INTERVIEW WITH A THRU HIKER(Animal)

Continental Divide Trail 16

Interview With A Thru-hiker

Trail Name : Animal

2016CDT
26.03.2017

0. Talk about yourself?

Hi my name is James. I am fairly new at hiking in general. I did not start until 2010. I have been working and hiking in the Yellowstone ecosystem since then. I started the CDT on April 8th 2016 and finished on September 27th 2016. I acquired my trail name Animal while I was hiking the CDT.

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1. Why did you decide to hike the CDT?

I have lived in the Rocky Mtn. region most of my life and for a long time been fascinated with the Continental Divide. Once I found out there is a trail I just knew I had to do it.

2. How many miles you cover when hiking?

I averaged between 20 to 30 miles a day.

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3. Tell me about the memorable episode

There are soooo many memories,  but climbing Mt. Albert was special. It was the first time I hiked over 14,000 feet. Another memorable experience was hiking 30 miles in one day in Glacier National Park.

4. What was your favorite part of the experience?

Starting so low to getting so high over and over.

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5. What is the hardest part of hiking?

The hardest part for me was doing the miles necessary on a daily basis to stay on schedule. I consider myself a slow thru hiker and it took me all day to do the miles.

6. Do you think people get addicted to thru hiking?

Yes it definitely changes a person.

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7. What are trail angels and what is trail magic?

Trail angels are people that help hikers out along the trail. Trail magic is what angels do to help hikers out like give them food and drinks or a place to stay.

8. Did you try other long distance trail? what is the difference between CDT and Others?

The CDT is the only thru hike I have done.

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9. What lesson you learn on hike?

I learned so much on the trail and faced some fears, it's really hard to narrow it down to one lesson.

10.  Any tips for aspiring or current thru hikers?

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

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11. Any new hikes planned?

As of right now no new thru hikes are planned but there is talk of doing the PCT in the future. Now this summer in Yellowstone I am going to hike my butt off.

Thanks to Animal for sharing a big of his experience with us. We really appreciate the picture and story of your hike. I hope that Animal story gives you some inspiration, a sense of what it is to long distance trail the CDT

So, now what can we do?

Let's go hike!!!

INTERVIEW WITH A THRU HIKER(Scorpion)

Continental Divide Trail 16

Interview With A Thru-hiker

Trail Name : Scorpion

2014PCT/2016CDT
23.03.2017

0. Talk about yourself?

My name is Elijah Spray(Scorpion). I am from Bozeman Montana. I successfully thru hiked the PCT in 2014 April 12th to September 16th. and the CDT in 2016 April 8th to September 27th.

Continental Divide Trail 16

1. Why did you decide to hike the CDT & PCT?

I love hiking and I was very overweight at about 320lbs and I had never left my home area, I then heard about the PCT and quickly decided to hike it. and after the best summer of my life on the PCT i wonted to try the CDT and did so as soon as I saved up enough money.

2. How many miles you cover when hiking?

My average comes up to about 25miles. a day when hiking with friends and more like 30+ when I'm by myself. my longest day on the PCT was 53 miles and my longest on the CDT was 43.

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3. Tell me about the memorable episode

hiking 53 miles in one day to get to a all you can eat buffet  in Oregon. 

4. What was your favorite part of the experience?

On the PCT it was all my favorite just seeing someplace new was amazing even the desert. i grew up in Montana and had never really traveled before and everything even the mountains were new and exciting. 

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5. What is the hardest part of hiking?

Foot pain I have lots of foot/ ankle injuries that have made long distance hiking a challenge. 

6. Do you think people get addicted to thru hiking?

Absolutely.

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7. What are trail angels and what is trail magic?

Trail magic is finding something you need or want in a place you would never think of. and trail angels are people that offer help to hikers food water rides and anything else you may need.

8. what is the difference between CDT and PCT?

The PCT in a complete trail witch means very little road walking, no bikes and no ATVs, just hikers and horses. The water is better and there are hardly any cows. The trail is also less steep. The CDT was more of a challenge because there was very few times we were on just a hiking trail, but there was more freedom to do your own thing.

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9. What lesson you learn on hike?

I learned I can push myself much farther than I thought, and that America is a big country.

10. Any tips for aspiring or current thru hikers?

Take care of the woods and the trail, don’t party too much and respect the towns and the people in them, they don’t have to put up with hikers and they don’t owe us anything.

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11. Any new hikes planned?

I want to hike the Hayduke trail this year.

Thanks to Scorpion for sharing a big of his experience with us. We really appreciate the picture and story of your hike. I hope that Scorpion story gives you some inspiration, a sense of what it is to long distance trail the CDT & PCT

So, now what can we do?

Let's go hike!!!

INTERVIEW WITH A THRU HIKER(Grams)

Continental Divide Trail 16

Interview With A Thru-hiker

Trail Name : Grams

2014PCT/2016CDT

23.03.2017

0. Talk about yourself?

My name is Michael, but on trail I'm being called “grams”. I started hiking in 2014 and hiked about 10.000km since then. I'm ridiculously lazy, hate carrying heavy things and being sweaty, but this never kept me from hiking long distance trails, but caused me to carry less and less stuff on each hike.

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1. Why did you decide to hike the CDT?

After doing the PCT I just could not stop thinking about going on another long distance hike. The CDT felt like the next step up, it's rougher, more wild and kind of had something mysterious about it. There was little information on the CDT which just made it more interesting for me and since the PCT was a lot less wild than what I was initially hoping for, I thought the CDT might be a good next hike.

2. How many miles you cover when hiking?

It depends: As usual I started out slower, since I had no time to train in any way, so I started out with about 20mi (32km) per day, but soon did around 35mi (56km) per day. I did several 40+ (64+km) days, the longest being 47mi (75km).

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3. Tell me about the memorable episode

Oh boy, there are so many things that happened during these months, it's hard to pick. I feel like the Gila River might have been some of the hardest hiking in the most beautiful place I've been to yet.
One day I hiked about 18miles (29km) into town (Silver City) had lunch, did my resupply and left to hike another 12 miles (19km)out. The next day I slept way longer than I planned, but ended up hiking 45 miles (72km) to the next town, because I really wanted a milkshake.

4. What was your favorite part of the experience?

Absolutely everything! I loved the trail and even found happiness when times where ruff.

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5. What is the hardest part of hiking?

Saving the money to be able to afford living on the trail for several months!
On the trail for me it's road walking in general, it's really hard on your feet and it's very monotonous. I usually never try to divert my mind with electronics while hiking, but during some sections on the CDT I feel like listening to music and podcasts saved my mind.

6. Do you think people get addicted to thru hiking?

Yes. I am the living proof, along with many people I know who share the same passion. Once you're hooked it's hard to stop.

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7. What are trail angels and what is trail magic?

Trail angels are basically all kinds of random people who help hikers in various ways. Some people offer you to stay at their homes for a night, give you food, or fill up your water bottle on a dry stretch – it can be pretty much anything. Trail magic is a similar thing, usually maintained by people who would be considered trail angels. This can be someone on the side of the road grilling burgers for hikers, or just a coolerbox with sodas somewhere in the woods. Both trail angels and trail magic are not very common on the CDT (unlike other more frequented trails in the US).
I personally got a hot coffee once and found one box with trail magic during the whole 4500km of the CDT.

8. Did you try other long distance trail? what is the difference between CDT and others?

Yes, I hiked the PCT in 2014 and did a short alp crossing (Germany to Italy, about 300km) in 2015.
The main difference is the trail maintenance or rather the lack thereof. The CDT is not very well maintained, especially up north. There are little to no signs, you have to bushwhack in some stretches or have to walk on roads. Also the CDT is just not very frequented, so it might happen that you don't see any person for days!

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9. What lesson you learn on hike?

It doesn't matter if you follow a fixed trail, or take other routes to continue your hike. I learned to be more independent and that I can walk anywhere I want – no matter if there is a trail or not. You see a cool mountain somewhere close by? Just go there and summit it! 

10. Any tips for aspiring or current thru hikers?

1. Go as light as you possibly can – but don't skimp on water!
2. Don't waste your money on expensive gear. Simple solutions are usually cheaper, lighter tend to last longer than any expensive/ complicated pieces of gear. Try making stuff at home, it's easy!

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11.  Any new hikes planned?

Yes, actually I will leave next Tuesday to hike the Arizona Trail and the Appalachian trail. If I still have enough time afterwards I would like to do a shorter hike in Europe again, like going from Munich to Venice.

Thanks to Grams for sharing a big of his experience with us. We really appreciate the picture and story of your hike. I hope that Grams story gives you some inspiration, a sense of what it is to long distance trail the CDT & PCT

So, now what can we do?

Let's go hike!!!