36    Leadore - Lima                            162 Kilometer

Leadore

Lima                                 162 km

The REI food package was waiting for me at the hotel. As the room had a stove we put it to good use cooking a meal. The only restaurant in town was a strange place. We were served by kids and by other guests. The alternative with fast food at the gaz station was passed by. About a week later we learned that 7 hikers got food poisoning in town from eating wherever they did. Following a day off we got a ride by Sam, the hotel owner, together with the four CDT hikers who included another German back to Bannock Pass late in the morning. On the way up we were shown near the pass the mouth of the former railroad tunnel. The four young hikers were soon gone and out of sight. It was sunny without any shade all day long. And it was uphill for a long time. The CDT crosses the highest point of Montana; it is named Horse Prairie.

The days continued to be sunny and hot. This part of trail was almost completely devoid of trees. Arriving at Morrison Lake we saw a couple of campers fishing in the lake. A large herd of more than 30 deer crossed the trail ahead of us. At another location we even saw a moose.

From the start of this section the biting flies were a pest. No sooner we stopped they were circling around us and descending on any uncovered skin. Breaking for lunch or any daytime snack was no pleasure. And instead of abating at one time it got worse. Finally we decided to leave the CDT at Bannack Pass and walked the gravel Medicine Lodge Road towards the Sheep Creek canyon. A wider creek had to be crossed on this road. Here we staid for the night. Early next morning we started walking down the Sheep Creek road towards Dell. After quite a wile finally a car came by in the right direction. We were lucky and got a ride. The driver was meeting her son further down the road. We got a transfer to the son's car and he took us all the way to Lima. We got a room at the motel and here we met the four young CDT hikers again.

Leadore

Big deer herd on CDT north of Morrison See

View of Morrison Lake from CDT

Morrison Creek Valley seen from CDT

Remains of log cabin at CDT near Cottonwood Creek

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