Hiking The Bob Marshall Wilderness and Coming Off the Continental Divide Trail For the Year

Off Trail for the Year and Finding Out About Tailor’s Bunions

Having been a bit lazy these last couple months I have been remiss in my final post of the year. During the final part of my journey I was too stubborn to stop until the good doctors made a strong recommendation which was give it six weeks off for my knee and surgery for my left foot. Those of you who followed my trials and tribulations on the Appalachian Trail this year read about the numerous pairs of shoes I wore out and my discomfort on the majority of the trail. At the beginning of November I had surgery on my left foot to take care of a Tailor’s Bunion which for me was a deformity wherein the long bone (5th metatarsal) splayed to the outside while the baby toe itself cocked inwards. There pain was a constant as the knuckle joint was constantly pressing and rubbing against the shoe and my stride remained off due to the over-pronation. 

The surgeon took out a long wedge of bone to straighten it, fastened with two screws, worked some magic on the tendons on the tip, and miracle of miracles my foot looks as normal as it can. The end result has been no weight bearing for four weeks followed by a walking boot for 3-4 weeks.  I am all about the knee scooter.

It has given me time to plan out 2025. I have tickets into Paris and will start the 500+ mile pilgrimage in the Camino Frances from St-Jean-Pied-Du Port, France passing through Santiago de Compestela, Spain and onto Fisterra and Muxia on the coast of Spain. The purpose is twofold, the journey itself, and getting my trail legs back. This will lead up to my return to the CDT going Northbound from Crazy Cook or Antelope Wells, New Mexico. Upon successful completion of the CDT and if I am still healthy I’ll head to Washington State and start a SOBO trek to Mexico. We’ll see how this plays out.

The Bob Marshall Wilderness

My first trip into the BMW was in 1995 when I was stationed in Montana. The wildlife and endless possibilities in this area have not ceased to draw me to the mountains. You can see a part of the BMW from my front window here in the Sun River Valley along with the Rocky Mountain Front. There are sections I will complete when I hike NOBO in the spring. Knowing I would be stopping for the year and needed to still get some miles done I put in at Gibson Reservoir and walked the North Fork of the Sun River Trail along the shore and stayed near Reclamation Flats that night. I met two rangers pulling pack strings along. We exchanged greetings and discussed the bear population as I had been following the tracks of a large male and spotted some fairly fresh scat. The rangers were the only people I saw that day. The reservoir was low so a small shortcut could be taken on the west end before dropping into the trees. So serene and beautiful! Dropping south on the Moose Firman Trail to the South Fork of the Sun River Trail brought memories of days gone by. Many years ago my friends would joke that I wasn’t hunting, rather I was hiking and just happened to be carrying a rifle. There was much truth to their words. On the open prairies you see the lines where several pack strings had been through repeatedly providing for easy walking.  I stopped a bit early just to enjoy the area and pitched my tent, tied my Ursack and settled in for the night. I must say that the close proximity of grizzly bears prevents deep sleep

Rangers and their Pack Strings

Bear Track next to Size 12 1/2 shoe

On my way south to Benchmark I had the privilege of coming across several NOBOs on the last portions of their thru hikes. They looked both tired and joyful.

Kez From Australia

Too Tall (I may have it wrong)

Rising Sun-One happy guy!

Swish and Compton–My wife gave these two a ride into Benchmark from their resupply in Augusta

After meeting Swish and Compton at Benchmark I headed back into civilization for medical appointments.

One Last Hike Into the Lewis and Clark National Forest

Knowing that this thru hike was going to be completed in 2025 I hiked in one last time South from Benchmark on the Straight Creek Trail approximately six miles and onto the Pretty Crown Trail to where it rejoined the CDT and turned East onto the Pretty Crown Trail and coming out at the Smith Creek Trailhead one hour from my home.

A beautiful 18 mile hike, but my heart wasn’t in it. A can of LMNT electrolytes, a burger at the Buckhorn in Augusta, and then home. Every day I look out the window to where I want to be. There is nothing like Montana and the closing of another year. For now I plan for next year and the journey North on the CDT. When folks ask me where I’m going when I hit the trail again I think I’ll just say “I’m walking home.”

Final Thoughts

In order to attain the impossible, one must attempt the absurd.

Miguel de Cervantes