15-07-18  Day 98 Contour Lines – Mark Trail CDT

Hiking The Continental Divide Trail
Mark Trail CDT 2015

We awoke at our normal hour and packed up and met at the Office to drop off our keys. Thanks Macks Inn for a great stay.

We left at 6:15 am  and hiked the two miles to the Sawtelle Town area. Connie’s didn’t open till 8:00 am so we had a cup of coffee at the general store. I was feeling great for the first time since Duboise. I bought a half gallon of Moose Tracks ice cream. Bad decision….. Even though I ate two lactace pills everything started rumbling. We said goodbye to Why Wait and Moonwalker and started our climb out of Mack’s Inn.

As we hiked up towards Sawtelle Peak, ATVs  sped by, blowing up dust. I flagged down cars and ATV’s and asked then to slow down so we could breath.  Everyone, decided to help us out and slowed down. We left the road after climbing 3,000 ft . From 6,200 ft to 9000 ft. Wow. Just after crossing into Montana, we began bushwhacking and came upon a monument, noting that we where at the most remote source for the headwaters of the Missouri River. We took some pics and hiked on. Soon we got into trouble crossing a steep slope. You could see the tight couture lines on the map that you always want to avoid. We all slid down the loose scree at one time or another. With a stream flowing below us down a ever steepening gorge with steep cliffs above, we were not in a good situation. Very dangerous and luckily no one got hurt. We crossed a creek and climbed straight up to the official CDT, filled our water bottles, and found a campsite. We were worn out…..

Blair Lake CDT Intersection. 18 miles

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