CDT - Day 155 - Final Night
This morning, the six of us had one last discussion about which route to take toward Canada. My group—Pudding, Greg, and me—decided to take the less risky option and avoid the closed section of the Red Line. That meant skipping the North Highline Trail and taking the Flattop Mountain Trail instead, which added about four miles.
Because of the extra mileage, we changed our campsite from Goat Haunt to Kootenai Lakes. That small change means tomorrow will be about a seven-mile hike to the border instead of four.
The other group—McGyver, Sprinter, and SideQuest—decided to take the Highline Trail. I hope they made it through without any issues. Our primary concern was the possibility of being stopped by a ranger and potentially receiving a fine, so we decided it wasn't worth the risk. The hike down into the valley and then up toward Flattop Mountain was spectacular, exactly what I've come to expect from Glacier National Park. About halfway through the alternate, a very light drizzle started falling. That fine mist continued for the rest of the day and eventually soaked my shoes.
Toward the end of the section, we spotted a mama grizzly and two cubs in the distance, near the trail we were headed toward. We stopped and waited for a while until they eventually moved on. Tomorrow is the day.
The Canadian border is now only about 11 miles from where I'm sitting. I've hiked more than 3,000 miles. I've suffered physically and mentally, embraced the brutality, and persevered through an incredible adventure. It's hard to believe that tomorrow, after nearly six months of walking north, I'll finally reach Canada.
I just hope the weather cooperates for one last day.