“Up and down. Up and down. Everyday I’m reminded this trail is the CDT, the Continental Divide Trail, and not the Valley trail. The trail does not follow the easiest path south, it follows the mountains that separate the waters of this country. Instead of walking across that valley towards the Tetons, the trail climbs the mountainous hills up to Yellowstone. Though there were animal sightings and incredible views, I still would have preferred to take an easier route.”
If you are active in the outdoors, it’s hard to beat living in the American West. That’s because all states west of the Great Plains have big swaths of public lands available for fishing and hunting. Except when big swaths of extraordinary wildfire shut them down. Right smack in the middle of Public Lands Month. … Read more
“From the very first day of this section, we could see all the way to where we would be in three days. Across a wide, high desert valley we could see a pass that we would eventually cross over to stay on the divide. To our right and in front of us there was a mountain range that the CDT climbs up into twice.”
Participants in Trout Unlimited summer camps across the country and annual teen summit are the usual contributors, but since those camps were cancelled this year, we are opening it up to all youth. Please share this information with teachers, parents and students who may be interested in participating.
Students have connected to our restoration projects and helped us improve sections of 5 watersheds and 50 river miles for our fish and wildlife. Our goal has been to inspire students to study their local river, appreciate the unique habitat, and empower our youth and families to care for each river now and into the future.
“The second to last day we crossed over Lemhi pass where Lewis and Clark came over the divide. The story is that they thought they had reached the westernmost side of the mountains. That must have been a shock, because there is another huge mountain range right there.”
Local sporting businesses are helping to make the case for removing the four Lower Snake River dams Earlier this summer, TU released a report entitled, “Why We Need a Free Flowing Lower Snake River,” that lays out the scientific basis for the federal government’s conclusion that the best way to restore salmon and steelhead in … Read more
There’s trout water, and then there’s trout water that also holds mountain whitefish. The latter is likely healthier. Whitefish (Prosopium williamsoni) are often greeted by anglers with the same enthusiasm they might afford a creek chub or a sucker. The slightly downturned snout may not be as appealing as the maw of a wild brown … Read more
“The next morning we climbed up to the first of the Twin Lakes and we were delighted to see a lot of cutthroat trout swimming around. I finally caught my first trout on this trip. It felt great to break the ice.”
Our best grizzly sighting happened on the last day just 8 miles from the border. We were excited and walking fast. My cousin Ethan was walking ahead and staring at his phone. He apperantly did not notice the bear walking up the road. After we caught his attention, his first thought, he later told us, was “Oh cool, a bear.” Followed shortly by, “Oh crap, a bear!”
