US Post Office

Old Faithful Station, WY 82190

CDT through hiker

Estimated Pick-up Date 8/12/2002

Subject: 7/31, day 96, 9160', 15.6 mi.
Chores were done in Dubois and the motel owner took us back to the trail. He's NRA and hates wolves, both common in the west.

Our mileage will be low for a week because of the camping reservations given to us by Yellowstone rangers. We're very excited about Yellowstone back country and slow days are fine. We are in Grizzly territory so our camping style has changed. Dinner is early, on the trail and a couple of miles before camp. Yellowstone doesn't accept bear containers so that is mailed back home and we bought rope to hang food. This is just the opposite of what we have done in the past.

This is a pretty area with red and white-layered lava walls called breccia that are eroded and picturesque. Lots of water is flowing here, which makes lush foliage and mosquitoes. Trails from here to Yellowstone are heavily used by packhorses...ugh. The last 2 times that horses have passed us on the trail one of the horses has bolted when it got to us standing beside the trail as required. It is not a good feeling to be beside an out-of-control horse and panicky rider. We also expect to see lots of other hikers.

The best part of today was walking up a creek to a marsh that was the divide. We walked a short distance past the marsh and then were walking down a creek, so it was up the Pacific and down the Atlantic side all in a short distance.

Early to bed...we won't get wealthy & wise but will probably see interesting sights tomorrow. We know we will have wet feet tomorrow. About 100 yards away is a ford of Cub Creek. A few miles further to fords of South Fork and Soda Fork of the Buffalo River. Both should be at least knee deep.

 ... Gottawalk

Subject: 8/1, day 97, 9040', 22.1 mi
Wild strawberries and huckleberries! Yummm. They slowed our hiking down a little.

This entire area is one long walk in a garden. The colors and variety of wild flowers are astounding. We have crossed rivers, creeks, rills, marshes and drainages without count.

Dinner was early beside the trail for bear prevention. However, two trail crew walked by and were happy to see hikers. They were the only people we saw today.

This area is a favorite of guided horse trains. In some spots the trail has expanded to 13 lanes wide. It doesn't take many horses to make a new trail.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 8/2, day 98, 10,078'
What a fun social day! First we saw a cowboy with a pack train, but no conversation there. He was followed by the guide and clients. The guide knew we were CDT hikers and started the clients asking questions. Then we met two sets of trail crew, one building a bog bridge in the meadow and a large group of volunteers building a bridge. Both groups were happy to see hikers rather than horse trains. The bridge builders took our picture as their first customers.

After we left the crews we went to two places that I've waited years to see: Two Ocean Pass and Parting of the Waters. The pass as just another marsh that can drain either to the Atlantic or Pacific and since the marsh doesn't have a dramatic flow there wasn't a lot to see. Two Ocean Creek was a large flowing creek with falls and flowers so it was very pretty, but the best part was the point where the land divides the water, which then flows into the Atlantic Creek and the Pacific Creek. Wow! I sat at the fork to filter water and filled my bottle half full from the Atlantic Creek, moved the intake hose and then, still sitting in the same place, finished filling my bottle from the Pacific Creek.

Our social day ended with dinner guests. We stopped early to cook before camping so food smells didn't attract bears to our campsite. Our mac & cheese was just about ready when two black bears arrived, a sow & cub. I saw them on the trail about 10 feet behind Ken. I inhaled audibly and shouted, "Stop bears!" They turned and retreated up the nearest trees, then came down. I grabbed my bear spray from its holster and removed the guard, then started throwing everything back in my pack. Ken grabbed the camera but decided they were gone so we gulped our mac&cheese. We heard coughing noises and saw the big bear still in the tree! Ken took a picture and we quickly left carrying dirty dishes.

We are camped right before the YNP border, as far from the bears as we could get. We'll sleep better here.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 8/3, day 99, 18.4 mi., 8470'
We had YNP all to ourselves. We hiked 12 miles down the Snake River and never saw a soul. Then we started up the Heart River and made it 3 miles before we saw anyone. Four people were camped at the end of Heart Lake. Only people we saw all day. They were yelling "Hey, bear" every few minutes. Seems they had a visitor in the middle of the night last night.

A thunderstorm and heavy rain started around 3:30. We had several miles to our designated camp site so we kept on hiking but got wet in the heavy rain. The sun came out just as we arrived at our campsite, so for the second time today we dried everything. We were able to cook at the fire ring away from our tent. The view of Heart Lake and Mt. Sheridan from our tent is incomparable and we can hear Sandhill Cranes again (YNP has over 100 nesting pairs).

Food is hung and I hope we sleep without visitors. Bear spray and camera are ready, just in case.

As we climb into our sleeping bags the thunder is starting to rumble again.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 8/4, day 100, 17.3 mi., 8120'
Last night was the worst storm yet. The wind was very strong and the rain was fierce. At one point the wind was driving the rain thru the tent walls. A few minutes later we thought the tent was going to take off like a wind blown balloon. Meanwhile flashes of lightning and booming thunder were right outside the tent. The wind and rain stopped and started several times during the night. Our tent was well tested.

After slow, disorganized breakfast and packing up we left Heart Lake by walking down the sandy beach that was covered with lake grass washed up from the storm. A bald eagle flew overhead.

The entire day was that charmed. Twice we met rangers, both were interested in our bear encounter stories and CDT hike and neither asked for our permit. We then walked past geysers and fumaroles that we had all to ourselves. Witch Creek was flowing blue meaning that the temperature was over 167*.

When we spread out gear to dry at lunch we were near a trailhead so we chatted with lots of day hikers for so long that we thought we needed to hurry to our designated camp, but...

When we reached the road the guide said that Grant Village was only 7 miles away. We got a ride with another hiker to go drink coke and buy Snickers and oranges. Then we saw the grill and had another lunch, bought the snacks and hit the trail. We also got e-mail.

This afternoon's hike was past Shoshone Lake, and across the outlet which was flowing gently but very wide and upper thigh deep. The beach and lake bottom are obsidian gravel that is egg sized. Shoshone Lake is the largest lake in the lower 48 without road access.  Beautiful, and so secluded.

Our smelly shoes haven't been dry for so long. We are feeling very healthy and strong.

... Gottawalk

Subject: 8/5, day 101, 8175', 10 mi.
We packed up at Moose Creek campsite and forded the creek. In quick succession we had a wonderful forest hike up and down, a sandy beach walk along Shoshone Lake looking for water fowl, slopped through a lush wet marsh and topped that all off with a series of geysers immediately beside the trail! This is world class hiking and picture taking. The 10 miles was to our next assigned camp site. So we put up the tent and hung everything on the bear pole and went on a 10-mile day hike. Our high point today was over the divide at Grant's Pass. Our day hike also included lunch and ice cream at Old Faithful. We had to pick up the permit to hike and camp where we've been since entering the park...we're legal. I'm so glad we opted for a slow schedule so we’re able to see all of these great sights.

... Gottawalk

Old Faithful