Picture upload!

It's been a while since I've posted, but we are in Leadore, Idaho and I am at the library, which means I can upload pictures!  The last stretch from Lima, MT to here I think is meant to remind a hiker that they are on the CONTINENTAL DIVIDE trail.  We left Lima Friday, and climbed straight up to the actual divide and have been rolling along it-up and down, ever since.  The divide here happens to be the Montana/Idaho state border andI believe we will stay along the border for another five days or so until we turn north east and stay in Montana for the rest of the trail.
  Like I said the divide is up high and the terrain has been difficult.  I feel like we've been on a steep roller-coaster. I like riding roller coasters, but feeling like you're hiking on one for over twelve hours a day is exhausting.  But we got a ride into town this morning at nine thirty and are taking the remainder of the day to rest before returning to the trail in the morning.
  Even though the last stretch was somewhat difficult, this area is beautiful.  We've been seeing lots of deer, elk and some moose.  Yesterday as we were hiking we saw some sheep coming over the hill towards us and  for over ten minutes we watched them, thousands of them, walking by us down hill to new vegetation.  We were told that they use this area for the sheep to graze, but I had no idea the numbers that were in one area! 
  We've been passing a lot of sobo (southbound hikers) in the last week or two.  I think we've counted fifteen who are headed south so far.  These hikers start in Glacier in mid June to early July and will not reach Mexico until probably November.  It's been great to meet them on the trail, hear their stories and swap trail info anout water, terrain etc.
  The pictures below are from the Wind River Range in Wyoming, until now. Enjoy, the Winds were beautiful and there are some neat pictures from Yellowstone too.
-Jetpack

Heading into the Winds- Little Sandy Lake

 Day 1 in the Winds

Bull moose by Lonesome Lake

 Near Cirque of the Towers
 

 

 



 

 

Leaving the Winds

 

 

 

The Green river-appropriately named

 

BIG CDT sign!

 

                                               The cabin we stayed in at Lava Mtn Lodge

                                                              Welcome to Yellowstone

This creek was fed by geysers and hot pools so the water was really warm. Perfect spot for morning coffee!

                      How to eat like a thru hiker!! InYellowstone at Old Faithful Village

                                                         The famous Old Faithful geyser

Welcome to Idaho!

 

Just another grizzly print-next to size 11 mens shoes!

 

                                               Hiking along the divide- ID/MT border

Lots of sheep near the divide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Winds, bears and Yellowstone

It seems like yesterday we were just entering Wyoming and in the blink of an eye we have already left and are now in Idaho. Wyoming has been quite the state and is certainly the definition of extremes! We entered the state in the hot, dry and flat Great Divide Basin which was followed by the most beautiful mountains I have hiked through; The Wind River range. Yesterday, after three days in Yellowstone National Park we left Wyoming. Wow, what a place it has been!
  Going back to the Winds... This place is any hikers or rock climbers paradise. There are no roads through the mountains and it requires at least ten miles of hiking to reach the true Wind River range.  It is such a unique place with absolutely stunning peaks, lakes, glaciers and trails.  I want to go back and explore it even more, it is such a large area and we went through such a small potion of it. One could easily spend a few weeks hiking through it and never go to the same place. We were exhausted though after seven days through there as the terrain is difficult with lots of steep climbs so we took a day off at Lava Mountain Lodge near Dubois.
 One thing I haven't mentioned is that we have been in bear country for the last few weeks. Since we entered the Winds we have been hanging our food every night and we cook in the middle of the day instead of at night so there is no smell of food near the tent. Unlike the AT, there are not just black bears here, I'm talking about grizzly bears and they are HUGE! We haven't seem any yet but have seen a LOT of footprints and enormous piles of scat.  Some of the prints are as big as Brazil Nut's feet and most are as wide as both of my feet together! It's truly scary to imagine how big these animals are!!
 Earlier this week we entered Yellowstone. I had been there many years ago, and went through the park by car, so I definitely feel like we saw more of the park this time. We entered from the south and followed the Snake river for about the ten miles. This area, and in fact much of the park is full of dead forest and tons of fallen dead trees as a result of the 1988 wildfire that destroyed so much of the park. It was amazing to see the destruction and that it has taken so long to grow back and that so much of it never grew back.  The trail we took through back country also took us past lots of geysers and beautiful lakes. On Friday we walked right into Old Faithful village to eat and resupply.  It was great to have lots of food but we both agreed that it was an extremely overwhelming place, there were SO many people!! Everyone was moving so quickly, there were so many cars and so much noise that we were ready to get out of there after just a little while.  We followed a great trail next to a number of pools and geysers for the next two miles before leaving the masses of people and returning to the solitude of the woods.  We camped one more night in the park and got up early yesterday and hiked 30 miles to get to Island Park, ID and are taking today off. Did I mention we are in Idaho?! State number four! We are only in Idaho for a few days, then we cross into Montana- the final and longest state!
  It's time for us to go resupply and clean some of our gear! Thanks for following and thanks for reading!
-Jetpack

Pictures!

I am keeping my promise to upload pictures from the last weeks. We are currently in Lander, WY after having completed the last 120 miles through the Great Divide Basin. Enjoy!

In Colorado near Silverthorne

Great place to camp

Tasting some great beer in Leadville, CO

There were tons of Marmots in Colorado, they're so cute!

Colorado is beautiful

A day in Rocky Mountain National Park!

We made it to WY!!

The Great Divide Basin: