[cdt-l] CDT Planning Info - Towns

[cdt-l@mailman.backcountry.net (David Patterson)]

Jim & Ginny,

Thanks for posting all the info. I didn't realize that a number of hikers 
have gotten sick in Grants...presumably from the Pizza Hut. In 98 I became 
very ill just north of Mt. Taylor. It cost me 4 days once I managed to get 
into Cuba. My partner and I did eat at the Pizza Hut lunch buffet, but she 
did not get sick. I'm not sure what it was, perhaps food poisoning, but it 
definitely wasn't "town tummy".

In terms of resupply I want to recommend some additional options. Instead of 
Wisdom in Montana I encourage both Sula, MT and Gibbonsville, ID instead. 
Gibbonsville is 15 miles south of Lost Trail Pass and Sula is 13 miles north 
of Lost Trail Pass. Both are located along HWY 93 which recieves far more 
traffic than Hwy 43 into Wisdom. Wisdom is the only town I've ever been 
stuck in because nobody picked me up after a grueling 4.5 hour wait at the 
side of the road. In fact, while I was hitching mostly RV-ers passed by and 
a few of them felt compelled to give us the "bird" or "finger". Apparently 
they thought we were derelicts eventhough we had just cleaned up in town. It 
just goes to show that most people in the west don't even know that the CDT 
exists. This holds true too for some of the employees of the government 
agencies, BLM and FS, that are located within the trail corridor and have 
responsibilty for management of the CDT. CDT, what's that?

Regarding Frontier Town is it under new ownership? It sounds from the Owen's 
report that they are still open for business. In 98 the owners were away and 
the managers were very gracious. Despite being "closed" they gave me and 
Andrew a tour and fixed us dinner. Definitely an alternative and unique 
place as well as extremely friendly.

At Benchmark Ranch I had a similar experience to the Owens except the owners 
had left a note that they were away...in Utah I think, and fortunately I 
found my parcel in one of the outbuildings.

In Wyoming I can confirm that Wamsutter is not a hiker oriented town.

Does anyone know the current status of whether or not the Monarch Lodge will 
hold parcels? The lodge is a few miles east of Monarch Pass.

Thanks again for all the info and if anyone wants more details about the 
places I mentioned feel free to contact me.

David Patterson

"White Root"



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