Trip Plan Changes BIG ONES and kid bragging.

The Mattson Family is on the move.  Jay had a fantastic last week in Athens: graduating from 8th grade with his friends, preparing to go to the State Track Meet, and heading out west to start our CDT chunk thing hike.   

We left for Colorado right after Jay finished his events, the 110 hurdles, the Long Jump (he jumped 16'4") and the 4x100 Relay.  He won a medal in the relay since the boys took 7th place.  The competition was tough.

 Jay Getting his award, dont worry you cant see him in the photo.

 Then we drove, and drove.   I am writing you from South Central Colorado.

I know you said "I thought they were going to Wyoming!, well at the last moment we switched to Colorado.  

I spent the whole drive reorganizing maps and things for our Wolf Creek Pass to Grand Lake or Steamboat Springs Colorado hike. We will still do the Bob and Glacier in late July and August.

Maybe my trail name should be flip flops.

Here are some details:

 May 29th Wed. Wolf Creek Pass start to Creede
Resupply: Vicky Mattson c/o
               General Delivery
               Creede CO 81130

June 3 Monday Creede to Monarch Pass
resupply: UPS only
              Vicky Mattson c/o
              Monarch Crest Store
              24500 Highway 50 West
              Salida CO 81201
             719 - 539-4091

June 13 Monday Monarch Pass to Twin Lakes
Resupply: Vicky Mattson c/o
               General Store, 6451 E Hwy 82,
                Twin Lakes, CO 81251

June 21Friday Twin Lakes to Leadville
             Vicky Mattson c/o
              General Delivery
              Leadville CO 80461

June 27 Thursday Leadville to Copper Mountain
             Resupply no post C stores

July 6 Saturday Copper Mountain to Winter Park
          Resupply at convenience stores in Winter park

July 13 Copper mtn to Grand Lake
 rent car from Avalanche rentals
Pick up car in South fork
Drive to Eugene

       
 

My trip Plan for the summer

This summer we will be doing a series of sections on the CDT.  The following notes include my plans for dates and resupplies and such.  If you would like to reach us, drop a note, send goodies, whatever.  Aim for one of the resupplies a few weeks in advance and send me an email to let me know to expect something.  Please do not send anything to the Benchmark Ranch.  1 Saturday June 1 resupply town South Pass City Miles to next 68.200000000000003 Maps L WY 23-16 D 28,43-45 Other Southern Winds Earthwalk press Guide Books seg 14-19 Yogi 80-86,63-68  Resupply : start find a place to park the truck
2 Saturday June 8 resupply town Pinedale Miles to next 75 Maps L WY 16-9 D 31,32 Other Southern Winds Earthwalk press Guide Books seg 20-22 Yogi 73-78, 63-68  Resupply : Vicky Mattson c/o General Delivery, Pinedale WY 82941 bounce and shop Shuttle from Great Outdoor Shop $35 pp + 10 addtl  307-367-2440 3 Tuesday June 18 resupply town Brooks Lake Lodge Miles to next 71 Maps L WY 4-9 D 31,21,20 Other Northern Windsseg 28, 29 ,Bridger Teton Guide Books seg 23-27 Yogi 71,72  Resupply : Vicky Mattson c/o Brooks Lake Lodge,458 Brooks Lake Rd, Dubois, WY 82513 ship everything even beer and pnuts UPS
4  Friday June 21 resupply town Grant Village Miles to next 23 Maps L WY 1-3 D WY10,20 Other TI 201 Yellowstone Guide Books 28,29 Yogi 69,70  Resupply : Vicky Mattson c/o General Delivery, Grant Village, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190 bounce to west yellowstone 5 Monday June 24 resupply town Old Faithful Miles to next 60 Maps L WY 1 - MT 71 D MT 22,21 Other TI 201 Yellowstone Guide Books  Yogi 57-68  Resupply : Vicky Mattson c/o General Delivery, Old Faithful, Yosemite National Park WY 82190 buy done
6 Monday July 1 resupply town West Yellowstone Miles to next Maps L  D  Other Guide Books  Yogi  Resupply : done A 7 Wednesday July 3 resupply town Sula  country store/lost trail pass Miles to next 91 Maps L MT 48 -31 D mt 81,69, 70 Other anaconda/pintler wilderness and Guide Books  Yogi pg 48 - 31  Resupply : no mail no resupply Enterprise picks up from Anaconda $30
8 Friday July 12 resupply town Anaconda Miles to next 0 Maps L  D  Other Guide Books  Yogi  Resupply :  9 Monday July 22 resupply town lincoln Miles to next 52.700000000000003 Maps L mt 22-18 D 56,39,40 Other Bob Marshall/ Scapegoat Wilderness map Guide Books  Yogi 25-28  Resupply : Vicky Mattson c/o Darwin and Shelley Heckman 422 County Line Rd Fairfield MT 59436 Complete resupply include snacks and goodies Package must be 12" cube or less.  $25 per package

10 Friday July 26 resupply town Benchmark Ranch Miles to next 131 Maps L mt 18-8 D 39,23, 40 Other Bob Marshall/ Scapegoat Wilderness map Guide Books  Yogi 23-21  Resupply : Vicky Mattson c/o East Glacier Trading Company316 US Hwy 2 East Glacier MT 59436 BUY - Bounce Arr ange car rental for Aug 16 in East Glacier  11 Thursday August 8 resupply town East Glacier Miles to next 65.700000000000003 Maps L MT 8-3 D 22, 23 Other TI 215 Glacier Waterton Guide Books  Yogi pg 5-20  Resupply : Vicky Mattson c/o Swift Current Motor Inn 2 Many Glacier Rd Babb MT 59411 Buy
12 Wednesday August 14 resupply town Many Glacier Miles to next 28.199999999999999 Maps L MT 3-1 D 22,23 Other TI 215 Glacier Waterton Guide Books  Yogi pg 5-20  Resupply :  13 Friday August 16 resupply town Chief Mountain Miles to next 0 Maps L  D  Other TI 215 Glacier Waterton Guide Books  Yogi pg 5-20  Resupply :

Shawnee State Forest

This week my husband, Kevin, was away; my son , Jay, is away on school trip; leaving me and Utah free to try out my solo skills on Southern Ohio's most challenging backpacking trail in Shawnee State Forest.  I hiked the Southern Loop.  It was a great trial for my new backpack.  Everything I needed or will CDT chunk hike fit well and comfortably. I had a great first day hot and sunny with beautiful flowers. Utah flushed out a couple of wild turkeys (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Gall-dindi.jpg/220px-Gall-dindi.jpg).  I got to camp 6 at about 4 PM, Right at the trail sign there was a single lady slipper, a rare flower of the orchid family, a little while later Eastern Whip-poor-will (,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Whip-poor-will) began to serenade me to sleep. They sang me to sleep and proceeded to sing through the night finally ceasing at dawn.  When the hermit Thrush took over.  The camp is at the confluence of two streams with clear pure water running through the middle of camp.  This camp is reputed to be the most isolated and beautiful campsite in Ohio.  

The next morning I was out of camp by 7.  A fantastic and beautiful hike up to a 1000' ridge with great views of these Appalachian hills.  I was cruising along and got to my planned camp, camp 4 at noon.  I certainly didn't want to camp that early so I pushed on.  The day got greyer and greyer and I hiked and hiked over ridges, down into canyons until I started seeing signs of logging operations and trail closures I just kept following the orange blazes that hadn't failed me yet untill i stumbled out into the logging operation that had taken down blazed trees.  arrrgh. I stopped in a hillside of chaff and stumps trying to find some form of footpath to continue on.  Then Crash, Bang, Boom thunder , lightning and a deluge.  Lost trail, bare hillside ugg.  I decided to backtrack and find a roadwalk out.  Only to find myself on a ridge with two metal poles and a metal knee brace and no seconds between flash and bang. I was seriously freaked!  I was on a ridgetop dirt road, along come two pickups filled with loggers.  I explained my position and they generously offered me a ride out to my car.  Cest La Vie, rescued by anti heroes? go figure.

Nothing messes up trail following like cut down trees. 

Count down to the CDT: 9 days till we leave

Wild Iris

Pink Lady Slipper

Utah gets a drink in one of the beautiful 

Appalachian Hills

Ultralight Presentation at the Appalachian Ohio Sierra Club

I Just got home from doing a program on Ultralight Thru Hiking The participants wanted me to post these slides to my blog.  We are also planning an overnight backpacking trip for May 11.  In the mean time I am drying food and starting to pack for our CDT chunk.


DIY Links

Make Your Own Gear » Ultralight HOT Summer Quilt Material ...

www.backpackinglight.com › Forum Index › Make Your Own Gear‎

Apr 4, 2011 - 20 posts - 13 authors

www.rayjardine.com  kits, wisdom and materials

www.thru-hiker.com  kits, materials, wisdom

www.questoutfitters.com
Supplier of outdoor fabrics, notions and hardware, also patterns and kits for making the G4 ultralight pack.

Buy Thru Hiking Stuff

www.tarptent.com 
Henry Shires’ tarptent.

www.sixmoondesigns.com 
Ron “Fallingwater” Moak’s Ultralight gear.

www.titaniumgoat.com 
Ultralight titanium products

www.prolitegear.com
Retailer focusing on lightweight hiking and backpacking gea

www.hikelight.com 
“Only the Lightest”, source for lightweight gear.

ORGANIZATIONS

www.pcta.org
Pacific Crest Trail Association

www.aldhawest.org
American Long Distance Hiking Association (West)

www.appalachiantrail.org
Appalachian Trail Conservancy.

www.cdtrail.org
Continental Divide Trail Alliance

www.coloradotrail.org 
Colorado Trail Foundation