Yesterday, December 1, 2018, the approximate date I was to begin traveling along Montana and Idaho’s portion of the Continental Divide, I sort of did begin. Throughout the last several years, in the Sawmill Creek area I have lost four resupplies to the “Finders keepers, losers weepers” crowd who frequent the area during the autumn. So this year I did a couple things different.
First, in October I located the resupply a much greater distance from the trailhead, and then placed it on a steep forested North face slope. What I did second, yesterday, was make it back up there and ascertain the resupply was still in the tree. Moreover, just in case it was not, I brought a replacement. As it turned out, the cache was still there.
Last night on the phone, my wife questioned the logic of what I did next. I left the second resupply at the location, giving me a total of 12 days of food and 20 days of fuel. Here is where foolish makes itself known. When I arrive there today with the rest of my load, and then load up what is already there, I will be pushing through the powder snow with a load that weighs 125 pounds. Again, from my previous post, I am clear that that amount of weight is ridiculous in the mountainous terrain I am attempting to get through.
On the other hand, I have known for quite some time that I would be ferrying the load during the beginning of the trip. There is no way that I can pull a singular load with that amount of weight through powder snow up a mountain.
In addition to toting the resupply up the ridge yesterday, I also brought my tent and the entire kitchen. While today’s load getting up to the cached materials will be 80 pounds, that is still a whole lot better than the original 105 pounds I was doomed to bring.
Finally, I will not be leaving Lima Montana until after noon. That is when my ride will become available. In short, it is unlikely that I will make it beyond where my gear and food is presently located. I will lose daylight by 5 PM. Not only is darkness tough to work with getting things done, but it also brings colder temperatures into the mix.
Well, I suppose I won’t be going hungry anytime soon.
Was over this way Friday evening. Conditions south of Jackson were brutal, rain freezing on light snowpack. Take it easy. Further north its more tolerable.
Thanks for letting me know Jim. It’s all powder up there where I was at yesterday. I am on the Red Conglomerate Peaks eastern slope, safe, almost boring, but then I haven’t ascended into the tough stuff yet. That will begin tomorrow and continue on Tuesday.
Hi Richard, I recently joined your group, and read through all of your blog entries and comments. I totally admire what you are doing. I am a few years older and must leave it to you young bucks to take on such an adventure. I will be going with you as a surrogate.
It is hard to imagine why hunters would take your cache. Years ago I did some bicycle road riding, and I would cache water bottles along the route. This was relatively easy to do, driving along the road ahead of time, and hiding bottles off in the woods. Even then I had folks who would help themselves to the water. When I got to the water, and it was not there, it could mean ending my trip. What I finally ended up doing, was I would hide one nice colorful bottle with a survey flag in the tree where it was more easily seen, and hide a second recycled milk jug near by but not so easily seen. They never found the second hidden cache. What I learned is these types are lazy even in their pilfering ways. They would not even remove the flag, so I still knew where to look for my real cache.
So your leaving a second cache makes sense to me. You might even leave it a slight distance away, so that if they find the first, they might not find the second. Also, if you have to retreat from an attempt, you have a fall back cache to pick up. Do you necessarily have to pick up both?
Seems that you have thought through a lot more details than I am familiar with, and experimented with many scenarios, so I am interested in seeing how this goes for you. Hang in there, and I will be sending you good vibes.
Good morning Thomas. I enjoyed your comment. In the area was in, which I exited Saturday, I have lost four resupplies. Not this year. I finally learned what you learned, if there is effort to stealing, than it has to be a movie, because in real life the thief is looking for the easier, softer way. This year my six-day resupply on Sawmill Ridgeline remained safe. I placed it over one mile above the trailhead, and on a steep forested slope. Although I exited, that six-day resupply remains up there, and further in for the added advantage of not having to ascend so far with the extra 15 pounds on board.
I will be posting on my website at some point this week, and with photos.