Continental Divide Trail

[mspath]

Instead of staying put during Covid-19 this couple walked 4 months and 3,149 miles from Mexico to Canada on the CDT.

 

[Bob from L.A. !]

Is that the one entitled "How to survive a four month hike"? If it is I just came across that same story and read it a few minutes ago too. Interesting prospective

 

[mspath]

Is that the one entitled "How to survive a four month hike"? If it is I just came across that same story and read it a few minutes ago too. Interesting prospective

Bob from L.A.,
Yes. That is the title of the reportage. Many of the tips could be useful walking the camino.

 

[gollygolly]

Instead of staying put during Covid-19 this couple walked 4 months and 3,149 miles from Mexico to Canada on the CDT.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/01/07/tips-for-hiking-the-continental-divide-trail-or-cdt.html

Interesting, and quite an achievement by the couple, Renee Miller and Tim Beissinger.

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Instead of staying put during Covid-19 this couple walked 4 months and 3,149 miles from Mexico to Canada on the CDT.

Only 4 months for entire CDT?
An average of 26.2 miles day and no Zero days?

Instead of staying put during Covid-19 this couple walked 4 months and 3,149 miles from Mexico to Canada on the CDT.

 

[Former member 92300]

Just to clarify - you posted this under the American Discovery Trail heading. The ADT runs West-East from Ocean to Ocean. That is a newer trail connecting a bunch of old trails across the US. Not sure if it is really truly complete or not - but people are hiking it!

The Continental Divide Trail is North/South Canada to Mexico. This one is interesting because my understanding is a lot of this trail is NOT maintained and can require some bushwacking haha. I believe the CDT is the most "wild" of the US wilderness trails.

Anyhow, the original poster may or may not know this, but thought I would clarify for others!

That said - 4 months? That is pretty impressive considering it takes most 5-8 months to do the PCT or AT which aren't quite so long distance wise.

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Just to clarify - you posted this under the American Discovery Trail heading. The ADT runs West-East from Ocean to Ocean. That is a newer trail connecting a bunch of old trails across the US. Not sure if it is really truly complete or not - but people are hiking it!

The Continental Divide Trail is North/South Canada to Mexico. This one is interesting because my understanding is a lot of this trail is NOT maintained and can require some bushwacking haha. I believe the CDT is the most "wild" of the US wilderness trails.

Anyhow, the original poster may or may not know this, but thought I would clarify for others!

That said - 4 months? That is pretty impressive considering it takes most 5-8 months to do the PCT or AT which aren't quite so long distance wise.

The AT, around 2,200 miles. 5 or 5.5 months.

 

[pasiño a pasiño]

The AT, around 2,200 miles. 5 or 5.5 months.

I

 

[Mikel Olivares]

I think it depends....doable in 3.5 to 4 month like the PCT....

Just a question
Have you done it?

 

[davebugg]

I think it depends....doable in 3.5 to 4 month like the PCT....

3.5 months on the 2,650 mile long PCT? Not likely unless you are an incredibly fit athlete, especially on the high Sierra and North Cascades. The average time is 5 months for the average backpacker, which is a bit longer than I took to do it.

 

[pasiño a pasiño]

am

 

[davebugg]

you are right Davebugg it is not average and it does require a good shape! With depends I meant age/physical constitution/weather and circumstances in the best way! 4month and 2200miles is okay, no?
I had days with more than +-2000m inclines and still 30miles a day, top was 40 miles a day. was a special period. An average of 20miles....couldn't do it again probably!

Neither the PCT or the CDT is 2200 miles long. The PCT is 2650 miles and the CDT is 3100 miles.

When talking about such things, I tend to look at the normative values. To do the PCT in 4 months or under is outside of the norm. Most backpackers that are in good shape fall into the 'norm' which is around 5 months. So, yes, it is possible to do it in 3.5 to 4 months, but not for the vast majority of backpackers.

To do the PCT as a thru-hike, you have to start when the snow pack is still heavy in the Sierras when traveling north bound (NOBO), or in the North Cascades if traveling south bound (SOBO). Frequently, you are slogging through deep snow fields, crossing raging torrents of water, and trying to determine the actual route which is covered with snow and ice at the high elevations. If there is a late season snowstorm, or if the snowpack is heavier than normal, there are delays in progress that can last days or weeks.

Then there are the dozens of resupply stops that must be taken, which might be many, many miles off of the PCT, requiring either a long walk or hitch-hiking a ride into a town. Many times, these are combined as one or two rest days before traveling back to the trail. Sometimes it only takes a half a day to get into town and then back. A few times, the PCT crosses a resort area where you can resupply in a couple of hours.

The point being, that the time frame in which the couple thru-hiked the CDT, which is longer than the PCT, is not usual.