ULA - Ultralight Adventure Equipment




			Concluding Thoughts: For what it is Worth... As always, if you have any questions with regard to planning a hike along the Idaho Centennial Trail, please feel free to contact me. Please take the time to do some preliminary research on your own by visiting the Idaho Parks and Rec Website before you ask me specifics. The IPR website is a great resource and does a fine job at presenting information you may need. Asking me "what is the best spot to hike" along the ICT will not likely get any response. If you read the journal, look at the pics, and do a minimum of research I feel very confident that you will be able to determine what sections of the trail would best suit your criteria for being worthwhile. I also feel that it is important to point out that the ICT represents a unique opportunity within the long distance trail system of the United States. By my estimation we have plenty of long trails that are well documented with books, blazes, and quality information that is presented in a highly digestable format to aid a hiker in a successful trip. What I believe this country lacks are trail corridors that embrace the beauty of the unknown and leave some questions unanswered. If you need the majority of questions answered (and there is nothing wrong with that if you do) then I'd encourage you to look elsewhere for the time being. However, if you are open and ready to embrace varying degrees of uncertainty than the ICT may be for you! So...in saying that, you may find the information below vague. That is not my intention. I feel like I have presented information that adds to what is already available and is unique to being the first person to thru-hike the ICT in a single season (that's what I've been told anyhow). Obviously what I did worked for me. I am also intent on not wanting to rob you of the opportunity to experience the ICT in the best possible light...as I did, which includes a little bit of mystery! I do not care to establish some sort of definition (as is human tendency) for the Idaho Centennial Trail as being this, or being that, so I have refrained from making any direct comparisons to other trails. Lastly, my thoughts are my own and by no means 'right.' Strategy: Terminus TH's, Re-Supply, Wilderness, Mileage, Gear I chose to plan and execute the Idaho Centennial Trail in typical long distance hiker fashion: frequent re-supplies, 20+ miles per day, and with a focus toward lightweight equipment. In my opinion, the Idaho Centennial Trail does not present any additional logistical challenges than other more well known long distance routes despite the obvious lack of information available. Personally, I found the lack of solid beta to be a liberating, rather than limiting aspect during my planning and execution of the hike. Will you? Hard to say. Try to embrace it and see how you feel! However, with the information presented through the Idaho Parks and Rec Website and the additional info provided here, I think future trail users (thru-hikers, section hikers, equestrians, whatever) will have all the info needed to have a safe, successful hike along the Idaho Centennial Trail. Terminus Trailheads: The northern and southern ends of the Idaho Centennial Trail are both quite remote and not easy to get to. Each are along long dirt rds on the way to somewhere else. Best bet is to arrange with friends or family to get you there. As far as I could determine in my research, there are no services in place to offer shuttles and having been to both, I can assure you that vehicles are infrequent. Arranging a ride to and from the ends of the trail is likely the greatest logistical challenge of the hike. Re-Supply: Given the fact that a hiker will spend nearly half the distance of the total mileage in vast tracts of Wilderness, re-supply along the Idaho Centennial Trail Corridor is surprisingly easy and accomodating. In addition, hikers have options to add or subtract re-supply locations depending on their approach to daily mileage, attitudes about hitch-hiking, etc. Keep in mind that these places are not trail towns. It was rare for anyone in town to have even heard of the Idaho Centennial Trail. There is no 'hiker infrastructure' in place to help you out. No registers, hiker boxes, or a Trail Angel contact name should you need help or have an emergency. Plan accordingly and keep your expectations in check! The following are the towns (post offices), ranches, or lodges that I re-supplied at: Naples, Id: Naples is ~1.4 miles from the ICT. Follow County RD 3 North until you come to HWY 2. Cross HWY 2. Walk South a few minutes to Old HWY 2. Turn Right. Follow Old Hwy 2 into Naples. The Post Office is in the General Store. The General Store is well stocked --- so a re-supply here w/o a box is possible. Adjacent to the North side of the General Store is the Naples Inn which is run by Jeneen Schuler. Contact Jeneen for services/expense. Laundry, showers, and camping available as well as a very nice indoor accomodations if desired. Stay a day...the Naples Inn is great! Clark Fork, Id: Clark Fork is directly on the ICT as you come into town on HWY 200 from Spring Creek RD, or northbound on Stephen St. Clark Fork has a well stocked grocery store, a few restaurants, library with Internet access, and a hotel to stay in should you choose to. Mullan, Id: Mullan is ~1.5 miles off the ICT. Northbound or southbound, go West on Old HWY 12 at the jct with Larsen Rd. On your way into Mullan, you'll pass a Cononco Gas Station. This is the only place in town to get snacks, drinks, etc so stock up if you need anything for a rest day before continuing into town. This would be a tough place to re-supply from in my opinion. Once in Mullan, the Lookout Motel is the only place to stay in town. The Library (internet), The Outlaw Bar, and the Post Office are all on the same street. Moose Creek Ranger Station: I did manage to re-supply here, but only due to the friend of a friend of a friend. So...not something that I can pass along for future hikers. However, there are options. Consider Three Rivers Resort (~20 mile hitch west on HWY 12) or bailing off the ICT earlier and heading into Superior, MT to the PO there. Whitewater Ranch: Whitewater Ranch is a private ranch located on the Salmon River and is ~.20 mile off the trail. At the jct, there is a Trailhead next to the River. Free Camping and an Outhouse are available here, as are blackberries! Follow signage up the road to the Ranch House. Mail is flown in every Wednesday. As for services, there are cabins for rent (nice!), meals, and great story telling from the proprietors. There is no phone. Before you decide to send a package here, be sure to contact the Ranch via email. Pistol Creek Ranch: Like Moose Creek Ranger Station, I did manage to re-supply here, but only due to the friend of a friend of a friend. So...not something that I can pass along for future hikers, but if you do a little reseach with regard to backcountry pilots, you may discover some possibilities. Whitewater Ranch to Sawtooth Lodge is ~178 miles. Alternatively when you reach HWY 21 on the ICT, it is an ~8 mile walk (or hitch) into Stanley, ID which has a PO and all the necessities of a trail town. Sawtooth Lodge: Sawtooth Lodge is a private lodge located in Grandjean, ID and is ~1.5 miles off the ICT. At the jct, there is signage for backcountry TH's and a Campground. The Forest Service Campground has water, outhouses, and plenty of space. User Fees are mandatory. Sawtooth Lodge has accomodations, food, and phone. Before you decide to send a package here, be sure to contact Sawtooth Lodge. Hammet, Id: Hammett is a small agricultural hamlet. Other than the Post Office, there is a small convenience store with an adjacent restaurant just east of the jct of HWY 78 and Main St. There is no place to spend the night...no hotel, no camping. Wilderness: Obviously one of the big draws of the Idaho Centennial Trail is the vast tracts of Wilderness walking. These portions of the trail are remote. There are not easy bailout options in an emergency, nor the luxury of knowing that someone will likely stumble upon you. Other than within ~10 miles of TH's, firelookouts, or pilots at backcountry airstrips, I never saw another backpacker or equestrian in the woods. With Wilderness comes wildlife and there are certainly animals to be aware of along the Idaho Centennial Trail. Just about any animal you can think of existing in forested country exists in Idaho. Grizzlies and Wolves seem to be the one's that cause the most concern. During my trip, I did not see any Griz, but was convinced on a few occasions of seeing their tracks. Wolf tracks are very frequent, sightings more rare, but rest assured they are present in considerable numbers. Should you be concerned? Probably, but not to the point of panic. I credit avoiding any unpleasant animal encounters by being dedicated to stealth camping techniques, never traveling creekside in the early morning or evenings, avoiding places that presented resources to animals (EX: huckleberry patches), and hiking in the late summer/early fall, and having my dawg along. Rattlesnakes are common along the rivers, as well as in the desert but I never heard nor saw one. My advice? Recognize that Wilderness, by its nature, carries a degree of responsibility by those that choose to travel within its boundaries. The Wilderness Areas along the Idaho Centennial are certainly no exception. Be aware of where you are, and vigilant of the decisions you decide to make in such terrain. Mileage: Mileage is always a subjective topic based upon a hiker's own goals, physical fitness and mental perspective. Despite all that, I think that ~15-20 mpd is realistic for anyone thinking of tackling the ICT. The trail itself is in fine shape...it is typically just a matter of being able to see it! There are stretches of road walks which provide opportunity to make up time if need be. Before starting my hike, my dawg and I agreed upon 20 mpd as our daily goal. If I was hiking the ICT on my own, I would feel comfortable planning my itinerary around 22-27 mpd. Gear: Like daily mileage, the gear necessary to be safe and successful along the ICT is subjective...and should be based upon a hikers respective skillset. No matter the season selected to hike the route, you are likely to encounter variable weather...rain, snow, heat, cold. Plan accordingly! My own base weight (all gear minus food, fuel, and water) fluctuated between 6.5-10 lbs due to anticipated weather, my dawg's needs, and the availability of water. I hiked the ICT with a (3) different packs. Not mandatory, but I was in the final stages of prototype testing thus the variety. My 30 degree quilt was fine for the entire trip as was my custom pyramid shelter from Mt Laurel Designs. In the right season, Idaho is blessed to be mostly bug free, so the floorless shelter was perfect for hiking with the dawg, easy to pitch in stealth sites, bomber in weather, and of course very light! As for footwear, I hiked ~700 miles with a single pair of Lowa Boots. I prefer a mid top to high top boot when the actual trail tread is obscured by vegetation...strictly from a safety standpoint in having more ankle support. I hiked the last ~200 miles with Salomon Trail Runners which were better suited to the long road walks. Route: Trail, Direction (N vs S), Navigation, Weather Trail: Trail is a bit of a subjective term. One person's trail is another persons animal track. Overall I was surprised by the actual amount of trail tread on the ground. Most was discernable. In some areas the trail was there in spirit, but thick vegetation, downed timber, unmapped re-routes, or other obstructions kept it from being consistently evident. What will you find? A little bit of everything! My best advice is to not fall victim to the expectations that a line on a map can create. In my opinion, any more specifics will rob you of the adventure that awaits! Embrace reality and walk. Direction (N vs S) : Although the Idaho Parks and Rec website states that the consensus is to hike the ICT northbound, I am not sure how such a consensus can exist with regard to a trail corridor that has seen such little use in the context of successful thru-hikes. My main reason for hiking southbound was that I much preferred to be in the desert in the fall, rather than the mountains of northern Idaho. Logistically it was much easier for me to arrange a drop off at the N terminus and a pick up at the S terminus. Remember...I said the ends of the trail are a logistical hurdle. I do not think it would be unreasonable to start Northbound in August if you intended a quick pace. If you head N in the Spring, your start date should be dependent on the snowpack in the Sawtooths and you'd best be prepared for swollen creeks as well as the navigation challenges that residual snow pack can create...especially so on a trail that is not blazed for ~75% of its length. The other major consideration is fire season. Fire season in Idaho is typically very active...from July to September. Be sure to check in here for information. If you left N-bound in the Spring you'd lessen your chances of fire conflict. SB in August (like me) is probably the worse time, but I was fortunate to get through the large tracts of wilderness without any blaze obstructing my path...but there were plenty of active fires in the area. Wilderness fires are typically allowed to burn themselves out, which means Mother Nature is responsibly for containment...which means the onset of winter. Navigation: Navigation on the ICT can be tricky due to the trail conditions that I described above. Obviously your skillset and comfort level will determine the difficulties you encounter. My best advice is to carry additional maps that give you a sense of the big picture, so you can plan an alt route if need be. My primary moments of confusion were either in burn areas or on actual trail that had been re-routed and did not match the line on my map. Given the resources presented at the Idaho Parks and Rec website, you have the all the maps and a designated ICT route at your digital fingertips. Although no guidebook exists with useable maps, the Idaho Parks and Rec website has all you will need to get started and execute the hike. Combine that with Forest Service maps from the districts along the trail, and you'll be in good shape. Weather: Any time you spend multiple weeks out in the woods, you can be subject to a full range of weather. The ICT is no exception no matter the time of year or the direction you decide to hike. I had sun, rain, snow, wind. Good stuff. At times I was uncomfortably cold and uncomfortably hot. Chances are you will be to.