Day 113 Gates Park

24.8 miles

A short climb up hill from camp lead to the start of the Chinese Wall, an anomalous feature of the Bob Marshall Wilderness and icon of the CDT. It is a thousand foot sheer wall of rock reaching out of the ground stretching for 12 miles aligned more or less south to north. It was impressive in the early morning light. 

In planning this hike I had hoped to take the Spotted Bear Alternate route that would lead past the wall for a good chunk. Unfortunately this trail had been closed due to two fires in close proximity to the trail. Neither fire had grown over recent days and no smoke could be seen from the CDT however the Forest Service was taking a cautious approach and Spotted Bear was likely to remained closed for the rest of the hiking season. 

I’d also heard horror stories from both southbound and northbound hikers alike of an atrocious amount of large tree blow downs right along the next section of the CDT Red Line. It was for this reason that I turned off the Red Line onto another alternate route that most hikers had been taking over recent weeks, the Moose Creek Trail. 

Being a well utilised horse trail it was clear of blow downs, was flat and in the shade of pines. This made for a perfect and fast trail. I followed this east for around 11 miles before connecting with the Gates-Moose trail to continue a path north towards Gates Park. 

The Moose Creek Trail was a delight to hike on, Gates-Moose not so much as it transitioned into yet another open area of fire killed country, topped off by a mile long section of blowdowns. A sign at the trail junction did inform of the blow downs.

Most trees could be stepped over but it meant a stop and start approach in which it was difficult to get into a rhythm. Several sections were like solving a puzzle trying to work out if it was easier to go around or walk on top of the jumble bouncing from one log to the next and not touch the ground. 

Late in the day I found a sheet of Tyvek blowing on the wind. Initially I thought someone must have been drying gear out and this had gotten away from them but it this was caught up in a bush with no other gear out drying. It was brand new still with its crinkly sound not like a well used piece. Tyvek is essentially a vapour barrier used in building construction in the US that hikers have adopted to using as ground sheets for tents. 

I called out to see if anyone was about and got no response. With that I folded it up and carried it out. It will serve nicely as a replacement for mine which I’ll have to trash before leaving for home as it is covered in seeds, grass and other vegetative material caught up in the fibres on the ground facing side. It would never pass bio security. 

Day was fading into evening and I needed to find a suitable campsite for the night. Nothing promising was appearing through open grassed country with a few scattered trees here and there. I thought there might be a chance of a site at the next trail junction leading towards Gates Park or within Gates Park itself but couldn’t be sure. Only one way to find out – keep moving. Around a mile from the trail junction I spotted a train of horse and mules grazing on the hillsides.

There was no suitable campsite at the trail junction. 

Approaching Gates Park I wasn’t quite sure, if it was private or public land. I was fairly certain it had to be public land as how could there private property inside a wilderness area unless it was in private hands before the surrounding area legislated as a wilderness area. I knew of other areas where this was the case like Yellowstone. Private sections that existed before parks officially established can’t be sold for profit, only passed down within families or sold back to government to be converted to public land at which point the federal government obliterates any signs of former occupation. 

My map showed an area with a defined boundary, a few building and an airstrip. I pictured it might a remote airbase for fire fighting in the wilderness area. Reaching the gate it was made clear that I was half right. It was public land but set aside was a Forest Service Administration Site. It was an outpost for backcountry work with several cabins, stables, horse yards and an outhouse. The trail passed right through the ‘park’ but unfortunately a sign on the gate made it clear that camping was not permitted. All the buildings were locked and not accessible to the public and I couldn’t see any signs rangers or stock about. What an awesome job that woukd be, working remotely, camping out in a cabin and working with horses to patrol and maintain trails. 

I passed through another gate and thought I had exited the park now being free to set up camp. It was only after finding a protected site in a patch of pines and getting my tent pitched and gear stowed away that I realised I was still inside Gates Park and technically probably shouldn’t be camping here. No-one was about at the building and it was close to dark so I felt it would be perfectly fine. I’d be gone in the dark of morning.  No-one would be none the wiser.