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ing wherever big moose go. This part of the CDT is like a
piece of nirvana in its beauty, and I didn't want to leave.
Hiking back out, I stopped along the way, picking huckle-
berries sweet from the sun's warmth. I met tourists excited to
be on the CDT, as it was always their dream to do the whole
hike from Mexico to Canada or vice versa.
I sat in the parking lot after my hike cooling off from the heat
of the day and remembered the people I met, the days spent
with Charlie and Ranger, and the beginning of my own healing,
and realized just how much nature can provide us with respite
from our own troubles or anxieties from everyday life.
We have such a special and unique section of the CDT
here in Montana that thankfully has the support of so many
people, including the Continental Divide Trail Coalition,
which provides volunteer opportunities to help work on sec-
tions of the trail, donate or become a member. The CDTC
holds events in different towns designated as Gateway Com-
munities for the CDT, to raise awareness to keep protecting
this beautiful trail. I personally can't thank them enough for
giving this trail the protection it needs in order for people to
enjoy and find themselves.
If you get a chance to do a section of the CDT, I believe
you will find yourself in agreement with Charlie, Ranger, and
myself that the CDT brings one joy, solitude, and often inner
awareness.
Adrienne Hall said it best in her book, A Journey North:
One Woman's Story of Hiking the Appalachian Trail. "If you
face the rest of your life with the spirit you show on the trail,
it will have no choice but to yield the same kind of memories
and dreams."
