[cdt-l] divides and crests

[cdt-l@mailman.backcountry.net (Rafi Youatt)]

I was thinking about the Parting of the Waters on the CDT in WY, just south
of Yellowstone, and I couldn't figure out how exactly it worked. It seems
like a creek would have to flow exactly down the Divide itself so it could
then split into the Atlantic and Pacific sides. But if the creek is actually
on one side and then splits in two, wouldn't that mean that the Divide isn't
actually a divide, since water from one side could cross over to the other
side? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the geological idea of a divide though -
anyone know about this?

And this reminded me of a conversation I had out on the CDT this year about
what the "Pacific Crest" actually IS. It's not a watershed, as I understand
it, so then how is it defined? Is it just made up?

Anyway, I found pretty funny and a little sad that after having walked both
the PCT and the CDT, I couldn't explain fully how the Divide worked and what
the Crest was!

Rafi

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