CDT – Day 131 -Waterton River CG to Canadian Border

Day’s of Snow: 9 – Day’s of Rain: 44 – Days of Hail: 19

8:41 am to 9:56 am

# of Zero days: 13

Gila Crossings Final Total:  221

Tick Count: 4 (4 more crawling on me)

Wanted List

Mountain Goat

Grizzly Bear

Sasquatch

Black Bear  – SPOTTED

Bighorn Sheep – SPOTTED

Velociraptor

Mountain Lion

Beaver – SPOTTED

Unicorn

Wolf

Buffalo

Totals

1) 618 Pronghorn*

2) 451 Elk*7

3) 418 Chipmunks *5

4) 203 Deer*2

5) 200 Squirrels *9

6) 156 Marmot*4

7) 120 Lizards*6

8) 116 Wild Horses

9) 78 Ground Squirrels*10

10) 72 Pika

11) 57 Cotton Tail Rabbits *8

12) 30 Prairie Dogs

13) 22 Horny Toads

14) 18 Jack Rabbit*3

15) 15 Moose

16) 13 Big Horn Sheep

17) 10 Snakes

18) 9 Black Bears

19) 5 Coyotes

20)  5 Moles

21) 4 Porcupine

22) 3 Toads

23)  2 Mouse

24) 2 Fox

25) 2 Rattle Snakes

26) 1 Beaver

27) 1 Badger

28) 1 Skunk

29) 1 Weasel -Long Tail

*259 from car, *2 – 49 from car – 3 in town, *3 – 1 from car, *4 – 2 from car, *5 – 2 off trail, *6 – 1 off trail, *7 – 9 from car, *8 – 3 off trail *9 – 1 from car & 1- off trail , *10 – 6 off trail

I went to bed thinking I’d have extra time in the morning to catch up on my journal and this is why I’m just doing it now, almost a week later.

I got up around 7:30 am and prepared breakfast and then realized how late it had already gotten. If I was going to run over to the guard station to double check on a message from my dad I had to get a move on. If he wasn’t coming by boat and walking to the border I would have to hike about 4.2 miles in about 1:15. Not undoable by any means but I wasn’t wanting to feel rushed.

I did the 4 miles in less than 1:15.  I actually had to slow myself down a few times.  Before we get to the finish I must tell you I saw not one but two black bears in the .6 of  a mile to the guard station.  One was on the trail and for some reason I instantly named him Henry.  Henry kept running down the trail towards the guard station and I warmed him that he was running towards the guy who had the shotgun with the bean bags in it.  Henry finally turned off into the bushes to avoid the unpleasantness of getting shot.  The other was in a stand of Choke Cherry trees no more than 30′ away as I spoke to the ranger.  The bear was too large for the trees and the result was they were swaying all over the place.

I got to the border just after my dad.  I had to wait for him to start his camera’s video.  As I thought, it wasn’t the emotional finish I had dreamed of so many times during the hike.  I actually had to put effort into my yell at the border.  You get so used to just walking, it’s almost like your brain hasn’t accepted that tomorrow you won’t be waking up and hiking again.  As a result you don’t feel finished when you get to the monuments.  It’s a confusing time.  I will write more on this soon.

We took lots of pictures and videos for my sponsor before hiking back to Goat Haunt to wait for the boat to take us to Waterton, BC.  I let me dad lead so I wouldn’t crush him with my speed.  As to say she wasn’t done with me yet, Mother Nature let loose on us and it rained for half the the 4 miles back to Goat Haunt.  We snacked and talked to the ranger there.  She was painting the gazebo we were having our snacks on.

The best dad in the world.

The boat ride back was nice.  It was different not to walk to the car this time.  The mountains along Waterton Lake were very beautiful but couldn’t compare to the ones I hiked by yesterday.  We tried to sit on the top deck but it started to rain again.  Once to the dock we walked a short distance to the car and then drove to the hotel to see my mom.  It was great to see her.  From there the rest has been one on slot after another of 1st world experiences.

Back to Day 130

Scatman