[Cdt-l] Cold weather gear

[Rick Ostheimer]

10-K,

This from GNP should help with temperature predictions: 
http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/weather.htm  That set of clothes 
you mentioned is pretty much what I carried.  The only extra clothing 
that I carried was my Marmot Dri-clime windshirt (really a jacket).  I 
wore it a few mornings for the first hour of my hike. Based on how fast 
you cruised up the PCT, you hike a bit faster than I, but you'll still 
be in the Winds in mid-September and you might want a warm layer for the 
start of the day.

Looks like you might run into some snow per report that Rogers Pass is 
currently at 150% of normal.  You can check out postholer.com for 
historical snow reports from various snotel localtions along the CDT to 
see when the snow will clear out.  When I started my 2nd chunk nobo from 
Rabbit Ears Pass on July 4 in 2011, I found the snow too deep and bailed 
from Buffalo Pass hitching down to Steamboat to continue my hike nobo 
from Rawlins on July 9.

As a sobo, you might want to look into reserving your GNP campsites in 
advance.  As a nobo, I couldn't predict with any degree of accuracy when 
we'd arrive and made reservations after arriving. That resulted in an 
itinerary that included a shuttle ride to a front country campsite.  The 
rangers at Two Medicine CG where the backcountry office is located were 
very helpful for us when we arrived in late August.  Mid-July might 
prove to be a busier time in the park.

Don't know if you have figured out your logistics getting to E. Glacier 
and from Rawlins.   I found Amtrak was the best bet for East Glacier.  
Don't expect the train to be running on time.  From Rawlins you can take 
Greyhound to either Denver or Salt Lake City to fly home.  Bus stops at 
a Truckstops of America on I-80 about a mile S of center of Rawlins.    
If you find you've been moving a bit faster than you had planned, you 
could continue south from Rawlins to Buffalo Pass or Rabbit Ears Pass 
and hitch into Steamboat Springs which is (or in 2012 was) also served 
by Greyhound.  It can be a hassle booking a ticket on Greyhound.  If you 
need to bail, there is bus service from Helena, Butte, and Lima Mt. to 
Salt Lake City using a combination of carriers (Salt Lake Express and 
IIRC Black Hills Stages for the leg from Butte to Helena)

Handlebar