Here are some of the most common questions I receive about my experience Thru Hiking the Continental Divide Trail from the Mexican border to Canada, and my answers. Note: a lot of this is based on personal opinion and experience.
- Did you make/have campfires while on trail?
My short answer to this is, not really. I am pretty sure I could count on one hand the amount of campfires I was apart of while on my 2,800+ mile journey. The campfires I did experience were usually when I camped with other hikers who made a fire for one reason or another. For example, I camped with some hikers who made a fire to help dry out there socks and shoes after a day of hiking in wet snow.
- What did you eat?
The answer to this questions will vary from hiker to hiker, we all have our preferences. For me, my diet consisted mostly of protein bars, various chips, Slim Jims, various cookies, powdered drink mixes, etc. I cooked one meal a day: Dinner. Dinner consisted of rice (Knorr Rice Sides), and chunks of cheese and summer sausage. My end of the day treat was a handful of Skittles. Not the most healthy of trail food diets!
- Did You Hike Alone?
When I set off on this hike, I did not have a hiking partner, I was going into this thing solo. Through social media channels and some great CDT Facebook groups I met another Denver Area hiker who I ended up meeting and catching a ride down to start the trail with. To get to the Mexico Border and the start of the trail, you most likely use the CDTC’s Shuttle Service. So by default you aren’t actually starting your hike ‘alone’. I ended up hiking with other hikers that were on that shuttle for about the first 500 miles or so. A lot can happen over the course of nearly 3,000 miles and I did experiences long stretches of hiking alone. From about Salida, CO to Yellowstone N.P. in WY I was more or less, hiking alone. From Yellowstone to the Canadian border I hiked with another hiker that I had actually first ran into back in New Mexico.
- How Do You Keep Your Devices Charged?
So I carried a few different electronic devices that required recharging. My phone, GPS, and Headlamp all operated on rechargeable batteries, and all had USB or MicroUSB connections. I carried an external battery pack and the cords required to connect it to my devices. When I would get a resupply in town, I’d find a place where I could plug in the external battery to fill it back up with juice, then I’d have the power needed to hike my next stretch of trail. Honestly didn’t need the battery that much: I didn’t use the headlamp all that often, my phone in airplane mode lasted forever, and the GPS also wasn’t used often. But it was a great safety to have, and it definitely came in handy if I was using my phone more to listen to music or podcasts.
