Resupply 25 | Wisdom, MT to Anaconda, MT via Anaconda Cutoff

Day 98, 33.3 miles.

I don’t have much to say about the hiking today. I went up and down. I walked through forests and burned forests. I ate food, I got rained on. It was a very normal day. What I do want to say is this: 

On day 74, I said I told my parents I would be the first known woman to connect the CDT and GDT, and then I said on day 82 that documenting this hike while trying to put in big days is hard. Since then, I have gotten a lot of questions about my motivation. I wrote about this extensively in my Q&A and on The Trek before I started this hike, so I don’t feel I need to answer again. I just thought walking the whole divide as far as the trail allows seemed like a no brainer. You get to walk continuously through some of the most beautiful landscapes in two countries and you see the headwaters of every major river in the U.S. I was surprised that I could only find record of two men completing it, one in 2019 and one in 2021. There were no online guides on how to connect them, when to start it or what the conditions to expect or what kind of pace would be reasonable and necessary to complete it in one season. I didn’t set out to be the first woman, I just wanted to do this hike and I happen to be the first woman. And I hope that because I’ve documented this, that there will be a second, and a third, and a fifteenth, and a seventy-ninth. 

When I first heard of the calendar year triple crown, I was told that fewer people have done it than have been to the moon. And now this year alone there are four or five attempts ongoing, and three of them are border to border. One is Slide, one is Punisher, and one is Peg Leg, who will be the first woman. 

There is a Greek word I really like: atelic. It’s the opposite of telic: meaning, to do something for a goal, like bagging 27 peaks or getting a promotion at work or becoming the first woman. But to do something that is atelic means to do it for its own sake. To climb the mountain because you like climbing mountains. To do a good job because you take pride in your work. To hike because you like to hike. Telic outcomes are conditional. Atelic outcomes are unconditional. Honestly, I just like being outside. That’s why I started. That’s why I’m here. Some days are harder than others, but ultimately I have never questioned if this is anything but an atelic adventure. 

Recognition for its own sake, without personal integrity, is empty and meaningless. 

I once read somewhere of a Native elder putting feathers on a headdress. He was almost done, when he realized he had done it wrong. And he started taking it all apart. His grandson asked, “why would you redo it? No one will know.” And the grandfather said, “But I will.” That’s integrity.

Because you are the only person whose opinion about yourself matters. Everything else is temporary. 

Why am I here? Do you know that nursery rhyme? The bear went over the mountain, to see what he could see. That’s why.

Day 99, 28.1 miles.

Today I found my friend Mamacita from the PCT. Out of the first 40 people to make it through the Sierra in California’s highest recorded snow year, there were only seven women. We were two of the first seven women. I was beaming out of my ears, I was so overjoyed. All hiking friends are special but the friends you make on your first thru hike are extra precious. And I share a certain understanding with anyone else who also endured the suffering and experienced the beauty of the Sierra in that year when the snow stretched for 500 miles, like a kinship born of a trauma bond. 

I climbed up and down a lot today but after doing so much steep snow and loose off-trail talus and scree, I’m just grateful I have switchbacks and it’s all level, stable dirt. 

The most significant milestone from today is that I’ve made it into the final map on FarOut. The maps are downloaded state by state, but now I’m in the final North Montana map, which means the border of Canada is now visible on my screen. I can tap it and see exactly how many miles I have left on the CDT. The border is no longer abstract. It is in a way inevitable, so long as I keep putting one foot in front of the other in the right direction, moving patiently through each square of the quilted fabric of the landscape. When I’m out here, I can see so far. In daily life we are often in enclosed spaces. We don’t have a reason to look beyond the room we’re in. I can’t help thinking that what I’m doing now is probably how we’re meant to be, and how overstimulated and undernourished we must be in our normal lives. And I don’t mean nourishment in terms of food. I’m talking emotionally, spiritually. When I was looking for a way out of my depression last year, my doctor recommended doing another thru hike, because I was doing a poor job at doing all the basic things that keep us alive and well: eating, sleeping, moving, getting time outside. That’s all I do out here. That was how I ended up on the Colorado Trail last year, where my idea for this hike of the combined CDT and GDT was born. 

Day 100, 23 miles into Anaconda, 8.2 miles out. 31.2 miles total.

Well, it’s been 100 days. Two years ago on day 100 of my first thru hike, the Pacific Crest Trail, I had just reached the midpoint of the trail about 1300 miles in. I was still in California. Granted, that was a high snow year so we weren’t able to move fast, but now on day 100 of this hike, I’m already nearly 2400 miles in and I’m in my last state on the CDT. That would be the equivalent of me being at Stevens Pass in Washington at this point. Honestly, being on trail for 100 days doesn’t surprise me as much as doing videos and blogs for 100 days does. Never thought I’d have this much to say. I saw my fourth bear on trail today, but it was once again so scared of me that it ran away immediately before I even noticed it. I’m an apex predator and I strike fear into the hearts of bears. I did a long road walk into Anaconda along a highway where I saw four dead animals: a beaver, a skunk, a deer, and a dove. In town I got my resupply and met up with journalists from the Montana Standard. It was funny to have a photographer follow me around while I did my town chores and hung out at the hiker shed because I kind of think it’s all unremarkable. The reporter got me some snacks and even apologized for not finding the white chocolate flavor of Lenny and Larry’s cookies because deep in a blog post somewhere I briefly mentioned that’s the only one I like. I was impressed. In the evening I hiked out into a thunderstorm but since I was in town I at least got to add layers in a Pizza Hut restroom

Instead of out in the rain. I’m trying out latex gloves now since all my fabrics wet out eventually. Worked ok. I also got offered a backyard to camp in by one local and a ride from another but I had to decline because I had to do more miles and unfortunately this highway is part of the trail. I camped just off a pullout. 

xx

stitches

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Everyone asks about what animals I’ve seen out here on the CDT, and while I will regale you with wildflower photos every single post….. let’s talk animals.

Grasshoppers, really?

Yes! Hiking slowly but surely up Parkview Mountain out of RMNP, I encountered ferocious winds! I was walking at about a sixty degree angle to compensate for its force and then nearly falling over when the wind slackened! I must have looked drunk! I was not the only creature forcing my way through the wind. The multitudes of grasshoppers who flew up around me with every step also were incapacitated by its force. They got caught in the wind (40 or 50 mph?) and then smack! Something hits me in the face. Yes, I have several welts on my face from grasshopper projectiles! That was not the injury predicted when I started in this adventure!

Moose!!

While locals think seeing moose is commonplace , I was thrilled when a mama moose crossed the Colorado River just in front of me. I talked to her and she looked at me, looked at her baby, and continued across the river, across the trail and into the woods.

And again in Rocky Mountain National Park I was about to heft my pack on to hike when I looked up and saw a horse coming into my campsite…. But wait, it’s not a horse it’s a moose and it has a baby too!

Of course, there are so many of my overly friendly marmots that I even found one guarding the route to the glacier!

I love love love watching the pika gathering grasses and flowers! One had so many flowers she looked like she was heading to a wedding!

Yes, I have seen one bear. But mostly I’ve seen bear scat and that was mostly closest to campgrounds. Go figure.

Ground squirrels usually flee from me quickly, but this one was happy to see another camper. Deer also usually scamper away, but at several campsites they are obviously habituated to humans. One friend says sober pee near your tent or else the deer will keep you up all night trying to get it.

Several folks have asked me if I’m afraid of the animals. No. They are not out there to eat us, but we for sure must be respectful of them. I’ve also enjoyed some friendly human encounters too, especially since they are much less common in this trail. To Trapper, Winner, Scrap, Griffin and the 5 women environmental scientists and friends from Boulder, I salute you! It was great to meet you on the trail!

I must again say that the world is full of lovely humans. Thanks to the trail angels and folks who picked up stinky hitch hikers and offered us places to stay. Kate and Geoff are among the best! Thanks to you all!

As I slowly climbed one steep pass, one very energetic runner comes bounding down to me. He shouts CDT? After I say yes, he shouts “You’re amazing! “ as he speeds away. He lifted me to the top of that pass. Kind words can do wonders!

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Dealing with any tension in the body is a real pain. But a tight, sore jaw can be mind-numbingly painful at worst and annoying at best. Learning how to relax your jaw can protect you from a host of unnecessary issues.

According to Nojan Bakhtiari, a facial and oral pain specialist, headaches, teeth damage, sleep disruption (and negative repercussions on mental health), and, of course, general pain can all be attributed, at least in part, to a clenched jaw.

What Causes Jaw Tension?

Most jaw tension is created by daily, relatable habits—even would-be relaxing ones, including sleep or yoga. Bakhtiari cites “daytime clenching,” the sort that happens during exercise or stressful work events, and nighttime teeth grinding as predominant culprits.

Other contributing factors? “Excessive caffeine, medications (such as stimulants), and oral habits including nail biting, cheek biting, lip biting, and gum chewing,” he says. This cocktail of conscious and unconscious quirks can create undue pain that can ultimately impact your overall health.

TMJ Disorders

Jaw pain and headaches are often related to TMJ, or the temporomandibular joints, which frame your jaw. You have two of these joints. To find them, place a finger from each hand on the sides of your face just slightly in front of your ears. Open your mouth. You should feel your jaw unlock. Issues with your jaw joints are caused by TMD (temporomandibular disorders). TMD may include disc disorders or even problems with the muscles used for chewing. While the causes of TMJ pain are common, addressing it requires some finesse.

“TMJ exercises need to be tailored to the individual,” says Bakhtiari. “Unfortunately, some classic exercises found online can hurt people who are hypermobile (too flexible).” If you’re interested, Bakhtiari suggests getting evaluated by an orofacial pain specialist first.

5 Ways to Stop Clenching Your Jaw

Fortunately, there is a selection of universal steps you can take to relax your jaw now. According to Bakhtiari, simply noticing the above patterns can help you overcome them.

1. Make Humming Sounds

The sacred mantra of om is more than mentally and spiritually meditative—it can ease physical stress, too. Bakhtiari notes that an om, or any humming sound with an “m,” encourages your jaw to move to a relaxed position. 

2. Try to Limit Nail Biting and Gum Chewing

This one is simple. “Break any oral habits such as nail biting and gum chewing,” says Bakhtiari. While these small instances tend to be tied to anxiety, finding other coping mechanisms (think meditation or breathwork) will protect you from greater strife.

3. Cut Down on Caffeine

As noted above, an excess of caffeine and other stimulants can amp you up, causing you to clench your jaw. There’s no need to ditch your coffee and tea entirely—a bit of mindfulness around consumption goes a long way.

4. Develop a Myofascial Release Routine

The myofascial system runs through your entire body, connecting myriad body parts, including your jaw and your hamstrings. Honing a myofascial release routine that addresses your tightest areas may effectively release others; in this case, rolling out your hamstrings may be precisely what you need to help unlock your jaw. You can also purchase myofascial release balls, like these. You can also use a tennis ball.

5. Keep Your Teeth Apart

This simple suggestion can make a big change. According to Bakhtiari, your teeth are never meant to touch—except when you’re eating, of course. Reminding yourself of this fact can instantly alleviate jaw tension.

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