the background.

We chatted with two CDT hikers who were hitchhiking back to the trail this morning, one of whom was an Australian we met way back in New Mexico nearly four months ago.  Every time we think we may be the last of this season's northbound CDT hikers, some more appear from behind us.

We had an early dinner at the same bar in town followed by an early night.  The next, and penultimate, leg of our hike will be 5-6 days through the famous Bob Marshall Wilderness (“the Bob”), which reportedly has superb and wild scenery along with a healthy population of grizzlies.

We have to hitch-hike from Augusta back to the trailhead in the morning and are a little apprehensive about how easy that will be.  Fingers crossed!

Day 134 - Continental Divide Trail - Augusta

Day: 134

Date: Tuesday, 17 September 2024

Start:  Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead (but staying in Augusta MT)

Finish:  Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead (but staying in Augusta MT)

Daily Kilometres:  0.0

GPX Track:  Click here and here for Julie’s Strava & Photos from today.

Total Kilometres:  3909.0

Weather:  Cold early then mild and mostly overcast with some light rain in the afternoon.

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Western omelette, hash browns, toast & jam.

  Lunch:  Ham & cheese rolls.

  Dinner:  Chicken dinner/Steak strips, ice-cream.

Aches:  Nothing reported.

Highlight:  Nothing in particular.

Lowlight:  Nothing in particular.

Pictures: No pictures today.

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

Not much to report for today.  We both had a.good night's sleep and enjoyed the motel's breakfast after Julie had been for a run around the very small town.  

Augusta is a neat and tidy little Western town set in flat grazing land with the mountains to the west.  The locals are very friendly and we are immediately identified as CDT hikers.

For the rest of the day, Dave hung out in the motel room watching the TV and doing some admin chores while Julie spent time sitting outside on the verandah or looking around town, including asking whether anybody knew of anybody who could drive us back to the trail on Thursday morning.  No luck so far, so we think we will be hitchhiking.

We ventured back to the same bar as last night for dinner then had another quiet night.  A few other hikers have turned up at the motel.

Day 133 - Continental Divide Trail - Dearborn River to Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead

Day: 133

Date: Monday, 16 September 2024

Start:  Dearborn River

Finish:  Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead (but staying in Augusta)

Daily Kilometres:  30.4

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3909.0

Weather:  Cold early, then mostly sunny and warm.

Accommodation:  Motel

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts/Muesli

  Lunch:  Snacks/Trail mix 

  Dinner:  Bacon cheeseburger & fries, icecream

Aches:  Dave - the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  Getting picked up near the Benchmark Trailhead by three lady hikers and two dogs in two packed vehicles, who went out of their way to squeeze us and our packs into their vehicles, and then drove us the 50km over a very rough road to Augusta and our motel.

Lowlight:  Nothing in particular.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

It rained overnight, and our tent was a bit damp, but the sky was clear when our unwelcome alarm went off at 3am.  We packed up as quickly as we could, including wiping down the tent, and were on our way soon after 4am with our goal, the Straight Creek/Benchmark Trailhead, 26km away.

After initially messing around for a few minutes trying to find the trail where it crossed a creek, we made good progress along the reasonable trail.  It was dark for the first 2.5 hours, but we could sense the creek below and the rocky mountains on either side.

We didn't stop for our breakfast break until around 8:30am when we reached a trail junction where we were to leave the CDT and head towards the trailhead.

After breakfast, we followed a good trail that was somewhat marred by horse use, and.made even better time, reaching the trailhead around 11:45am.  From there we walked another 3km down the road towards Augusta, seeking the best place to hitchhike which would capture any traffic from campgrounds and a guest ranch.

We prepared for a long stay by the roadside and only saw one vehicle, going the wrong way, in the first two hours.  However, around 2pm, two vehicles going out way came along and, after some discussion, the drivers worked out that they could fit us in, one of us in each vehicle (see above).  Julie went in the car, and Dave travelled sitting on a bed in the back of the camper.

We were delivered to our motel a little under an hour later, and checked in.  Two other CDT hikers are already staying here and we later had a good chat.  They will be leaving tomorrow, but we are having two days off.

We are here a day earlier than intended when we left Helena, but have already made arrangements - flights, rental car, meeting friend, Rob, in Glacier National Park,.finishing our hike on September 30th - that we do not want to change.  And Dave won't complain about an extra day off.

Later, we had dinner at a nearby bar in this very small and friendly Western town, then went to bed early to catch up on some sleep.

Day 132 - Continental Divide Trail - East Fork Falls Creek to Dearborn River

Day: 132

Date: Sunday, 15 September 2024

Start:  East Fork Falls Creek

Finish:  Dearborn River

Daily Kilometres:  41.8

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  3878.6

Weather:  Cold early, then mild and partly sunny.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Pop tarts/Muesli

  Lunch:  Snacks/Trail mix

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals

Aches:  Dave - very tired and the usual niggles; Julie - nothing reported.

Highlight:  As dawn was breaking, we were hiking along a high ridge with layers of mountain ranges silhouetted against the faint orange sky.  Spectacular!

Lowlight:  Our booked shuttle driver to Augusta tomorrow cancelled (see below).

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

Knowing that we needed to cover a lot of kilometres today in rugged country, we woke at 4am and were hiking by 5am on a cold morning.  Currently, the sun is rising around 7am, so we were hiking by headlamp for the first hour and a half.  The wind of yesterday was gone, and it was both peaceful and spectacular as we hiked along the high ridge at around 8000’ as the sun rose (see above).

It turned out to be a day or two halves, with the first half mostly above the treeline with great views and some solid climbing.  The second half, which started with a long descent of nearly 2000’ to the Dearborn River, was through forest where the undergrowth and some deciduous trees were starting to look very autumnal in shades of yellow, orange and red.

Once we crossed the river, we followed it upstream, mostly along trail high above the river, for the remainder of the day.  The mountains rising from the river on both sides were rocky and spectacular.

We began looking for somewhere to camp around 8pm, and found a spot about 8:15pm, by which time it was quite dark.  This will be our life for the next two weeks, starting and finishing in the dark.

During the day, when we briefly had internet reception, we confirmed our pickup time tomorrow with the shuttle driver (third one we tried) only to be told she was now unavailable.  We were not happy, as the trailhead from which we access our resupply town of Augusta (50km from the trail), is at the end of a dead-end forestry road with no through traffic.  The chances of getting a lift on a Monday, after the summer vacation has finished, did not seem good.  We had heard of one couple who had taken 16 hours to get a ride.

With this in mind, we decided that the earlier we could get to the trailhead tomorrow, the better. So, despite our early start and long day today, we decided to get up at 3am in the hope of hiking the remaining 26km to the trailhead tomorrow by around noon, giving us the afternoon to hitch-hike into Augusta..