Passages Continental Divide Trail Coalition
Volume 20, Winter 2020
CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY THAT SUPPORTS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S LETTER Dear friends, We hope this edition of Passages finds you all in good health and preparing for the coming year. We are hopeful that the new year brings us back to some semblance of a normal existence, yet are reassured that regardless of what 2021 brings, CDTC will remain stable, productive, and safe. For CDTC, this year has been defined by a single word - resilient. In January 2020, we were gearing up for what we hoped would be our biggest year yet. Our calendar included at least 12 volunteer projects, six CDTC Adopter trainings, an incredible line up for CDT Trail Days in Silver City, and over a dozen events in CDT Gateway Communities. We also expected to transport over 500 passengers to the Mexico border on our Southern Terminus Shuttle. In early March, CDTC’s Board of Directors all gathered in Santa Fe, NM, to attend our annual spring meeting and officially endorse our new strategic plan, setting our path forward. We were hopeful, excited, and ready to hit the ground running. Not too soon after that weekend, everything came to a grinding halt. In fact, during my last hike with anyone outside of my immediate family, I was accompanied by CDTC’s Board President, Greg Pierce, and Vice President, Kathleen Lynch. That was nearly nine months ago! Soon after, our office in Golden closed and all of our staff began working remotely as we tried to understand what our future would hold. This is where CDTC’s resilience and our amazing team began to shine. Immediately after the shutdowns began, we mobilized, providing critical communications regarding access to the CDT and supporting folks as they navigated the decision of whether to attempt spring thru-hikes. Staff immediately pivoted all of our programming for our Trail Days celebrations, and we became one of the first organizations to go to an all-virtual trail event. While we missed seeing everyone in Silver City, our virtual celebration allowed us to bring the CDT and Silver City to a worldwide audience. Our Field Programs team immediately began crafting protocols so that if possible, we could safely implement our volunteer projects and trail adopter trainings. The Gateway Community Program team were able to work with Helena, MT, (the first state capital in the entire country to be designated as a gateway community to a National Scenic Trail) and Lake City, CO, to move their designation ceremonies all online. Our Trail and Lands Conservation Program Manager embarked on socially distant field work to keep trail gap completion work and communications with our partners moving forward. And we were even able to accomplish some projects we didn’t expect to do — we launched a pilot educational curriculum, hosted a virtual CDT thru-hike, created new information resources for equestrian visitors, updated our free online maps, and produced the CDT Atlas! Through it all, CDTC staff not only remained efficient and effective, but stayed safe and healthy while keeping our programs — albeit in a different way than we expected — moving forward in line with our new strategic plan! I couldn’t be more proud of our team, which includes all of our community, too. Your investment and support are why CDTC was able to not only withstand the challenges of 2020, but have one of our most successful years to date. Our resilience is because you continue to believe in and support us, and for that, we are grateful. Thank you. From all of us at CDTC, we wish you a healthy and safe holiday season, and we look forward to when we can see you all safely back out on the CDT in the New Year. Until then, please take care of one another,
Teresa Ana Martinez Executive Director Continental Divide Trail Coalition
IN THIS ISSUE
CDTC STAFF Morgan Anderson Field Programs Manager
Dan Carter Trail and Lands Conservation Program Manager
4
Trail Administrator’s Update
6
Trail Tidbits
Field Programs Coordinator
9
Bridging the Gap
Trail Policy Program Manager
14
Gifts that Give Twice
Community Engagement Coordinator
17
Bringing Partners Together
Trail Information and Membership Coordinator
19
Safely Stewarding the CDT
Slide Kelly
22
Hearing the Voices of the CDT
Andrea Kurth
24
Gateway Community Spotlight: Leadville and Twin Lakes
Teresa Martinez
28
All in Good Time
Development Program Manager
32
Book Review: The Easy Camp Cookbook
Director of Finance and HR
33
Audible Adventures
40
The Terminus
Gabriel Etengoff
Luke Fisher
Francesca Governali
Jackie Horne
GIS Program Manager
Gateway Community Program Manager
Executive Director
Lauren Murray
Steven Shattuck
CDTC BOARD Greg Pierce, President Kathleen Lynch, Vice President Don Owens, Secretary Dean Myerson, Treasurer Tom Phillips Jo Pegrum Hazelett Arthur Foley Nick Martinez Barney Mann Amy McCormick Clancy Clark Front cover by Kevin League Back cover and inset photo by Robert Walker
The Continental Divide Trail Coalition’s mission is to complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. CDTC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations to CDTC are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. To donate, visit our website at www.continentaldividetrail.org. Continental Divide Trail Passages is published three times a year for the members of the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. Membership begins at $5 per year. Members are encouraged to submit story ideas and photographs for inclusion in Passages to the editor at communications@continentaldividetrail.org.
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TRAIL ADMINISTRATOR’S UPDATE With mixed emotions, I write my last Trail Administrator’s Update for Passages. In November, I accepted a new position as the National Program Lead for the Forest Service Trails Program, and I now work remotely for the Washington Office. Thankfully, I will still be very involved with National Scenic and Historic Trails. The bad news is I’ll no longer be working in my beloved CDT program. It is amazing (and a little disconcerting) just how quickly time passes. I still remember the day I saw the advertisement for the CDT position come in over email almost 6 years ago. When I read the job announcement, I gasped to my colleague, “This is my dream job!” I had no idea I would actually get the job permanently and move my family to Lakewood from Wenatchee, Washington. What a ride it’s been! My family has grown to love living in Colorado, and I’ve loved (almost) every minute of my work on the CDT. What made this my dream job? First and foremost, it was a treat and a privilege to support so many dedicated and passionate agency staff and partners across the five CDT states. It’s truly the people that make this job so great. Then there were the field trips. In my tenure, I’ve visited each of the 20 National Forests, National Park Service units, and BLM units along the CDT. From week-long backpacking trips to hikes and rides in all five CDT states, I gained a sense of what each section of trail is like and learned firsthand what managers and partners deal with on the ground so I could support their efforts or help remove roadblocks. Seriously, who wouldn’t love the opportunity to hike and ride their way through Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico for work?! When I started my position, I hoped to build a strong trail community by raising the profile of the CDT, among both agency leadership and the public. I began by learning how to support the work of CDT managers and partners, discovering what challenges they faced, and assisting CDTC grow their capacity as a trailwide partner. I promoted more communication, coordination, and transparency along the CDT through regular check-in calls with CDT units and annual coordination meetings with agency staff in New Mexico. I reinstated the CDT Federal Interagency Leadership Council, which places the CDT on the radar of agency executives and provides an avenue to develop trail-wide direction and policy. I developed guidance, issued by the four Regional Foresters along the trail, to ensure the management of the CDT is considered during forest planning processes. I also hired a part-time GIS and data manager for the CDT program - Taylor Willow. This permanent position focused on data needs will be instrumental to agency staff, partners, and the public in providing accurate data and information about the CDT. In an effort to better serve CDT managers and promote consistency along the trail, I also led the development of best practices for vegetation management, worked with agency staff and partners to develop guiding principles for managing recreational uses along the trail, and helped create the CDT Optimal Location Review process. Lastly, Taylor and I developed a new website for the CDT that tells the story of the trail as a connector of different landscapes. With CDTC, we’ve begun to share the importance of the CDT not just for recreational purposes (although that is critically important), but as a vehicle for educating the public about watersheds, wildlife, Indigenous peoples, and the communities along the Divide. Reflecting back, I am proud of how far the CDT program has come in just five years. When I started my position, CDTC consisted of just two staff working overtime to launch the fledgling nonprofit. As they’ve grown over the years, I’ve felt delighted, challenged, and rewarded by our work together. It has been an absolute joy to help CDTC complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide Trail. While I’ll miss the staff, I’m not going very far. I look forward to supporting their efforts and the CDT program in my new position. I will always remember my CDT job as my dream job, yet I’m looking forward to this next chapter of serving staff, partners, and the public at a national level. Here’s to many more love-heart and laughter-filled trips on the trail with Teresa.
Brenda Yankoviak National Trail Program Manager U.S. Forest Service
TRAIL TIDBITS JOIN OUR INAUGURAL CDT TOWN HALLS! Join us (virtually) on January 26 and January 28 for two members-only CDT Town Hall meetings — the first of their kind! We’ll recap the successes of 2020 and share about our upcoming work, projects, and initiatives for 2021. Each meeting will feature presentations from CDTC’s Trail Policy Manager, Gateway Community Program Manager, Trail and Lands Conservation Manager, and Field Programs staff, but we’ll dedicate the majority of the time to answering your questions, so come prepared! The program on January 26 will focus on the CDT in New Mexico and Colorado; tune in on January 28 to hear updates about the Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana sections of the trail. We’ll be sending out more details in January, so stay tuned!
The Rio Grande National Forest. Photo by Robert Walker.
“My hope is to elevate the environmental justice framework to continue these conversations along the Divide, promote the perspectives of real people on the ground, and advocate for pragmatic, community-based solutions as policy.” Field Programs staff meander around Biscuit Basin in Yellowstone National Park after a long day’s work on the CDT. Photo by Morgan Anderson
- Luke Fisher, CDTC Trail Policy Manager
MEET CDTC’S NEW TRAIL POLICY MANAGER Join us in welcoming Luke Fisher to the CDTC team! Luke grew up in rural Indiana, surrounded by farmers and ranchers who talked about the environmental issues impacting them and laid the foundation for Luke’s understanding of community organizing. These conversations led Luke to cities like Houston and Indianapolis and rural areas along the Rocky Mountains in Montana and Wyoming, where they worked with communities to build their resiliency against rising water levels, declining air quality, and impending wildfire threats. Luke hopes to employ bold, new ideas to revitalize the environmental movement and protect public lands, and believes the CDT and surrounding communities have a crucial role in setting the agenda. PAGE 6
Luke spending time in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest on Salish-Kootenai, Cheyenne, and Crow land.
2020 BY THE NUMBERS SPENT ON 244,880 MINUTES ZOOM CALLS
24
STRESSFUL INTERNET OUTAGES
48 15
TIMES WE SAID “YOU’RE ON MUTE!”
MASKS DISTRIBUTED TO CDTC VOLUNTEERS
1
UNEXPECTED YEAR
CDTC staff and Friends of the Dillon Ranger District mask up for a trail maintenance project at Gold Hill, CO. Photo by Dominic Tenorio.
Photo © Stephen Matera.
10
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BRIDGING THE GAP An Update from CDTC’s Trail and Lands Conservation Manager By Dan Carter
Melissa Green from Groundwork Trails scouting the Mangas Valley reroute near Silver City, NM. Photo by Dan Carter.
W hen the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) was designated by Congress in 1978, it was envisioned as the longest National Scenic Trail in the country, stretching 3,100 from the Mexican border to the Canadian border along the remarkable vistas in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. This new pathway along the spine of the continent was not only the beginning of a significant conservation effort but an undertaking that would bring travelers to the heart of some of the country’s most treasured landscapes. In a study of viability for the proposed CDT, the Department of the Interior describes the CDT experience as one where “users would wind their way through some of the most spectacular scenery in the United States and have an opportunity to enjoy a greater diversity of physical and natural qualities than found on any other extended trail.” Realizing the full promise and potential of the CDT would require the completion of an uninterrupted trail. At the time of its inception, the trail was only partially complete and would require an extensive amount of trail building and route finding. Since its founding in 2012, CDTC has continued this effort alongside the federal land management agencies, partners, other organizations, and volunteers. Completing the trail is and remains one of the core missions of our organization. However, creating a continuous tread involves not only clearing a trail but routing a path that places the CDT onto protected public lands. This process involves extensive research, planning, design,
and coordination with agencies and stakeholders to find appropriate routes for new tread. Today, approximately 94% of the CDT is protected on public lands (Atlas of the CDT). This leaves 190 miles that need to be relocated by moving the route off of motorized areas like roadsides and Forest Service roads and onto trails. New CDT will be constructed on protected public lands and right of way easements across private lands from willing landowners, eventually situating the trail completely within a protected corridor. At the helm of the trail completion effort is Dan Carter, CDTC’s Trail and Lands Conservation Manager (TLCM). Dan was hired in October 2019 and hit the trail running, picking up where previous efforts left off. The priority of the Trail and Lands Conservation program has been to complete the CDT across the major trail gap areas including Muddy Pass near Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Cochetopa Hills west of Salida, Colorado; Mangas Valley outside of Silver City, New Mexico; a long road walk between Pie Town and Grants, New Mexico; through El Malpais National Monument and Conservation Area; and through the town of Cuba, New Mexico. Trail routing is not only the assessment of where a trail could be physically constructed; it involves a collaborative process to ensure a trail is meeting the needs and expectations of a diverse group of community members, stakeholders, and land managers. It must also meet the objectives outlined in the National Trail Systems Act of 1978 and the PAGE 9
FORGED FOR LIFE FA L L C O L L E C T I O N
CDT Comprehensive Plan in 2009. To facilitate this type of dialogue and collaboration, the TLCM has coordinated agency partners, community members, and businesses to form working groups in all the major gap locations along the CDT. The working groups consist of representatives from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and state agencies such as the Colorado State Land Board, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and the New Mexico State Land Office. The Step Into Cuba Alliance has played an active role in Cuba, and Freeport McMoRan is a committed industry partner in the Mangas Valley working group. Other interested partners such as Big Agnes, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, New Mexico Land Conservancy, Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps, and many community members have assisted in this work over the last year. Read on for summaries of each of the major gap projects in New Mexico and Colorado.
New Mexico New Mexico has the most trail gaps of any of the CDT states. The long, dry road walks in New Mexico have unfortunately become notorious among the thru-hiking community. There are three major gap areas where CDTC has been working: Mangas Valley, PAGE 10
Pie Town to Grants, and Cuba. MANGAS VALLEY: The Mangas Valley Gap is 28 miles of motorized roads including 13 miles on the shoulder of US Highway 180 near Silver City, NM. The working group identified three alternative routes to connect the Burro Mountains and Pinos Altos Range. Some factors considered in the analysis included connecting with past trail completion efforts by the USFS, respecting sensitive species habitat on private land, coordinating with the trail planning efforts underway in Silver City and Grant County, and adhering to qualities of a National Scenic Trail as outlined in the National Trail Systems Act and CDT Comprehensive Plan. The TLCM scouted over 50 miles of potential routes to see where the trail may go and verify previously proposed alignments. The Optimal Location Review process was used to gather project goals and data and report back to the working group. A preferred alignment was chosen, and further planning and detailed trail design began. CDTC is currently in discussion with private landowners and local ranchers about grazing access and addressing concerns regarding recreational use, in particular, the use of gates in recreational areas. In the meantime, everyone, please close the gate!
PIE TOWN TO GRANTS Pie Town, New Mexico, is known for its quirky name, delicious pies, and the Toaster House (home of the original CDT trail angel) and is a favorite stopover along the CDT. Heading into Pie Town and continuing north towards El Malpais National Monument, the town of Grants, and Tsoodził (Mount Taylor) entails traveling on 83 miles of road, making this the longest CDT trail gap. CDTC formed two working groups to approach this long stretch. One group is focused on the gaps around El Malpais National Monument and National Conservation Area south of Grants, whereas the other group is focused on the gaps north and south of Pie Town.
Conservation Fund through a partnership between the BLM and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. CDTC and partners are currently researching access across the private land to the north of Alamocita Creek. CUBA The Cuba gap consists of 17 miles of road, including highways NM197, NM126, and US550. An environmental assessment for a reroute was signed in 2018, and the Santa Fe National Forest completed a portion of that reroute in 2020. The section on USFS lands consists of 6 miles of new trail between Eureka Mesa road, 4 miles east of Cuba, and the San Gregorio trailhead on the southern boundary of the San Pedro Parks Wilderness. In 2019, the Forest Service designated 7.5 miles of existing trail in the wilderness as part of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. The remainder of the reroute is on lands managed by the BLM and private landowners. A major challenge is crossing US550, a four-lane, high-speed highway. The working group members met with the New Mexico Department of Transportation to explore four crossing locations. A final crossing was chosen that optimizes safety and is sensitive to a wildlife corridor managed by NMDOT. The TLCM and NMDOT will continue working through the design of the crossing and obtaining the necessary permits.
The Sawtooth Mountains in the Cibola National Forest, along the proposed reroute between Pie Town and Grants.
The El Malpais working group identified two alternative routes that will not only reroute the CDT off of roads but provide a more direct route to water and the town of Grants. This route will also connect with other existing trails, including the current CDT route, providing more robust day-use options for locals and visitors alike. To address the high density of sensitive archaeological resources in the El Malpais area, the TLCM has been working with the NPS Archaeologist to identify the optimal location for the trail. Most recently, the TLCM contacted the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps to help with understanding the lands of the Acoma Pueblo and coordinate with past GIS work completed by a CDT Trail Apprentice Program alum. The Gateway Community of Grants, New Mexico; the Cibola National Forest; and Cibola Trails Alliance are improving the trail through the town of Grants and are building reroutes around Tsoodził on the Cibola National Forest. The TLCM and staff from the Cibola National Forest have begun scouting routes closer to Pie Town. This section will connect Pie Town to the Alamocita Creek parcel purchased through the Land and Water
Dr. Richard Kozoll of the Step Into Cuba Alliance has been a very active member of the Cuba working group. He has provided a lot of history and insight from past trail completion efforts and local knowledge of the landscape and community. The TLCM and Dr. Kozoll have met with private landowners to discuss access for the CDT. These discussions are ongoing. With the completion of the reroute in the Santa Fe National Forest, the trail gap has shrunk by almost 4 miles.
Sunset on the newly-constructed CDT reroute in the Santa Fe National Forest near Cuba, NM. Photo by Dan Carter.
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Colorado MUDDY PASS The Muddy Pass Gap is the last major gap on the CDT in Colorado. This gap is 29 miles long, with 14 miles traveling along the dangerous, narrow Colorado State Highway 14. Over the last year or so, the Muddy Pass project has gained the attention and support of local outdoor business Big Agnes and US Senator Cory Gardner. The TLCM formed a working group consisting of USFS, BLM, Colorado State Land Board, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife staff. The group has revisited past proposed alignments and discussed current opportunities for closing this gap. This year, with wildfires, snow, and a pandemic to contend with, the field season for scouting the Muddy Pass area was limited. However, the TLCM spent eight days in the Muddy Pass area to look at the proposed alignments, explore other alternatives, meet with agency partners, and begin conversations with landowners and community members. After many miles of bushwhacking through the mountains and forest, navigating past moose, wading through streams, and dodging summer storms, the TLCM refined one of the proposed alignments. This route would move the trail off of USFS roads that are increasing in motorized use, and onto new sustainable single-track trails. Discussions with the working group and private landowners will continue through the winter to address sensitive wildlife, ranching, and private property concerns. In the summer of 2021, with a refined plan, the TLCM intends to continue listening to and building relationships with the local community, scout possible alignments, and complete the Optimal Location Review (OLR) for Muddy Pass. The past year has been busy, filled with many hours and miles hiking throughout the CDT corridor, meeting and coordinating working groups and partners, and learning about the history of the gap projects and the richness of the Continental Divide. In the coming year, we will build off this strong foundation and complete the Optimal Location Reviews for all the gap areas, finalize planning, and utilize new funding from the Land and Water
The CDT near Muddy Pass travels for 14 miles along SH 14.
PAGE 12
Dan hanging a CDT blaze as part of the “Blaze the CDT� campaign in 2018. Photo by Susan Singley.
Conservation Fund, which was funded completely and permanently by the passage of the Great American Outdoors Act this summer. Dan is the Trail and Lands Conservation Manager for CDTC. Dan has been hooked on the CDT since his very first time bushwacking from his front door in Las Cruces, NM, to the mountains of the Black Range, when he became lost and slept only 5 minutes from the trail. Now a seasoned CDT hiker, Dan can be found exploring the trail near his home and throughout Southern NM.
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GIFTS THAT GIVE TWICE L ooking for a meaningful way to give this holiday season? Snag one of these gifts for the CDT lover in your life. A portion of proceeds from each product below is donated to CDTC – so they’ll get a gift they love, and you’ll know you’re contributing to stewardship of the Trail and protection of the landscapes of the Divide. Not sure what to get that person who has everything? Give the gift of CDTC membership by making a donation in their honor, so you can give a gift to your loved one and CDTC!
2020 CDT GIFT BOX One gift, lots of CDT cheer. Send a CDT enthusiast the 2020 CDT Gift Box and they’ll receive a CDT trucker hat, Hyperlite stuff sack, CDT BUFF®, CDT bandana, and CDT/CDTC stickers! Each item can be purchased individually, but why not combine them for the perfect gift?
SEEK DRY GOODS “UNITED LANDSCAPES” T-SHIRT Show your love for the CDT with this stylish and super soft t-shirt! Available in multiple colors and in your choice of women’s or unisex styles, these shirts were created with CDTC’s favorite landscapes of the Divide in mind. Along with being the most comfortable shirt we own, the United Landscapes T-shirt is made of organic cotton and recycled polyester – which means it’s good for you and the planet! Plus, Seek Dry Goods donates a portion of proceeds from each shirt sold back to support our work to protect the wild spaces you love.
2021 CDT CALENDAR For more than 40 years, the CDT has called to visitors from around the world. From 14,000-foot peaks to expansive desert valleys, travel through the exhilarating landscapes of the Rocky Mountain West from the comfort of your office with our 2021 CDT Calendar. Donate $100 or more to CDTC before December 31, and you’ll get a 2021 calendar for FREE!
CDT TRUCKER HAT Show off your trail spirit with a classic trucker hat. This one comes in navy or olive and sports both CDT and CDTC logos! Order as part of the CDT Gift Box or grab the hat on its own!
FARM TO FEET SOCKS As the weather gets cooler, what better way to keep your feet warm than with CDT socks? Farm to Feet’s merino wool socks are both stylish and toasty warm. This style is modeled after their most popular technical trail sock, has the durability for all outdoor adventurers, and features a CDT logo. Farm to Feet is a proud supporter of the CDTC’s mission of completing, promoting, and protecting the Continental Divide Trail, and you could be too when you sport these socks all winter!
CDT BUFF® This beautiful BUFF® CDT Multifunctional Headwear protects you from sun, wind, and cold while reminding you of the beauty of the trail. Part of the Triple Crown Series benefiting the triple crown trails of the National Trails System, this multifunctional headwear displays quintessential scenes from the CDT – from vibrant ocotillo in bloom to the elegant wild horses of the Great Basin. It’s a beautiful nod to all that’s extraordinary on the Divide.
ENO CONTINENTAL DIVIDE TRAIL DOUBLENEST HAMMOCK ENO’s hammocks are renowned for their comfort, ease of set-up, and durability, and their Doublenest has room for two or makes for an especially spacious spot for a solo nap. For each special edition Continental Divide Trail hammock they sell, ENO donates $10 to CDTC to help us protect the wild places where you hang your hammock.
SALOMON ODYSSEY SHOE Help your loved ones hit the trail and support CDTC with Salomon’s Odyssey collection. Choose from six distinct styles designed with hikers in mind, and Salomon will donate $5 to CDTC for every pair of shoes sold. Simply purchase a pair on Salomon.com or Backcountry. com. You get back to hiking, Salomon will handle the donation!
ATLAS OF THE CDT – PRINT EDITION Newly designed and printed this year, the Atlas of the CDT lets you explore the CDT and its corridor through thematic maps, infographics, and narratives that present the landscapes and communities connected by the trail. As the cold weather moves in, the Atlas is the perfect gift for someone who wants to dive into a beautifully designed guide of the CDT from the comfort of their own home and learn more about the trail for their next CDT adventure!
You can always head to CDTC’s online store to find all the CDT products your heart could desire – more hats, trail blazes, guide books, and more. All of the proceeds from items sold in our store go directly back into our programs to complete, promote, and protect the CDT. Order by December 14 to ensure your item is shipped before the CDTC office closes for the holidays. Happy gift-giving and happy holidays! Background photo by Cody Brown.
BRINGING PARTNERS TOGETHER By Amanda Wheelock
T he Continental Divide Trail Coalition works alongside our partners at the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and National Park Service to complete, promote, and protect the Continental Divide Trail. Recently, our trail-wide partnership was officially recognized in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). If you’re unfamiliar, MOUs are non-legally binding documents that specify agreement between two or more parties on what they will do to achieve a common goal. This agreement will strengthen our partnership with these agencies, and officially defines how we collectively work to achieve the shared vision of a completed, protected, and well-loved Continental Divide Trail. The MOU signed in September is the first official recognition of a trailwide partnership between the USFS, NPS, BLM, and CDTC in the stewardship, promotion, and protection of the trail. Former Trail Policy Manager Amanda Wheelock spoke with Brenda Yankoviak, the CDT Administrator, about what this means for CDTC, our agency partners, and the trail itself. CDTC: So what is the MOU, exactly? Why is this important? Brenda: An MOU is really just a statement of the nature of our relationship. It doesn’t commit any resources, but rather outlines how we work together. In this case, the MOU recognizes the unique role that CDTC plays in assisting with trail maintenance, information, and other activities trail-wide to elevate the management of the Continental Divide Trail. The reason that an MOU is important is it helps to really clarify our goals, how we all work together, and what our unique niche is, and what we can really do to leverage our strengths to improve the management of the trail. CDTC: So what are those goals? What is laid out in this MOU about how CDTC and its agency partners work together on behalf of the CDT? Brenda: In the MOU, the agencies – the four Forest Service regions, four National Park Service units, and five BLM state offices along the CDT, which are each responsible for managing a section of the trail – and the CDTC have agreed to take certain actions to achieve the vision of a completed, protected, and well-loved Continental Divide Trail.
It is all legally non-binding, but it basically tries to capture and outline the work we all already do to help protect and maintain the CDT and clarify what each partner is doing. There’s a long list for both the CDTC and the agencies in the MOU, but I’ll try to sum it up as best I can. CDTC agrees to coordinate with the agencies to do things like educate the public about the CDT and provide them with helpful trail information, recruit and train volunteers to maintain the CDT, and facilitate the involvement of other partners and stakeholders along the trail. The agencies, in turn, agree to work with CDTC as a trailwide partner in CDT stewardship, and assist CDTC with its work to promote, build, and maintain the trail. The Forest Service, as the administering agency of the trail, agrees to additional steps like designating a full-time CDNST Administrator (me!) and facilitating relationships between CDTC staff and agency staff along the trail. CDTC: CDTC had a previous MOU with the USFS. What does the inclusion of the Park Service and the BLM in this new MOU mean? Brenda: Correct, we (the Forest Service) signed an MOU with CDTC back in 2014 to outline the nature of our partnership. Now, CDTC is really expanding its reach and ability to help bring capacity to the agencies. The interagency nature of this new MOU demonstrates that these agencies see value in the professionalism of CDTC and that it plays a unique role as a trailwide partner in assisting with a lot of the different aspects of CDT management. The new MOU is definitely a recognition of CDTC being a solid partner and having a lot of capacity to continue to strengthen those partnerships going forward, and it will help CDTC create new partnerships at the local level to promote conservation of the trail. We’re so excited to continue to work with our federal land management partners towards the vision of a completed, protected, and well-loved CDT and look forward to the collaborations and new connections that the MOU will bring. Amanda Dan is the Wheelock Trail andisLands the former Conservation Communications Manager for CDTC. and PolicyDan Manager has beenathooked CDTC. onShe the is CDT now since a his very first graduate student time bushwacking at the University from his offront Michigan door in Las Cruces, studying environmental NM, to the policy mountains and natural of the resource Black Range, when Her conservation. he favorite became CDT lost pastime and slept is smelling only 5 minutes the ponderosa from the pines. trail. Now a seasoned CDT hiker, Dan can be found exploring the trail near his home and throughout Southern NM. Background photo by Kate Bobal.
SAFELY STEWARDING THE CDT By Morgan Anderson
The Summit of Lookout Mountain. CDTC volunteers built a new section of trail nearby. Photo by Gabe Etengoff.
T he Continental Divide Trail Coalition’s Field Program is proud to announce the completion of the 2020 Field Season—one like no other. We are so proud of our staff’s ability to navigate uncertain times and push forward to bring people together to steward the CDT. This year was a strong example of how we can maneuver through unprecedented times with compassion, understanding, and flexibility, while also reserving moments to be humble and lean on one another for support. Additionally, the Field Programs doubled our staff for the first time this year with the hiring of two full-time seasonal Field Instructors. The Field Instructors functioned as our boots-onthe-ground leadership and allowed us to balance our administrative and field-based operations so that we were able to navigate the needs of our volunteers and partners more effectively. Our Field Instructors were hired through the Southwest Conservation Corps Individual Placement program which operates through AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps is
a network of national service programs, made up of three primary programs that each take a different approach to improve lives and fostering civic engagement. Some popular AmeriCorps programs include diverse opportunities in the conservation field—such as youth conservation corps and natural resource management. Our two seasonal employees, Beckett Wagner and Isaac Miller, had the opportunity to lead 13 volunteer trail work events and 3 CDTC Adopter Trainings from June to October this year. The pandemic meant that we followed several procedures and protocols to keep folks safe, which included reducing the number of volunteers we had on the ground. With that being said, we were still able to accomplish so much this season! 108 volunteers contributed 2,800 hours of volunteer service on the CDT - that’s roughly $75,700 in volunteer in-kind! Whenever volunteers contribute their personal time to trail stewardship, their efforts positively impact the CDT, the surrounding communities, and the ever-present PAGE 19
need for funding to run our programs. Collectively, CDTC staff, volunteers, and project partners maintained 20.7 miles of trail, built 1.7 new miles of CDT, cleaned 700 drains, and cleared 300 trees! We also recruited 29 new CDTC Trail Adopters this year.
Highlights from the 2020 Season TOGWOTEE PASS & BATTLE PASS, WY CDTC ADOPTER TRAININGS Our Field Instructors went to Wyoming to host two CDTC Adopter Trainings in partnership with the Bridger-Teton and Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests, as well as Friends of the Bridger Teton. Both trainings represented new relationships with the Forest Service in Wyoming and opened up 88 miles of the CDT to independent stewardship through our adopt-a-trail program. Both trainings were hosted on mountain passes over two days, with the instructors teaching basic trail maintenance techniques and jargon, tool safety, risk assessment, and the duties of a CDTC Adopter. An important part of our trainings is hands-on learning. We tool up our volunteers and lead them through trail maintenance by cleaning drainage, tacking up CDT markers, sawing trees, clearing encroaching vegetation, and sometimes even trail construction. The sharp spires of the Tetons and rolling terrain of the Medicine Bow are both beautiful landscapes for volunteers to protect and enjoy. We hope to continue to expand our presence in these areas through both the CDTC Adopter Program and volunteer trail work projects.
could not participate because of the pandemic. In response, we decided to send all Field Programs staff up to Yellowstone to work alongside their trail staff on the CDT as a gesture of goodwill. Near the end of August, CDTC Field Programs staff made it to Biscuit Basin, a beautiful area within the park strewn with geothermal features like Jewel Geyser, Sapphire Pool, and Mustard Spring. The section of the CDT that the crew focused on meandered through hot pools and springs between Biscuit Basin and Artemisia Geyser. We were able to identify a few key areas where drainage structures needed to be built or maintained to dry out the trail. The crew used native materials to create waterbars and stepping stones to help trail travelers keep dry and out of the mud. We hauled and placed liner logs to encourage folks to stay on the CDT and protect delicate geothermal areas and surrounding flora. CDTC is looking forward to pursuing new partnerships alongside Yellowstone National Park in the future.
Volunteers work on a section of trail in Yellowstone National Park. Photo by Chris Atkinson.
BLACK RANGE TRAIL CONSTRUCTION
Trail Adopters at Togwotee Pass, WY. Photo by Gabe Etengoff
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK Every year CDTC hosts a volunteer event in Yellowstone National Park to address different maintenance needs on the CDT. Unfortunately, there was a wrench thrown into our planned volunteer event last minute as a critical project partner PAGE 20
The Black Range lies within the Gila National Forest in southwestern New Mexico and is known for being remote and dry, with water hard to come by for trail travelers. We hosted three volunteer projects in October in partnership with New Mexico Volunteers for the Outdoors that focused on the construction of a one-mile section of the CDT through the Black Range. Earlier in the Summer, a youth corps began scratching in this section of trail but were unable to complete their work due to time constraints. CDTC and partners were able to pick up where the youth corps left off, digging new trail, clearing vegetation, and knocking in drainage structures where needed. Trail construction is some of the most physically demanding and rewarding work a crew can accomplish. They made quick progress on the ground and were able to complete the entire mile of construction, officially moving the entire CDT onto single track in the Black Range where once it hopped from dirt road to single track haphazardly.
Beckett Wagner cuts new trail to move the CDT completely onto single-track in New Mexico’s Black Range. Photo by Isaac Miller.
A whirlwind of a season has finally come to a close. As we look to the future, we anticipate 2021 to look very similar to 2020 since so much is unknown about the trajectory of the pandemic. We’re building out our season this winter and are hoping to have a number of volunteer trail work opportunities along the Continental Divide Trail that will be led once again by two CDTC Field Instructors. Get excited to see many new opportunities in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho to get outdoors and get to work!
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Volunteers rerouting a section trail in the Burro Mountains of New Mexico. Photo by Isaac Miller.
Morgan Anderson is the Field Programs Manager for CDTC. She can speak fluent midwestern and uses the charm perfected in her home state of Ohio to bring volunteers, partners, and land managers together to steward the CDT!
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HEARING THE
Voices of the CDT By Francesca Governali
Cowboy Bruce Wongstrom. Photo provided by Tara Lynch.
A bird’s-eye view of Georgetown in 1874. From the Collection of Robert L. Spude, NPS.
Jane Marguerite “Peg” Lindsley. Photo from the National Park Service Archives.
W hile Passages has long endeavored to tell the story of the CDT, this year, we at CDTC realized we have a duty to share more unheard and untold tales of the CDT corridor and its landscapes. We envisioned a series of stories that would give readers a taste of the special flavors of the Rocky Mountain West, elevate the voices of the marginalized, and uncover forgotten histories of the people and places along the Continental Divide. That’s why this September, we launched a monthly series called Voices of the CDT. Through Voices, we will showcase stories from people and places connected to the CDT, investigate the history of our outdoor spaces, and work toward telling a more complete story of the CDT. You’ll find Voices spotlights on our website, and we’ll share these stories on CDTC’s social media once a month as we build a collection of narratives that celebrate the diversity of the Continental Divide, the landscapes it crosses, and the people who live there. Since September, Voices has featured the stories of CDT horse-packing guide Bruce Wongstrom; Jeremiah Lee, a formerly enslaved person who founded a Georgetown, Colorado, mining company; and Jane Marguerite “Peg” Lindsley, the first permanent female Park Ranger at Yellowstone National Park. Through this project, we’re expanding our shared knowledge of people who have lived, traveled, or had an impact on the landscapes of the Continental Divide. Email us at outreach@continentaldividetrail.org if you have any ideas of stories that should be featured. Visit our website each month to read a new story that highlights the experiences, histories, and voices of the CDT community against the backdrop of the awe-inspiring Continental Divide.
Francesca is CDTC’s Community Engagement Coordinator. In her free time, she enjoys baking, knitting, and getting to know Colorado’s public lands. PAGE 22
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GATEWAY COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: Leadville & Twin Lakes, Colorado By Andrea Kurth
Downtown Leadville, Colorado. Photo by Justin Talbot.
A t an altitude of 10,151 feet, Leadville, the perennial winner of the title for the highest incorporated city in North America, and its only neighbor in Lake County, Twin Lakes, are famous for many things. Among them: brutally long winters, a punishing ultramarathon race dubbed ‘The Race Across the Sky,’ and a rough-and-tumble legacy of gold rushes, brothels, and outlaws. But upon arriving in the place dubbed the ‘Cloud City’ with all the nickname’s Suessical reminiscence, it wasn’t the barren frigid wasteland I was expecting. What I found instead was a place filled with characters as whimsical as they were hearty, all hellbent on living their best lives in a recreationist’s paradise. During the summer, Leadville and Twin Lakes offer high-altitude hideouts for lowlanders looking to escape the heat. Visitors can test their endurance by summiting Mount Elbert or Mount Massive, the two highest peaks in the Rocky Mountain chain, or by competing in the grueling Leadville 100 MTB or foot races that start in Leadville and snake their way via the CDT over multiple mountain passes before PAGE 24
turning around at Hope Pass and repeating the course all over again. Those who enjoy milder versions of summer fun will find no shortage of hiking, climbing, fishing, boating, and biking options within a 15-mile radius of either Leadville or Twin Lakes. The CDT summits Hope Pass in the San Isabel National Forest, descending and following closely around the shores of the eponymous reservoirs near the Village of Twin Lakes before hugging the bases of the towering giants, Elbert and Massive, and finally heading northward over Tennessee Pass. Hike north of Leadville via the CDT or drive on Highway 24, and you can visit Camp Hale, the training site of the legendary 10th Mountain Division, who skied and mountaineered their way to victory on Mount Belvedere during World War II. Vacationers to Leadville in the summer will find a bustling historic main street on Leadville’s Harrison Avenue, where they can enjoy patio fares, share a drink with ghosts at the Legendary Silver Dollar Saloon, founded in 1883, or sip a cocktail on the
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Out for a paddle in Twin Lakes, Colorado.. Photo by Amanda Wheelock.
can also enjoy mountain views on the Continental Divide Trail, which winds through snow-capped pine, spruce, and fir forests from Twin Lakes to Leadville. Those looking for a backcountry skiing or snowshoeing adventure of multiple days can reserve their space at a cabin in the 10th Mountain Division Hut System; skiers, snowshoers, and hikers can access the Continental Divide and Point Breeze Cabins about a mile from Tennessee Pass on the CDT. Many other nearby huts make for longer trips or a week-long adventure. And for the motorized crew, Leadville’s Mining District to the east of town offers a multitude of snowmobiling adventures.
rooftop of the Treeline Cafe. Likewise, visitors on the way to Aspen over the jaw-dropping Independence Pass can stop for a meal at the historic Twin Lakes Inn and pick up souvenirs at the Twin Lakes General Store down the road.
A winter visit to Leadville and Twin Lakes may at first seem to reveal towns frozen in time. But after a short stay and a few forays into the neighboring forests carpeted with snow, it becomes abundantly clear that the seemingly never-ending winter has not
In the fall, leaf peepers flock from far and wide to experience autumnal colors in the shadow of Mt. Elbert. Visitors to the town of Twin Lakes, at the foot of the 14,439’ peak, will find a feast for the eyes in August and September. There, among the lakes’ glistening shores, 40-foot-tall quaking aspens, among the largest and oldest organisms on earth, shimmer in a display of reds, oranges, and yellows, and milder temperatures lure hikers to dip their toes in the frigid snowmelt water. There’s no doubt that the delights of summer and fall in Leadville-Twin Lakes have rightfully cemented their allure for campers, RVers, racers, paddlers, and all kinds of visitors. But with only one or two months per year without snowfall, Leadville truly shines as an outdoor recreation destination in the winter months. For those willing to brave the cooler temperatures from November to April, Leadville and Twin Lakes offer a tranquil winter wonderland, nearly forgotten among the neighboring behemoth resort towns of Vail, Keystone, and Breckenridge. For alpine skiers looking to experience the heart of the Rockies, Leadville’s Ski Cooper offers a throwback to the kind of Colorado skiing popular 50 years ago. Just ten miles north of Leadville, the quaint ski area offers 100% natural Colorado snow and phenomenal views of the Continental Divide to the west. What Ski Cooper lacks in glamour and glitz, it makes up for tenfold in authenticity and casualness – lift lines rarely form and never seem to trail longer than 20 skiers at once. For Nordic skiers, snowshoers, and fat bikers, Leadville offers over 100 miles of groomed trails in the city’s East Side Mining District, around Turquoise Lake, and at the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center, which neighbors Ski Cooper. Winter adventurers PAGE 26
A skijorer and dog in Leadville.. Photo by Austin Kolb.
frozen residents and visitors to inactivity. Leadville and Twin Lakes will take your breath away. With their magnificent mountain views, unique recreation options in all seasons, and literal lack of oxygen, you’ll be left breathless in these little cities in the sky. Andrea Kurth is CDTC’s Gateway Community Program Manager. She’s passionate about making the outdoors inclusive for all people, and spends much of her time hiking, skiing, and reading books in the mountains of central Colorado.
CO N T I N E N TA L DIVIDE TR AIL
Explore all 3,100 miles of the CDT with the National Geographic Continental Divide Trail Map visit natgeomaps.com
ALL IN GOOD TIME By Ingrid Piña
M y first hitch in Montana, I missed the CDT by about 20 miles. The Student Conservation Association (SCA) brought our motley crew of six students and two adult leaders from around the nation to Slide Lake in Glacier National Park, on what is Blackfeet land. As an 18 year old from Houston, I hardly knew the CDT existed — this was my first time camping in the backcountry, and my first time wearing a puffy jacket with good reason. More firsts followed: building two turnpikes and a cow fence using handtools, raising tread, fixing a rock culvert and cutting back aspen along the trail. For 5 weeks, we woke to a friendly sun, worked a full day, then fell fast asleep to endless stars. We experimented with trail cooking, baking bread and corn cakes from scratch. In the hour after work before dinner, we would fish out the sleeping pads from our tents to sit and swap stories. I told my new friends, “this is the most honest I have ever lived.” Sticky tree sap forever a part of my clothes, my hair a tangled mess molded to the shape of my bright yellow safety helmet. When surrounded by more beauty than I could have ever dreamed of, glimpsing my reflection in a cold mountain stream made do for a mirror. I’ll never forget the day when I scrambled out of my tent for breakfast duty and observed, standing just 30 feet down my path, the largest creature I had ever seen––a bull moose. I stared slack-jawed at the moose; my thoughts whirled, searching for meaning in what I was sure was a divine sign. Finally, a sign,
an answer to why I could be so miserable amidst all this wonder. If only the moose could talk, and tell me why I woke up, worked, and fell asleep daily to thoughts of doubt, shame, and sadness. In my heart or in my gut, kept warm by my puffy jacket, I felt like I shouldn’t be in Montana. About a month prior, my abuela had died at my home in Houston, just before my high school graduation. A big factor in her death was the inadequate medical care and lack of hospital supplies in Caracas, Venezuela, where a lot of my family still lives. As the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela worsened, my summer opportunity from the SCA no longer felt like a blessing. It felt like a decision I had made months earlier in excited imaginings of some big, bright future, like my decision to apply for a scholarship from the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) to study Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan. I had been awarded the scholarship and would be going to Taiwan come August, two weeks after returning from bear country Montana. “Dear moose! I’m about to go to the other side of the world to learn Chinese, when I should be going to South America to fix my Spanish and support my primos. Why am I wallowing in the trees when I should be home with my family? Answer me, how can your beauty feel so ugly?” I was waiting for a Thoreau moment in which the honest days and endless stars would fill my empty spaces. I couldn’t bring myself to open the only book I had stuffed in my pack––a beginners Chinese manual. My second hitch in Montana, I landed around mile 2417 of the CDT. On an SCA Alumni Crew, I was now considered an adult among 8 other SCA lovers and 2 Field Program leaders from the Continental Divide Trail Coalition. For a week, we worked to re-route a mile of the CDT off of road, cutting the trail bench, raising tread, setting rock water structures and fixing a few turnpikes. In such a short stretch of time, I was shocked to find myself feeling totally at home.
Ingrid’s tent pitched amid bear grass blooms in the Helena National Forest in 2019. Photo by Ingrid Piña.
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A month prior I was running around the city of Kaohsiung, in southern Taiwan. The pavement never needed tread work, no turnpikes to evade seeping water. Looking up to high-rises, I couldn’t remember the last time I had seen the stars. Over ten months, this city had become my world, full of
Crewmates playing a trail game in the last hours of daylight. Photo by Ingrid PiĂąa.
Ingrid’s tent pitched amid bear grass blooms in the Helena National Forest in 2019. Photo by Ingrid Piña.
people that I loved and stories that still make me smile. I cried leaving. But coming home to the states, I realized there were parts of me that I had never communicated with my Taiwanese host family and friends. Getting back to Montana and stepping on the CDT, I rediscovered one of these crucial parts––my love for trail work and getting outside that had bloomed when I was 16. I remembered how it felt to get onto a trail and to see a project progress, all with the backdrop of nature that cuts moments to their core. Where this vulnerability had scared me the summer prior, the trail had been waiting for me to come back around, all in good time. When the pang in my heart came, making me miss my loved ones, from Taiwan
to Venezuela, I embraced it. I picked up my phone and started recording the day on trail, thinking to share it with my far away family and friends who weren’t familiar with the concept of a trail crew. Feeling so comfortable with my wonderful, hilarious crewmates, I caught some moments that illustrated the otherwise inexplicable magic of trail crews. Videos became a way I could cross expanses of distance and language, to support causes by sharing struggle instead of avoiding it. Since stepping off the CDT, this passion has not left me. I continue to make videos as I major in international relations and digital arts at my university. I’ve also added one more dream: to thru-hike the CDT one day, taking my sweet time around mile 2417.
Ingrid Piña is a Dedman Distinguished Scholar at the University of Texas at Austin studying international relations and digital media. Passionate about creative, culturally competent communication, she believes in the power of storytelling, tea, and sunshine.
PAGE 30
“I love carrying a bear canister” -Nobody Ever
BOOK REVIEW:
THE EASY CAMP COOKBOOK By Andrea Kurth
M other-turned-author Amelia Mayer has spent a lifetime camping (and cooking) in the great outdoors. Her newly-released The Easy Camp Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Your Car Camping and Backcountry Adventures draws upon years of experience planning and executing culinary creations for herself and her five kids. The Easy Camp Cookbook proves useful for both seasoned outdoor enthusiasts and those just beginning to explore recipes for the outdoors. Mayer serves up insightful tips on safety, food storage, Leave No Trace principles, camping pantry staples, cooking methods, pre-trip prepping, and more in this bite-sized and meticulously organized cookbook. Mayer breaks the book into two parts: car camping and backcountry camping, detailing how aspiring campsite chefs can fuel adventure-filled weekends, from what to prepare at home, right down to how to easily clean up after a fireside feast. Each section is further subdivided into chapters with recipes in four categories to satisfy your group’s outdoor appetite: breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks and sides, and desserts and drinks. Mayer codes each recipe by cooking method, so readers know whether the recipe calls for a campfire, camp stove, or charcoal grill, and whether they will need extra tools like a Dutch oven or a skillet. Mayer also takes vegetarian campers and those with food allergies into consideration by including recipes that are accessible to all food preferences and dietary needs. From campfire french toast to teriyaki-grilled steak kababs to Mayer’s get-hiking-more trail bars, this cookbook’s 100 recipes will inspire you to look beyond the classic camp food of ramen and instant mashed potatoes that fueled yesterday’s CDT adventures. If you’re new to backpacking, this book presents a resounding answer to the classic conundrum of “But what will I eat?!” Mayer breathes new life into cooking outside and will undoubtedly have you testing out new recipes in your backyard this winter as you prepare for next summer’s camping trips. Whether you decide to add one recipe to your camp food repertoire or replace all of your tired freeze-dried options with homemade creations, The Easy Camp Cookbook will help you keep your campmates fed (and happy) during your next outdoor adventure. PAGE 32
Or, grab one for the campfire chef in your life and reap the delicious benefits of their new culinary creations! The author of this article was provided with a free advance copy of the Easy Camp Cookbook - but was not obligated to write a review. Andrea Kurth is CDTC’s Gateway Community Program Manager. She’s passionate about making the outdoors inclusive for all people, and spends much of her time hiking, skiing, and reading books in the mountains of central Colorado.
AUDIBLE ADVENTURES By Andrea Kurth
V isiting the CDT wasn’t in the cards for many this year, but with the magic of podcasting, you can be transported to the landscapes and trailside towns of the Divide from anywhere! This month, we’re traveling to the communities of Butte and Anaconda, Montana — both a stone’s throw from the CDT — with the Richest Hill podcast, produced by Montana Public Radio. Nora Saks, the host of Richest Hill, was awarded the 2019 Daniel Schorr Journalism Prize for her reporting on the past, present, and future of Butte, Montana — a community built upon the western slope of the Continental Divide in the northern Rocky Mountains. Butte played a small part in the gold and silver rushes of the late 1800s but came to be known as the ‘Richest Hill on Earth’ after highly concentrated veins of copper ore were discovered beneath its surface. As the demand for copper rose due to the proliferation of electricity, the telegraph, telephones, and eventually, the onset of the First World War, its price skyrocketed, propelling Butte to unimaginable wealth. In fact, according to Saks’ reporting, between 1905 - 1917, nearly one-third of all copper produced worldwide came from Butte. That staggering number helps explain just how Butte became one of the largest and most important boom towns west of the Mississippi River — and one of the worst environmental disaster zones of the late twentieth century.
Follow along and discover how the behemoth Anaconda Copper Mining Company (the namesake of the CDT Gateway Community of Anaconda) and its mines around Butte played a hand in the unprecedented copper production of the early twentieth century, became a backdrop for a budding labor movement, and created an environmental disaster that would later propel Butte to infamy as one of the most toxic EPA Superfund sites in the nation. Then, start to understand Butte’s presentday realities as Saks explores the legacy that copper mining imparted on environmental attitudes in the region, and learn what the future holds for a cleanedup Butte. Listen to Richest Hill on mtpr.org or wherever you get your podcasts.
The CDT Gateway Community of Anaconda, MT, bears the name of the company that propelled Butte to great wealth in the early 1900s. Photo by Amanda Wheelock.
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Exploring the CDT near Twin Lakes, Colorado. Photo by Francesca Governali.
Members are the core of our organization and its efforts to protect the Continental Divide Trail. By being a member, you support the protection of the CDT and our work to build a broad-based community of people who love and support the Trail. Thank you!
CHARTER MEMBERS CDTC Charter Members helped build the base of support necessary to help launch CDTC’s efforts in 2012. CDTC owes an incredible debt of gratitude to these important supporters.
Rex Alford & Alice Pierson Gene Allen Vince Auriemma Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club Mark Bankey Chris & Sanne Bagby Mike Bates Susan Bates Lyndon Berry Jim Boeck & Vivian Wilson Jerry & Helga Bell Scott Bischke & Katie Gibson Paul Breed Bob Brewer Jerry Brown Chris Burke Kevin Burns Jeremy Burton Clare Cain Elisabeth Chaplin Paul Corbeil Carolyn Crump Mike Dawson David Dolton John Dufour Bob & Shell Ellinwood Dianne Evans Brian Fahlstrom Allen Filson Bill & Debra Pollick Bruce Prior Miguel Quinones John Rowland Erin Saver Carlos Schomaker Kerry Shakarjian Steven Sheppard Josh & Lisa Shusko Mal Sillars James Sippel
Mark Flagler Arthur & Denise Foley Dana Foulks Sara Glasgow Paul Griffith Lawton Grinter & Felicia Hermosilla Tambi Gustafson Jim Hansman Frank & Jean Anne Haranzo James Harrold Tim Hart Jack Haskel Deb Hayes Josephine Hazelett Jesse Hill James Hlavaty Olivia Holmes Thomas Holz Nancy Huber Peter Karnowski 2013 FB CDT Hikers/Lisa Karst Matthew Kaufmann Karen Keller Copper Kettle Brewing Christine & Brad Klafehn Duane Koss Dick Kozoll Robert Kristoferitsch Dave & Sandy Slowey Chris Smith Morgan Sommerville Steve Staley Philip Storey Rebecca Sudduth & Daniel Weber Robert Sylvester George Szeremeta Michael Tam Olli Tam Whitney LaRuffa David Lattier
Kevin Linebarger Rebecca Louden - Louden Family Foundation Reese Lukei Paul Magnanti Lydia Mahan Barney & Sandy Mann Martin Alex Martinez & Family Nicolas Martinez Teresa Martinez Chris McMaster - ULA Equipment Gary Monk Janie & Randy Moore Peter Necarsulmer Jean Neely John & Lisa Nelson Jim O’Brien Pat O’Donnell Shane O’Donnell Stephen Olson Richard Ostheimer Don & Amy Owen Taylor & Nancy Owen Greg Pierce Brad Pierson Avelino Tamayo Don Thompson Kathy Trotter Daniel Weber Gary Werner & Melanie Lord Scott Williams Bernard Wolf Mike Wollmer Bill Youmans Tim Zvada
PAGE 35
CDT EXPLORERS CDT Explorers support CDTC with donations of $100 or more. We wish to thank the individuals below for the generous donations they made between August 2020 and November 2020.
$100-$499 Laurie & Leonard Adkins Amy Aloe Lynn Andenoro Curtis & Marsha Anderson Alexander Asai Jerry Bailey Doug Ball Ludger Bannierink John Bartholow Florence beck James Boatwright John Bostick Arlene Braithwaite Jason Brelloch Sandra Brunton Tim Buffington Amy Camp Nichole & John Carlson John Celenza Nancy Cliff Lon Cooper Andy Copeland Brent Coulter Brian Curtin Brian Deames Shalin Desai Chet Dixon Dan Dosedel Sara Edwards Michael Elliott Rene Ferrufino David Fishback Cecilia Fiske David Fockler James Fowler Diane Gansauer E.M. Geouge Paul Gilmore Brendon Goldacker Zach Gonzalez Philip Goulding Ira Hale Shelby Hallmark Leah Harman Curtis Harris James Harrison Adrian Harrison Susan Hawthorne
PAGE 36
$500-$999 Jim Hertlein John Hildreth David Hoffman Matthew Holcomb Marla Holmes Nancy Huber Rob Hutchinson Alan Johnson Eric Katkow Joel Kavanagh Emilie Kelly Scott Kelly Jim Kinkead Kaila Kirchner Jim Klumpp Mike Ksenyak Kevin Landgraver Bill & Joanna Lasher Dave Lirette Robert Liseno Rhonda Lowe Todd Lowry Connie Mahan Clark Matthews Mary Mauz Tom McCollum Geoff McVie Steve Meyer Guy Miller Caroline Miller Michael Miller Mark Mitford Jim Moody Dave Morrison David Mortenson Elizabeth Morton Rose Napier Terry Neill Gerald Nielson Noelle Northcutt Bradley Oen Bruce OLeary Ted Olson Timothy O’Rourke Rick & Deana Pratt Steve Reynolds Craig Rice Libby Robbins
Robert Romanoff Marsha Rutledge Michael Sansoucy Richard Sayre PB Schechter Joseph Schuler Erik Schultz William Schumann Annie Seekins Vincent Sherman Kevin Shilling Michael Sink Milica Skocic Clayton Smith Stuart Smith Linda Spaulding Rifka Stern Michael Sudduth Charles Sylvester Paul Tennery John Van Cleve D.C. Ward Wendy Webber Paul Wemyss Jeff White Kathy Whiteman Vivian Wilson Wally Wininger Ed Wolcott Gayle Woodsum William Wygal
Anonymous Elizabeth Beall Jim & Dorothy Grimshaw Devon Herndon Anitra Kass Bruce Leiding Marilyn Logan Gus Lott Karen & Pete Peterson Robert Walker Wendy Watson
$1,000+ Erik Burket Roger Carpenter Clancy Clark David Cooper Nita Larronde Kevin Linebarger Kathleen Lynch Kirk McWethy Christina Osmon Tom Phillips Douglas Rosenow Dave Scheibel Robert J Weggel John West
Scenery on the CDT near Togwotee Pass, WY. Photo by Gabe Etengoff.
CDT SUSTAINERS CDT Sustainers help us protect the trail all year long by giving monthly donations. Join them by signing up on our website for as little as $5 per month!
Amy Aloe Lynn Andenoro Elvin Arrance Ian Ary Alexander Asai Matthew Backora Ludger Bannierink Elizabeth Beall Gabriel Berkley Melinda Bise Sara Bishop James Boatwright James Boeck Aaron Brooks Amy Buchanan Erin Capron Riley Carbone Mary Clark Kenneth Clayton John Van Cleve David Cooper Sheila Cuyk Joni DuPre Bryan Durocher Sara Eder Sara Edwards Russell Ellett Sarah Estrella Katharine Evans
Heather Farrell Robert Flynn David Fockler James Fowler Jon Geilhufe Elaine Geouge David Giese Andine Gilmore Merrill Glustrom Brendon Goldacker Dana Gould Grimshaw Grimshaw Gerard Gubbels Wendel Hann Robert Harborne Jason Harley Adrian Harrison Devon Herndon David A Hoffman Dan Holt Healing Hearts & Horses Scot Hunter Mark Hurd Thomas Iannetti Samantha Isenhour Alan Johnson Jonathon Jollyz Heidi Jones Kaila Kirchner
John Kuebler Sean Kuvin Michael Lang Marty Leake Jennifer Lievois Keith Lippwe Erin Lucero Kathleen Lynch Robert Mabry Connie Mahan Rakesh Malik John Mangimeli Tony Mason Kelly McClendon Jesse McDonald Charles McKenney John McLarty Steven Meyer Cody Miller Millergroup Inc. Mark Mitford Mrs. Monsen Lauren Murray Rose Napier Gerald Nielsen David Nowak Christina Osmon Jonathan Phares Scott Piddington
LEGACY MEMBERS Legacy Members make a lasting impact to protect the CDT for future generations by including CDTC in their will or estate plan. Contact CDTC Development Manager Lauren Murray at lmurray@continentaldividetrail.org if you are interested in becoming a Legacy Member.
Roger & Cindy Carpenter Jean Ella Josephine Hazelett Tom Lefferts Barney & Sandy Mann
Teresa Martinez Dick Vogel
Barry Reed Aubrey Renfroe Cayce Roach Rhonda Ronan Richard Sayre Ryan Scheuermann Erik Schultz Derek Sherry Anne Simonsick Michael Sink Tawnee Smith Clayton Smith James Spellman Heather Stabler Shannon Stephenson Mary Stoecker Jessica Suhowatsky Ben Sweeney Vincent Tagliatela Paul Tennery William Terrill Stephen Tingle Eliana Vela DC Ward Keith Wagner Randy Walker Samuel Waterman William Welch Erin Woodrow Gayle Woodsum
CORPORATE PARTNERS CDTC is also supported by businesses and corporations who provide monetary and in-kind donations. For more information on how your company or business may collaborate with CDTC, please contact Development Program Manager, Lauren Murray at lmurray@continentaldividetrail.org. Thank you to the following businesses for supporting the Continental Divide Trail as CDTC members and corporate sponsors in 2020.
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Clear skies at Bowden Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo by Katie Hearsum.
THE TERMINUS By Katie Hearsum
I
always loved camping: refreshing mountain air, night skies awash with glittering stars, and waking up to stunning views. But since moving to the tiny town of Grand Lake, CO, I had become spoiled by having a plethora of amazing trails just steps away (in fact, the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail passes directly through town, and almost literally through my backyard) and had gotten lazy with my overnight endeavors. Why bother with the packing and planning when I could enjoy epic summits and scenery and still be home before dark to enjoy the comfort of a bed, shower, and hot meal? So when the opportunity arose to accompany a friend on a multi-day backpacking trip in the Never Summer Wilderness, I eagerly accepted the challenge despite some trepidation. Although I had managed longer treks in the past, it had been several years since I had carried all of my gear on my back for more than a night or two, and I knew the terrain would be more challenging than what I had recently become accustomed to as the planned route would take us through multiple mountain passes and across the Continental Divide. I was also concerned about the proximity of a new wildfire that had started about 16 miles north of our destination. This was the Cameron Peak fire, which would eventually grow to become the largest wildfire in Colorado state history, and which continues to burn actively at the time of this writing almost three months later. I was still on edge from when the Williams Fork fire had threatened to encroach on the neighboring town of Fraser earlier in the season. Little did I know that these two fires would turn out to be the least of my worries. For weeks before our planned departure—despite the haze of wildfire smoke that had smothered town for what seemed like forever, not to mention the added difficulty of local COVID-19 restrictions—I did my best to prepare my body for what it was about to go through by hitting local trails carrying a daypack loaded with unnecessary items for added weight. The night before, I spent hours gathering supplies and grappling with what to pack (and, perhaps more importantly, what not to pack.) Which water filter would be best suited for the area? How many layers were necessary this time of year? What meals could I concoct that would be light to carry and easy to prepare but also fuel me with enough energy? Did I really need to carry a book for evening entertainment, or would I be too zonked to read?
The author atop the Continental Divide at Bowen Pass. Photo by Katie Hearsum.
The weight-to-comfort ratio is a classic backpacker dilemma that I have yet to master — I am a notorious over-packer, and my knees hurt just thinking about it. Finally, I double-checked the weather reports, organized and re-organized my pack, and studied the trail map once more before crawling into bed to savor the last few hours of real comfort I’d have for a while. The following morning was warm, sunny, and graciously free of toxic smoke. On the way to the trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park, we stopped at the entrance station to inquire about the fire forecast. We were told there was nothing to worry about. With mixed feelings of about 80 percent excitement and 20 percent dread, we hoisted our packs and lumbered up the trail for the 5.5-mile trek to Parika Lake. We ambled through forests of lodgepole pine and Quaking Aspen trees, just beginning to fade from green to yellow. We dropped our packs to scoop water from crystal clear streams, still running well despite the late summer date. Just before reaching our destination, we spotted the biggest bull moose I’d ever seen, who stared at us intently as we hid behind a boulder and waited for him to return his attention to endless grazing. As is often the case with alpine lakes, the last two miles presented a challenging uphill climb. With shaking legs, sore feet, heaving lungs, and grumbling stomachs we made it to “pretty Parika” and set up camp on a hill overlooking the lake. As is my ritual, I quickly shed my boots and soaked my feet in the icy water until they were pleasantly numb. Eventually, the wind kicked up and forced me back to camp, PAGE 41
The view of the Cameron Peak fire smoke plume over Baker Pass from Parika Lake. Photo by Katie Hearsum.
where I found my friend staring hard at the northeast horizon. I followed her gaze to a massive cloud of smoke billowing up behind a distant (but maybe not so distant?) ridge, where the Cameron Peak fire blazed away. The plume had not been there when we arrived just two hours earlier. The cloud glowed orange, and we convinced ourselves that the hue was a reflection of the sunset and not flames. On the hill, the wind was becoming unbearable, and there was tension in the air. We managed to cook dinner with the help of some perfectly placed rocks but afterward decided to move the tent to a more protected location for the night. The smoke column wasn’t subsiding, and in fact, seemed even more ominous as the daylight faded. We discussed our options and decided it would be safest for us to stay at the lake, a popular backcountry camping area, rather than head back along the trail in the dark. We hunkered down for the night and hoped the danger was farther away than it looked. Thankfully, both the smoke and the relentless wind dissipated overnight. We packed up and set out for another full day of hiking. It was a chilly morning, but an immediate ridge ascent to Farview Mountain, standing at 12,224 feet in elevation, quickly got our blood pumping. The trail briefly dropped into a picturesque meadow before merging with the Continental Divide Trail to cross over Bowen Pass. At the top of the pass, we observed the vast meadow and forest below, with not a puff of smoke in sight. We slapped high-fives, snapped a photo, and headed downhill in high spirits to find our next campsite. PAGE 42
Our final evening was spent at beautiful Bowen Lake, where we basked in the late summer sun and watched osprey fish the turquoise waters. I knew this would be my last night out in the wilderness this year, maybe forever—who knew what fate the remainder of 2020 would bring? I watched the sunset with a cup of hot tea in my hand and gratitude in my heart for another wonderful backpacking experience. The next day, we returned to the trailhead to find that it was closed due to the fire. Our fears were confirmed — we had witnessed the fire take a turn for the worst. We looked at each other wide-eyed and were glad to be home safe. The first snow of the season fell that night, and I hoped the moisture and cooler temperatures would help extinguish the monstrous inferno. About two months later, the same friend called and frantically told me she was packing her things and getting out of town. She had a bad feeling about the worsening condition of the East Troublesome Fire, which had sparked a week earlier about 30 miles west of Grand Lake. I agreed it looked bad, smelled bad, and that I, too, had been suffering from headaches and anxiety all week. But, I convinced myself not to worry just yet. I had just gotten home from work. I would shower, eat dinner, and keep an eye on the fire website. Thirty minutes later my phone rang again. This time it was a reverse 911 call issuing a pre-evacuation for my area. Still, I assumed I had plenty of time, no need to rush. I’ll have a bite to eat and start gathering some things, I thought, but now my pulse was racing. My body knew what my mind refused to accept. Forty-five minutes later I received
another emergency alert: GO NOW. It was my turn to be frantic. I raced around the house grabbing whatever was in reach, stuffing things into shopping bags and suitcases. I chuckled at the thought of how much time I had luxuriously spent packing for our recent trip, as now I had mere minutes to take stock of my belongings. Luckily, my trusty backpack was still handy. I filled the hydration bladder and loaded my essentials, many of which I also take hiking: clothes, toiletries, important documents, phone charger, face mask, knife, bandana, headlamp, snacks. What else? I was presented with the same conundrum: what could I live — and not live — without? This time, however, I wasn’t sure how long I’d be gone, or if I’d ever see these things again. Outside, I looked around the neighborhood. Some of my neighbors were moving as quickly as I was, but some were not moving at all. I pulled out of my driveway and onto the highway. THE highway. The one and only two-lane road providing access to our little town. The same road that the fire was ripping along parallel to at an unbelievable, unforeseen pace. The same road that had led us to the Bowen-Baker Trailhead the month prior—an area that would soon be engulfed in flames. I drove slowly in a line of traffic, gaping dumbfounded at the flames that had breached the hillside. Just an hour earlier, this fire had been 20 miles away. Hours later, the fire would jump the Continental Divide and threaten to tear through the town of Estes Park and merge with the
Cameron Peak blaze. That impending disaster was prevented only by the arrival of the season’s second snowfall later that night. Luckily, my home survived, and the town of Grand Lake was miraculously spared. But the surrounding neighborhoods, trails, wetlands, forests, wildlife, and historic landmarks were brutalized. In a matter of hours, the East Troublesome Fire consumed hundreds of homes and other structures, thousands of acres of some of the most stunning landscape I’ve ever laid eyes on, and a few precious lives. Many of our beloved trails and wilderness areas, including some parts of the CDT, now resemble an eerie scene of charred sticks and stumps. Despite the devastation, those who understand Mother Nature know that the land will not only recover, it will thrive. And the people will, too. Katie Hearsum is a freelance journalist and a Gateway Community Ambassador in the CDT Gateway Commnity of Grand Lake, Colorado. She has shouldered her gear on multi-day backpacking trips around the world — into mystic cloud forests on the Salkantay Trek to Macchu Picchu, across glacial streams on the hut-to-hut refugio system in Patagonia and through swarms of mosquitos while paddling and portaging in the Canadian Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Still her favorite trail is the one that passes through her own backyard. Read more of Katie’s work at www.katiehearsum.com.
The East Troublesome Fire heading for Grand Lake on the afternoon of October 21, 2020. Photo by Katie Hearsum.
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