[cdt-l] What are the"Desert"Areas of the CDT?

[Mark Davis]

When I went SOBO in 2005, it was never hot. I saw maybe a few days when temperatures got into the 70s. Crossing the Wyoming desert in mid-August it was cloudy and windy most of the time, the coldest I had been since June in Montana. Until you get into southern New Mexico you are at very high altitudes, which are generally colder. The weather on the CDT is extremely variable from year-to-year. Based on previous experience hiking in the Rockies, I expected to see lots of thunderstorms. In 2005 I saw very few and never once had to stop or alter my course due to the risk of lightning. On the CDT 'desert' means dry; whether it is hot or cold depends on the time of year and the weather pattern as you hike through. Sure, I complained about the weather, but the hike through this incredible landscape was worth every cold and wet day I suffered through.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: Karen Somers [mailto:kborski at yahoo.com]
>Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 07:08 PM
>To: cdt-l at backcountry.net
>Subject: Re: [cdt-l] What are the "Desert" Areas of the CDT?
>
>Ginny,
>
>I'm actually southbound, so I'll be starting at Canada
>late June/early July. I've heard some sobos deal with
>severe heat in MT, and esp. in WY's Great Basin. I
>spent two days cycling across the Great Basin from
>Rawlins through Jeffrey City to Lander in mid-July '05
>on my cross-country bike trip. High temps in the
>Basin were over 100F (my bike's thermometer read 118F
>in the sun). It floored me that several of cyclists
>decided to skip that section (by hitching; yes, you
>can hitch with a fully loaded touring bike) so that
>they could avoid the heat and the lack of water and
>facilities. I told them they were wimps, because
>people were WALKING across the Basin at the same time
>we were pedaling (which is, overall, MUCH easier than
>hiking)! 
>
>Nocona
>
>
> 
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