Less than 3 months to go until I start my CDT hike. I've spent a lot of time going through maps and guide books to figure out my daily schedule along with a resupply strategy. I feel like what I've come up with is a little on ambitious side. I would like to done with this hike as soon as possible so I can be back home for the start of cross country season. However at this point it's too hard to know what the snow pack will be like in northern New Mexico and Colorado when I planned to get there. I'm pretty strong hiker so I know its doable but that is easy to saying while I sit here in my apartment right now. The snow levels are running about average but that can change real quick, only time will tell.
What I do know is that I will start the trail on May 11 as I've bought all my tickets. Got my plane ticket from Tulsa, OK to El Paso, TX. Got my train ticket from El Paso, TX to Lordsburg, NM. Got my hotel room in Lordsburg, NM the night before my ride down to Crazy Cook Monument.
Once I get started on May 11 I really can throw that schedule out the window as I know it will be near impossible to stay on it. I will say I was able to stay pretty close to my to pre-hike PCT schedule. I just missed my predicted finish by a day, which I easily could have done had I really wanted to but I wanted to really take in that last day on trail.
Click here to view my PCT schedule. My pre-planned hike schedule is on the left and the actual milage is on the right highlighted in yellow.
I know the CDT will be a little harder than the CDT but I think I've got a good resupply strategy. I did have to figure out which alternates to take, which for the most part cut down on actually CDT miles but I'll be doing the ones most do like the Gila Alternate.
Right now I figure I can be done by August 26 but like I've said that is a very ambitious goal. However, I think I can make up miles later on if I end up going slower in Colorado.
So I'm looking at resupplying every 3-4 days. Some of those resupply points will be right on trail, some will be a few miles hike off trail and some will be a long hitch by car. Also, I will need to mail myself supplies that I know where there won't be good options. Right now I'm looking at 10 mail drops along the trail. Each mail drop will be different. Some will just have a few things like maps/guidebook pages and a few small supplies to some mail drops having full food supplies along with extra gear like an ice axe.
Click here to view my full CDT planned schedule or look below at the map (click on the map to enlarge).
