SUMMARY:  The Sula County Store and Resort has been a great place to stay—very friendly and comfortable. Wish we could have stayed longer! But at 12:30pm we hitched a ride in the back of a pickup truck (it’s legal to do that here in Montana!) and we were back to the CDT in the “cross country zone” of the Lost Trail Pass Ski resort.

Wow, what a mish-mash of trails—but whew, the CDT was well-marked. Part of the time we were on the Nez Perce Historic Trail—so sad. It’s the path the Nez Perce followed when they were trying to get to Canada, and it was here (right by the CDT) that the U.S. army troops pulled off a surprise attack. It was sad to be walking a trail with such a grim history.

DETAILS:  We had less than 24 hours at the Sula Resort, but it was a great time anyway.  The people here are very hiker-friendly and very helpful.  The little restaurant there is really good, and we decided we’d stay long enough to get both breakfast AND lunch before hitching back to the trail.

This morning it was COLD.  We were wearing our down jackets, just to walk over to the restaurant.  While we were eating, three “frozen” bike riders arrived.  They are riding across the USA, and had stopped in not just for breakfast, but to thaw out.  What a morning to be out whizzing along on a bike–brrrrr!  And all they were wearing was biker shorts and thin biker jackets.  I don’t know how they do it.

After breakfast I sorted through our food.  We’d figured on 3 1/2 days hiking to Anaconda, but to be on the safe side, I added another half day, so now we have 4 days worth of food, and I hope that will be enough.  We are heading into the Pintler mountains, and have heard they are beautiful but lots of big ups and downs.  I was also trying hard to drink as much water as I can–I realized I’m pretty dehydrated.  While doing that, I was also skimming through a wonderful book I found in the laundry room at the resort.  It’s called “I Tried Till I Almost Died”, and it’s by a lady who was quite a “workaholic for God” till she realized that God is WAY more interested in having a close relationship with us than He is in us running around “doing stuff for Him.”  It was really good.  I also made a bunch more little cards for Fixit to give out, with our website URL.

While we were eating lunch, I mentioned that we would be trying to hitch back to the trail as soon as we were done, and the store lady said it really helps if you make sure to look like a CDT hiker (the key thing is your trek poles!!) and not like a homeless bum.  But as it turned out,  I was able to yogi a ride from a nice young couple in the parking lot in front of the store.  I don’t mind one bit walking up to perfect strangers to ask for a ride!  Their vehicle was a small pickup truck, so Fixit and I rode in the back (perfectly legal in Montana!!).

As we were walking back up to the CDT from the highway, we met one of the Warrior hikers!!  He’s headed for the Hot Springs resort, which is closer to the trail than Sula.  We talked to him a little bit (I admired his official Warrior Hiker shirt) but I felt very sorry for him–whatever horror he has had to go through, he still seems to be hurting, even after walking all the way here from Crazy Cook.  I hope he finds peace somehow.

Up at Chief Joseph Pass, we met a lady who was waiting to pick up “a CDT hiker in a blue shirt”.   Haven’t seen the guy at all, and it confirmed that we must be still in a “hiker bubble.”  Then we were off into the Lost Trail Pass cross-country ski area.  What a trail maze!!  The signs were up high on trees, and hooray–the CDT route was clearly indicated.  We found it amusing that if a tree with a CDT “sticker” on it fell down or was cut down, they saved the section of trunk with the sticker on it and set it up along the trail like a post.

Eventually we reached the Gibbons Pass area, where the CDT joins with the Nez Perce Historic Trail.  The Nez Perce were fleeing to Canada, in order to avoid a forcible relocation imposed on them by the U.S. government.  You would think that officials would say, “OK, fine, go to Canada then” and let them go, but no, army troops were sent in pursuit.  The Nez Perce were very clever about eluding the troops for a long time, but here is where their escape attempt ended.  The army launched a surprise attack, and it was all over.  So sad.  And here we were, in 2016, walking right over the ground where all that happened.

Lewis and Clark came through here as well, and in their journals they commented on how pathetic the forest was “because of all the fires.”  Well, nothing has changed in that regard!   If L & C came through here now, they would say the same thing again.  We were hiking through miles of forest fire zone and almost despaired of finding a place to camp among the acres of fallen, dead, burned trees.  Finally we found a spot where if we moved a small log, there would be just room enough to set up our tent.

Checking the maps for tomorrow, though, I said, “Oh no!  There isn’t anymore water for a long way.  We should have brought more water from Sula.  We’ll have to ration tomorrow.”  Sigh.  But Anaconda, here we come!