Planning for the Continental Divide Trail can seem overwhelming if you've never done a long-distance hike before. What gear do I get? Where do I resupply? Do I really have to dig a hole and poop in it and then pack out my toilet paper? Yes, you really do. The truth of it is, you don't really need
Suffering & Despair on the Continental Divide Trail (Class of 2019)
As part of the Continental Divide Trail Survey, I ask hikers what their lowest moments on the trail were and when, if ever, they encountered a situation where they felt legitimately afraid or in danger. The CDT has a reputation for being more challenging than the Pacific Crest Trail and the
The CDT Resupply Guide: Class of 2019 Survey
After deciding that you're going to hike the Continental Divide Trail and researching your CDT gear, most aspiring thru-hikers move to the question of resupply. What is CDT resupply? It's the replenishment of the food (and other consumable items) carried in a hiker's backpack. The idea that
The Continental Divide Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2019 Survey
In the second chapter of the Continental Divide Trail Thru-hiker Survey, we take a deep dive into Continental Divide Trail hikers' gear. CDT gear lists can vary wildly between hikers and (spoiler alert) it's impossible to find a perfect CDT gear list. That said, we can try. I've organized this
The Continental Divide Trail Thru-Hiker Survey (2019)
Welcome to the results of the 2019 Continental Divide Trail Thru-hiker Survey! The CDT Survey is now in its third year and I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to participate. You're all champions of life. And thank you, dear reader, for being patient while
Continental Divide Trail Thru-hiker Advice For 2019
As part of the Continental Divide Trail Survey I ask CDT hikers what they would do differently, given the chance to do it all again, and what advice they have for future CDT hikers. I share this information in the hopes of giving an idea of what mistakes people typically make pre, during, or
Horror & Heartbreak On The Continental Divide Trail (2018 Edition)
The Continental Divide Trail is frequently thought of as the most difficult of thru-hiking's "Triple Crown". As part of this year's Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey, I asked hikers about their lowest moments on trail and the moments on trail that made them legitimately fearful (whether this was
The CDT Resupply Guide: Class of 2018 Survey
Contrary to popular belief, Continental Divide Trail thru-hikers do not carry all of their food for the entire hike with them from the beginning (and if you're hiking the CDT then I would expect you to know this since chances are you've already done a long-distance thru-hike). If you're
The CDT Gear Guide: Class of 2018 Survey
In the second installment of our look at the Continental Divide Trail Thru-hiker Survey, we are taking a deep dive into the gear hikers on the Continental Divide Trail used this year. This includes not only what CDT gear was the most common, but what CDT gear performed best over the course of the