Landing a partner?

imported
#1

How does somebody go about finding a partner for the less traveled long trails like the CDT and even the GDT? Are there message boards or other web resources strictly set up for people planning to go?

Nathan

#2

Well, unless you really know someone you just pick up whom ever you find alone the way. If you try and set something up with a stranger and it doesn’t work out; can’t keep up, farts too much etc you’re stuck. Meeting all the criteria is hard. My wife doesn’t even fit mine. By the way, which Nathan are you? You were’nt doing the Long Trail in '01 we’re you?

Bushwhack

#3

A lot of folks hike with people they met while hiking on other long trails. I know that next year several PCT 2002 folks will be out on the CDT. That was also true last year, when the 2000 folks from the PCT did the CDT two years later. Several of them started at about the same time and were able to meet up several times along the way. Others use the various forums (forii?) - CDT-L, this one, backpacker.com etc. to advertise for a partner. (Trouble with that is that a lot of people say they plan to hike, until it comes time to actually do it. Then they disappear. I was in contact with a dozen prospective hikers a year ahead of our hike as I wanted to share info. None of them actually went.) Others meet folks at the ALDHA and ALDHA-West Gatherings at the long trail workshops, and may keep in touch with others they meet there who are planning to hike the same year.

You are right, it can be very hard to meet other hikers on the CDT or GDT and hope to hike with them. It does happen, but you can’t count on it. But getting a partner in advance can be difficult. Unless you know the other person well, it is pretty iffy to hike with a stranger for a long period of time. The CDT generally requires that you hike together, or else you may separate and never meet up again. If you have hiked the PCT and your partner has also hiked the PCT you would have some idea of pace, type of trail experience expected, etc. That is harder if one or both of you have little experience. i.e. do you want to do 20 mile days, or 30 mile days? Are you a very low budget hiker, or do you like to spend a couple of days in town when possible? Are you an early morning riser, or do you like to start late and hike late? How flexible are you? How fast do you walk? How easily do you handle real adversity? Those issues need to be worked out before you take off.

We started the trail with a friend we had met at ALDHA, who didn’t want to go through the snow and grizzly country in Montana alone. We found that our hiking styles were very different. For a month, we could handle it. But when we got south of Anaconda, there was a sense of relief when we were able to hike separately again, though we also missed each other a lot. He didn’t feel slowed down, I did’t feel pushed, he could start at the crack of dawn, I could sleep until 7 or 8 without feeling guilty.

For the GDT it is easier, as the trail isn’t as long. Again, you and your partner(s) do need to stay together, especially with the reservation system. But if you advertise on the various forums, you will probably find a partner. Or just go alone, that trail is so heavily populated when it goes through the national parks, you will probably be happy to be alone when you can.

Spirit Walker

#4

Spirit Walker, you referred to the CDT-L as a source of information on the CDT. Where is it? I searched thru the cdta.org site but saw no links to it. Thanks for the help.

Andrea

#5

It’s a mailing list set up to talk specifically about the cdt. There are similar ones for the AT and PCT. CDT-L is generally pretty low key, with a lot of experienced hikers on it. You can subscribe at www.backcountry.net
If you just want to see what it is like, you can read the recent archives at http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/cdt-l/

Spirit Walker

#6

Is there any groups like the PCTA or CDTA that are interested in the GDT? Is there a GDT-L?

Nathan

#7

You might contact Dustin Lynx, the guidebook author. He has a website. He would know the status of the trail. Also the Trans-Canada Trail group - the GDT would be a spur trail to the main trail, I think. Mostly discussion on the GDT is pretty sparse online - a lot of folks hike section of it when hiking in Banff and Jasper, but not many people do the whole thing in one season. This year would have been almost impossible with all the fires and trail closures. Although I was really disappointed at the crowds and bureaucracy up there, the land is beautiful, and I hope to do the GDT in a few years.

Spirit Walker