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| Continental Divide Trail 16 |
Interview With A Thru-hiker
Trail Name : Bard
2014PCT/2016CDT
09.04.2017
0. Talk about yourself?
My name is Connor “Bard” DeVane. I’m a writer, a teacher, volunteer activist and organizer, and odd job worker. I’m currently working on a multimedia journalism project about my hike and grassroots climate action in the states the CDT traverses called Hike the Divide. I started the CDT on June 28th and reached the Mexican border on November 19th. |
| Continental Divide Trail 16 |
1. Why did you decide to hike the PCT & CDT?
I decided to hike the PCT right after graduating from college in 2014. I wanted to immerse myself in wilderness and do something wholly new for me; I’d never been backpacking before. I didn’t think I’d do another thru-hike after finishing the PCT, but it didn’t take long ‘til I felt the itch. I’d heard the CDT was more rugged, more wild than the PCT, and that really called to me.2. How many miles you cover when hiking?
I would guess I logged 25-30 miles per day on average, my longest day being 62.2 miles (100km) through the Great Divide Basin. |
| Continental Divide Trail 16 |
3. Tell me about the memorable episode
Every day was memorable! But one of my most cherished experiences was seeing three Mexican Gray Wolves, the most critically endangered mammal in the US, just north of Snow Lake in the Gila National Forest. I was road walking (typical New Mexico) with Anchor and we saw them just after sundown, maybe thirty yards up the road. At first we thought maybe they were just really big coyotes… and then they let loose some bone-chilling howls that only a wolf could produce.4. What was your favorite part of the experience?
My favorite part of my CDT hike was just being out there. There’s nothing like the life of a thru-hiker: waking up in a new place every day surrounded by sublime mountain ranges, seeing the different ecosystems give way to one another, being able to hear yourself think. Favorite section, though, I’d probably say the Winds. The Wyoming section is way cooler than it gets credit for. |
| Continental Divide Trail 16 |
5. What is the hardest part of hiking?
Some people say the hardest part of a thru hike is the first step (and the buildup of commitment and planning to take that first step), but I think the hardest part is what follows the last step. Transitioning back to society after a long trail is pretty disheartening and disorienting.6. Do you think people get addicted to thru hiking?
Yeah, you could say that. |
| Continental Divide Trail 16 |
7. What are trail angels and what is trail magic?
A trail angel is anyone who performs a selfless act of generosity for a hiker. Sometimes it’s a ride into town, a shower, a beer, or a warm bed for the night. Trail magic is, well, magic that happens to take place on trail. This often manifests as a cooler full of sodas, or a trail angel making pancakes, etc., but it can also be an encounter with wildlife, a run-in with a hiker you haven’t seen in a while, or simply the glimmer of sunlight on an alpine lake when you’re having a bad day. Trail magic reminds you of the good. It washes away anxieties and negative feelings.8. Did you try other long distance trail? what is the difference between CDT and others?
I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail (NoBo) in 2014. The PCT sees more traffic, has a larger non-thru community, has a lot more signage, and is much more maintained than the CDT. I don’t think I could say I like one trail more than the other, but the PCT does have a special place in my heart. |
| Continental Divide Trail 16 |
9. What lesson you learn on hike?
My friend Kokopeli, a hiker who passed away last year, said (and I’m paraphrasing), that on trail we learn what really matters to us. I think that’s pretty accurate. Another friend, Rocket Llama, once said that, “The Trail is a lot of different things to a lot of different people.” Me, I learned what I’m capable of, how little I need to be happy, how much of what we assign importance to is entirely constructed and ephemeral, as well as how important it is to live in partnership with the natural systems of our planet.10. Any tips for aspiring or current thru hikers?
Get yourself a good pair of shoes and get on the trail! You absolutely CAN complete a thru hike, but don’t get caught up in the idea of accomplishment. Just get out there, hike in the general direction of a terminus, and enjoy each moment for what it is. Smiles before miles, baby. |
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11. Any new hikes planned?
No new hikes on the books as of yet. I’ll be spending much of 2017 working on Hike the Divide. I’ll probably go out and hoof a section of the PCT in Washington this summer, but no thru hikes, unfortunately. In the future, I’ve got my eyes on the PNT and this new Open Sky Route that Dirtmonger is laying fresh tracks on this year. Maybe the AT, eventually…12. What do you think of happiness?
Happiness is yours; all you have to do is choose it. My recipe for happiness looks like: compassion for yourself and others, a connection to the land, and engagement with community and collective efforts to build a better world. Thru hiking isn’t a path to happiness per se, but I think it functions as a pretty good incubator for finding happiness within yourself. |
| Continental Divide Trail 16 |
Last word?
If anybody wants to see more from my hike or the journalistic side of my experience on the CDT, they can do so at HikeTheDivide.com, on Facebook and on Instagram @hikethedivideThanks to Bard for sharing a big of his experience with us. We really appreciate the picture and story of your hike. I hope that Bard story gives you some inspiration, a sense of what it is to long distance trail the CDT & PCT
So, now what can we do?
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