[cdt-l] Fording rivers on the CDT

[Sanne aka Ready]

OK, I'll bite....

Neither in 2005 (August/September) in the San
Juans nor anywhere along the length of the CDT in
2006 did I encounter any fords that were
"dangerous" (unless bone-chilling cold counts).
In 2002 on the PCT I encountered many, swifter
and deeper fords than anywhere on the CDT. It
really all comes down to time of year and the
snowmelt and snowfall for that year. Throw in
some particularly heavy rains just before you
enter the area and you've got a whole different
scenario than you might otherwise have
experienced. Timing is everything. 

Those well-fitting sandals are a real necessity,
I think. (Mine were Teva knock-offs, the kind you
once could buy at K-Mart for about $6; mine weigh
only 5 ounces.) I would definitely rule out
flip-flops. Besides the obvious traction over
slippery surfaces that sandals can provide, there
are other bennies. Pointy rocks and swift
currents only slow your bare-footed (or
loose-footed ) progress across very cold streams;
those sturdy soles and secure straps can shorten
the time you're in the water and speed the time
you're back on the bank, drying and warming up
your feet again. 

Taking the time to find the safest place to ford
is key. We all want to be on our way across and
onto the trail on the other side, but there are
times when it is far wiser to scout for a better
place to cross than where the trail crosses. (Who
knows, you might get lucky and find a bridge or
downed tree limb up or down-creek. I had an old,
decayed bridge to cross on one particularly
fast-moving creek - found by taking the time to
search up-creek; Spur, in the meantime, made a
cold and unpleasant ford. Lucky me.)

Last comment on this situation: The Gila is
"Waterworld!" If you take the Middle Fork route
(so incredibly beautiful!!!) you will make so
many fords that it will be nearly impossible to
make any kind of forward progress if you stop to
change shoes on each side of every crossing. The
rocky terrain and the many spiked plants make
sandal-walking a bit precarious across the
landscape. You may choose to do what we did: we
walked all day in our shoes, plunging right in.
Just as your shoes are about dry, you'll be
crossing another. There'll be no respite from
this even as the afternoon fades to evening. That
last crossing before camp will get your feet
soaked, in all likelihood! 

I wore neoprene socks in an effort to keep the
cold at bay. (Your feet get wet, but they stay
warm, or at least, warm up more quickly after a
crossing.) Not only did my feet usually stay (or
get) comfy warm as (or shortly after) I crossed,
I was surprised at how comfy my feet were in
those cushy things on land! (Spur's "waterproof"
socks (SealsSkins) were not nearly as successful.
Since the socks need to extend along the calf,
above the waterline to work, and since many
stream crossings came to above the tops of the
socks (there are many thigh-high crossings), his
waterproof socks became little "swimming pools."
I think they got hiker-boxed somewhere or other.

Anyway, I think our reticence on the topic is due
to the fact that nobody can really predict what
conditions will be for you. Sounds like your plan
so far, along with common sense on the trail,
will keep you a safe and happy hiker.

Ready


 


--- Karen Somers <kborski at yahoo.com> wrote:

> I have personally posted a question about fords
> on the
> CDT and have seen a few other hikers do the
> same. 
> There haven't been a whole lot of responses. 
> 
> The answers I've seen seem to indicate that the
> fords
> of concern are in Montana, particularly in
> Glacier,
> and along the Gila in NM, and that they are not
> much
> to worry over unless there has been unusually
> heavy
> rainfall.
> 
> I just want to provide one more chance for
> experienced
> hikers to jump in with more info....
> 
> I'm buying my gear right now, and I plan to
> carry a
> very light pair of flip flops for camp shoes
> and
> fords.  I have heavier Teva sandals that are
> great for
> swift, dangerous fords, but they are A LOT
> heavier. 
> If I can get away with flip flops and/or socks
> for
> fords, then that will save me some weight.  For
> comparison, I was able to ford the glacial
> rivers in
> WA on the PCT in flip flops.....it wasn't
> pretty, but
> I didn't feel it was a big risk.
> 
> As a sobo, I expect to see the worst fords in
> Glacier....with the low snow pack, I also
> expect that
> the fords will be normal or below normal.
> 
> Thanks,
> Nocona
> CDT'07 Can to Mex
> 
> 
>        
>
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