Continental Divide Trail Alliance Project

August 8-15, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: Pictured left to right: Ron Raffensperger, Mike Jorgensen, John Pearson, Chuck Miller, and Bill Coward

 

Text Box: Continental Divide Trail Alliance volunteers worked in collaboration with the Bitterroot National Forest to complete a trail maintenance project covering 26 miles of the Continental Divide Trail. They started at Chief Joseph Pass and ended close to the head of Hell Roaring Creek. Nick Hazelbaker, Wilderness Resource Specialist for the Bitterroot National Forest, organized the project, which was scheduled from August 8-15. Mark Lagerstrom, Forest Service crew leader, and Amanda Laban, CDTA crew leader, supervised and worked with the volunteers. Hazelbaker and Bitter Root Back Country Horsemen provided pack support by packing in materials and tools and transporting supplies and crew gear. Unfortunately, the crew was pulled out on Saturday, August 11, because forest fires, though not close enough to endanger the crew, caused the Forest Service to restrict use of roads in the area to firefighters only. CDTA volunteers logged out the trail, added CDT signs where needed, and installed water bars. The volunteers noted that Nick Hazelbaker and his crew have done a great job working on this trail. The Bitterroot National Forest section of the CDT is on par with the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a well-known and heavily used trail. These two trail systems, along with the Appalachian Trail, make up what is called the “Triple Crown” of trails. The number of “through” hikers, those who aim to hike the entire 3,100 miles of the CDT, is estimated to be almost 100 this year. Hikers and horseback riders come from all over the nation and from other countries. Sula Store is a local business that provides resupply support for CDT hikers. Congress established the Continental Divide Trail as a National Scenic Trail in 1978. When complete, the “King of Trails” will be the most significant trail system in the world, stretching from Canada to Mexico. Since 1995, the Continental Divide Trail Alliance has played a major role in the completion, management, and protection of the CDT. Every year the CDTA coordinates and supervises more than 1,000 volunteers to work on projects along the trail. In 2007 they organized almost 60 projects in all five trail states: Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. The CDTA’s optimistic goal was to finish the trail in 2008, and it looks like about 70% of the entire length will actually be completed by then. Two major roadblocks to trail completion have been acquiring rights-of-way through some areas and separating the trail from motorized routes. Montana has 870 miles of the CDT within its boundaries with 70% projected to be finished by 2008. Depending on 2008 budget allocations, the Bitterroot National Forest section of the trail is on target to be 100% complete by then, and that will be quite an accomplishment!