15-08-19. Day 130. Benchmark Ranch – Mark Trail CDT

Hiking The Continental Divide Trail
Mark Trail CDT 2015

My hands froze as I packed my Zpacks Hexamid Plus into the stuff sack. I gave up and put it in a plastic shopping bag. It had frozen ice around the base. No wonder I felt so cold.  

The trail continued along the Straight Line Creek so the hiking was awesome. As I hiked I saw a Cow Moose. Amazing animals, huge and full of grace. I was really looking forward to hiking the Bob Marshall Wilderness and maybe seeing a Griz.  No luck so far. I reached Benchmark Wilderness ranch by noon… Really fast due to great grade… Gentle down…. and down…… and down.

Darwin and Shelly shuttle resupply boxes for CDT hikers to their ranch that is one and three quarters miles off the CDT. It is 30 long miles on a dirt road to resupply in Augusta MT.  There is a bear box that is on their back porch that is full of resupply boxes. Since I messed up and sent my box from Helena and did not call, my box was not in the box. Well surly they just went into town and will be back with my box. By 8:00 pm I realized that wasn’t going to happen and I needed a new plan.

There was a good three days food in the hiker box. I needed 5 to 6. Snow is forecasted for Friday night. I am going to need some fat. I decided to eat and hitch into town to resupply tomorrow morning.. Nice.

Benchmark Wilderness Ranch. 12 Miles

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