Hiking the Continental Divide Trail: One Woman's Journey

by Jennifer A. Hanson

5 States, 148 Hiking Days, 25 Supply Points, 130 Maps
br>A how-to adventure for both armchair and real-life hikers. Foreword by Steve Dudley, Executive Director of the Continental Divide Trail Alliance.

An avid outsoorswoman, West Point graduate and former Captain in the U.S. Army, Jennifer Hanson — with her husband Greg Allen — set off to thru-hike the 2,400-mile Continental Divide Trail. Together they

* Arid ranchlands of New Mexico
* Snow-capped mountains of Colorado
* Red Desert of Wyoming
* Glacier National Park of Montana

During their hike, Jennifer learned that she had lost her father to cancer, and, within three weeks, her husband was forced to leave the trail due to an injured nerve in his foot. Jennifer finished the last nine hundred miles of the trail — alone.

Hiking the Continental Divide One Woman's Journey is the story of their incredible summer and is filled with courage, humor, stunning scenery, local personalities and the simple joys of backpacking. In addition, it is an invaluable resource for those planning their own section- or thru-hike of the CDT. Appendixes

* Thru-hike Preparation and Timeline
* Equipment and Clothing List
* Food List
* Itinerary and Supply Points
* Map List and Sources
* Complete Index

Genres: Adventure, Travel, Biography, Nonfiction, Nature, Outdoors

276 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

Reviews

[Linds Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written account of thru-hiking the CDT in the late 1990's, before some of the current trail improvements were made. Jenn and her husband flip-flopped hiked several sections of the trail together before a foot injury forced Jenn to finish the hike alone, a valuable growth experience.
What I've love to know--the bio mentions Jenn is with a different partner now. Would love a second book that continues her story and shares the next phase of her journey!

[Shawn Oetzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a decent read if not a bit straight forward. I think I enjoyed the chapters where she was hiking alone quite a bit more than the others. There could have been more details, but much like the adage of "hike your own hike" you have to tell your own tale too so I can't really complain. The writer completed a trek I've only dreamed about and I enjoyed her perspective.

[Rosemary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I saw some negative reviews of this book before I read it, but I really liked it. I thought it was very interesting. I am probably not ever hiking any long distances, but I do like to hike, so it was interesting for me to read about Hanson's hike.

[Cindy Coats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer writes so clearly about her experience hiking the divide! I look forward to her more detailed version where she talks about reflecting on her marriage that eventually ended, and she later remarried. It's an honest tale of something big and brave and is very inspiring. Highly recommend!

[Yugox001 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Soooo many religious references. Very off putting.

[AJ Stoner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably better as a print book because it includes many resources. Mediocre as an audiobook, but I did much enjoy the strength of Ms Hanson and her journey.

[Liralen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid. When Hanson set out with her (then-)husband to hike the CDT, they more or less knew what they were in for...but of course rarely do things go as planned. From the beginning, her husband struggled with a foot injury; meanwhile, back home, Hanson's father was dying. Eventually, after her husband's foot proved too much, Hanson finished the hike alone.

She maintains a nice balance throughout of external and internal—rather less 'I walked this far and ate X and it rained and the next day I walked this far and ate Y and it rained again' than I've seen in a lot of this sort of thing, and because so few people thru-hike the CDT, the focus on other people is largely limited to people back home. It's also interesting to me that in both of the CDT memoirs I've read, it wasn't a straight shot; in Scraping Heaven the trail took the author + family several years to complete, and here Hanson skips from one section to another as makes sense schedule-wise. (Less dogma, too, about only white-blazing—not sure if that's largely because at the time there really wasn't much of a trail to speak of, so perhaps she'd do it differently now, but it was really quite nice to see how...chill, I guess, she was about figuring out which route to take.)

[Happyreader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bored, so bored reading what should have been an exciting adventure on the most rugged of the three US long trails. Honestly, after suffering through tedious descriptions of needing to pee and looking for water while hiking in New Mexico, I had to skip ahead. (Why are you worried about searching for a water tank five miles down the road while you’re sitting in a restaurant eating burritos? Ask the restaurant for some tap water!!!) Was it that the Jen and Greg were boring or was it the desert landscape that was sucking the life out of me? Since I had picked up this book because I’d be hiking part of the Continental Divide Trail along the Chinese Wall in Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness, I skipped ahead to that chapter. And all I got was a picture, not a mention, of the Chinese Wall and I learned that the campsites in Glacier had showers. I’m told of every detail of every nerve twinge but learn practically nothing of the scenery or the wildlife?!! The most interesting twist in this whole tale is the short author bio. Jen and Greg are no more (the hike took place in 1997). It’s Jen and Denise now. No idea when this sexual epiphany occurred since the book concludes with the happy husband and wife hiking together at trail’s end but that may explain why the book read so dead. Jen found herself and a more authentic voice at a later date.

[Jane Blanchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Right from the prologue, Jennifer Hanson hooked me with her captivating story and beautiful descriptions. Hiking the Continental Divide Trail: One Woman's Journey is a fast-paced story of her six month adventure. Though Ms. Hanson hiked the first portion with her husband and she does reveal moments of tenderness towards him, the book is her story. I loved the way she lets the reader into her mind as she struggles with finding herself on the trail. During the hike, she deals with her father's recent death. When her husband's injury takes him off the trail, she continues without him. Though she loves hiking alone, making decisions, facing dangers, and trusting her instincts, she is at times lonely, frightened, and courageous. This is a remarkable feat told by a remarkable woman. I recommend the book.

[Cyd · Rating 2 out of 5]

She and her husband (who dropped out partway through) hiked in the late 1990s, but the dedication mentions only her partner Denise and their children--and a decade together. Given the publication date, the big unanswered question of when she left Greg and found Denise, and how, hangs over the whole book. Considering all the momentous self-discovery involved in her thru-hike (which is sometimes belabored by endless descriptions of needing to pee, find water, make camp, etc.), the untold story feels like a glaring omission. Apart from that, though, it's a good resource for backpackers.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just was I was looking for: an account of someone hiking the 2400 Continental Divide trail from Montana to Mexico. It was a nice follow up to reading about someone hiking the Appalachian Trail. It was fun to read about places that she hiked that I knew well (Rand, CO and Mt. Elbert). However, she skipped telling about large portions of her hike (no mention at all about Rocky Mountain National Park?). Fun to read, though... arm-chair hiking!

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1997, Jennifer Hanson and her husband, Greg, set off to hike the 2,400-mile Continental Divide Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada. Partway through the arduous months-long journey, Greg is sidelined by an injury. Hanson decides to continue on, hiking the remaining 900 miles by herself. The book is partly the story of a difficult yet transformational personal journey and partly a guide for others seeking to hike the trail (appendixes offer planning schedules and supply lists).

[Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really didn't love the first half or so of this book. I had a hard time understanding why she was on the CDT in the first place. After her husband headed home after a foot injury, her story and her writing got a lot more interesting, not because he was gone or he was a problem, but because her social analysis and self-awareness and confidence seemed to rise. In retrospect, I wonder how much of this view of mine is due to an honest retelling of actual events or just careful editing.

[carol guhne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am 72 years old and have hiked portions of many trails in the states as well as Europe. My favorite reading is about other people's adventures.

Jennifer's experiences in the desert as well as the mountains was very exciting reading for me. Her emotional and spiritual feelings brought home many of the same experiences I have had in my life time of hiking. I felt a kindred spirit with her as I read the book. I would recommend it to anyone who has a love for hiking.

[Chade66 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. There was great practical advice, some advice that was more spiritual and didn't fill the pages with an endless history lesson regarding the history of the trail as many AT books do.

I am confused by the CDT though, I keep seeing different lengths and much of the trail seems problematic to access. I like that fact that most of it you can take pack animals with you.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book, and it went well for about 75%. The author has a huge problem with others who do not share her dreams & ambitions & it became tiresome. Remember the most important credo in hiking: Hike your own hike. Others may do things differently than you, and that is OK.

[Brett Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good narrative & a good introduction to hiking in this region. I particularly liked the author's strengthened connection with nature as she spent more and more time on the trail. Full review here.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I would love to thru hike the CDT.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy this genre a great deal but the authors religiosity was a bit of a distraction for me. Thank you lord this and thank you lord that... everything that happened was according to God's plan.

[Sandy Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it! Enjoyed it even more the second time around!

[Mary Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting for hikers

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but it needs more maps.

[Gabriela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptionally well written and easy to read. Loved it.