Montana

Flying to Montana to Start the Continental Divide – The Trek

Published

2 years ago

June 23, 2024

Flying to Montana to Start the Continental Divide – The Trek

This morning I was up at 3am and got the rest of my things packed up. Not long after that I piled all my things into my dad‘s car and we began heading to the airport. I can’t believe that I’m about to start another hike. It was smooth sailing in the early morning hours and I got to the airport early. I checked in quickly and was able to get something to eat before my flight.

These last few months off trail I’ve been super cautious about what I eat and trying to take pretty good care of myself. Especially not hiking big days anymore and just working on my feet most days. This was the first time in months that I felt free to eat whatever I want. I remembered that this is the beginning of being able to eat whatever I want for a long time. I ordered a sugary coffee, a sandwich, and a bagel. Then I returned to my seat and waited for my flight to board. The really neat thing about flying out today is that I have a brief flight from Boston to Chicago, then I meet up with a bunch of friends at the airport in Chicago and we all fly together to the airport in East Glacier, Montana. I’m so excited to see friends and get ready for the continental divide.

The first flight was nice and easy and when I arrived in Chicago my friend Tripod was already there hanging out at the bar at the airport. I met up with him and got a spicy Bloody Mary at the bar. I simply couldn’t resist. We had an hour layover and I got a little buzz on off that one drink at the airport bar. Then we met up with Nine Lives and we boarded our flight to East Glacier. Because of the time change, this flight was a little bit longer going over to Montana. But I was able to snack, listen to some music, and rest my eyes for a little bit.

When we arrived in East Glacier was shocked at how adorable and tiny the airport was. I should’ve assumed that it would’ve been nothing like the airport in Chicago, but it still surprised me. We walked around the little airport which felt more like a visitor center than anything. Then we spent a while waiting for the baggage claim with loads of other people heading to do something here in Montana. Luckily all of our bags came. It would’ve been pretty awful if they didn’t considering the fact that all of us brought a bunch of gear in our checked bags and about 12 days of food. We’re trying to set ourselves up for the first 200 to 250 miles of the CDT with food rations. We’re gonna drop a handful of days of food off at a couple different locations in glacier to make our food carries a little bit shorter to start.

Our adorable motel in White Fish, Montana.

From the airport we got a ride over to White Fish. Which is only about 10 minutes from the airport in Kalispell. We booked a really big room that had about five beds because we were expecting that some more hikers might join us later on in town. We had to wait a little while for the room to be ready so we walked around the town and got something to eat. I was so impressed by White Fish and how many things it had to offer in a short distance from where were saying. It was truly a perfect trail town. We got McDonald’s and then ran a couple of errands. There was an amazing outfitter in town that had everything you could possibly need so I was able to get fuel there for the next few days and then an extra canister to put into one of my resupply boxes. Then we went to check into the room and get comfortable and relax. When we were leaving the airport I was so tired. I thought I could go to sleep right away. But now that we were here and walking around, I got a second wind. And like clockwork once we got back to the room, we all exploded our stuff all over the place.

The pile of mayonnaise packets that I scored from the local McDonald’s to use in my resupply.

All of us began going through our gear and putting certain things back in their place which we had taken out to fly. I checked little items like my knife, small scissors, micro spikes, and a few other odds and ends into my checked bag. It felt good to go through everything and put everything where it belongs. Then I began sorting through my monstrous pile of food. We’re not sure exactly where we’re gonna be dropping boxes and how this resupplying is going to go. Once we figure all of that out I’m going to sort the food into a few different groups and prepare to leave it where it needs to go.

Not long after we checked in at the room, another hiker Mosey joined us. I actually met her when we were at AT Trail Days just a month or so ago. It was so nice to see her again and I’m excited to hike together on the CDT. We all chilled at the room for a while and were constantly going back-and-forth about various permit, start date, and resupply strategies. Then later on, we went over to get some Chinese food at a place right next to the hotel.

The food was ridiculously good. We shared some appetizers and I got a Thai iced tea. I also got a big plate of Mongolian beef and could barely eat any of it. The hunger has not hit yet. I’m used to eating way less food being off trail and working constantly. But I’m excited to finally be able to carb-load freely and know that I can eat whatever I want whenever I want. I gotta be honest, that’s one of the best parts about hiking for me. Especially after spending so much time hiking over the past couple of years. It’s really just my natural state of being at this point.

A very on point fortune that I got tonight at dinner.

I talked to my mom on the phone briefly when we were at the Chinese place and then we all came back to the room to lounge. I got a couple little things at the grocery store down the street to have for tonight or tomorrow. And I also grabbed a couple of avocados to eat the first couple of days on trail. I’ll eat them with either the tuna sandwiches that I’m going to be making or the rice meals that I’ll be having for dinner. Adding avocado to a knorr side dish makes it a gourmet meal.

Even though I didn’t need much or get much from the grocery store, walking around was a spiritual experience. I noticed a major difference in the way I was shopping now that I’m back on trail. Over the last few months I’ve grocery shopped pretty intentionally to avoid certain isles all together. Two in particular are the candy isle and the bakery section. But today was different. I’m starting a 3,000 mile thru hike this week. That means I can eat whatever I want. I almost shed a tear as I picked up my first chocolate milk of the hiking season.

As the night went on another hiker Lost and Found joined us. She was actually the Lost and Found that Fresh Grounds was always talking about when we saw him down in Florida. Fresh Grounds is an iconic trail Angel on all trails these days. He’s going to be coming out to trail magic the CDT bubble for about five weeks once we get to Benchmark. That’s about 200+ miles from the start point. I’m so excited to see him again and enjoy some of his incredible food.

When I saw him back in January, I didn’t get to fully enjoy it because I was so close to getting off trail. My appetite was down to just about nothing at all, and I was so close to being done that I was trying not to eat too too much. But it’s going to be such a blessing for him to come out and feed us while we’re up in Montana with limited resources and some pretty long food carries.

The front porch of the Chalet Inn, the motel we stayed at in White Fish.

It was cool to meet and talk to these new hikers that we’ ll be seeing here on the CDT. The room was the perfect size for five of us to be lounging and going through our gear comfortably as well. Eventually, we figured out what we were going to be doing for our food carries. We’re going to leave boxes for ourselves at Many Glacier, which is only about two days from the start. That way we can carry very little food to start and wean ourselves in. My backpack is so tiny, so the less food I can carry the better. But I really didn’t want to carry a larger pack on this trail, so I’m just gonna figure out ways to make it work. I set aside about four days to leave at Many Glacier and about six days of food to leave later on at East Glacier. That’ll be enough to get us all the way to Benchmark. From there, we’ll figure out what to do next.

Tripod, Lost and Found, Mosey, myself, and Nine Lives at the Chalet Inn.

As the night went on we were all so surprised to see that the sun sets incredibly late here in Montana. At 9pm it was still super bright outside. The sun didn’t really wind up upsetting until sometime after 10pm. You couldn’t ask for better timing to be starting a thru hike. Having long days opens you up to doing as many miles as you need to do and also taking as many breaks as you’d like to over the course of the day. That was one of the limiting factors of being on trail this last winter. The hiking days were long and there was very little daylight. It’s going to be such a blessing to be able to hike as long into the day as I want to without hiking into the dark. I really don’t wanna be hiking in the dark and grizzly bear country personally.

I was surprised how late all of us stayed up even though we’d been traveling all day. But eventually we all got comfortable and called it a night. Tomorrow’s going be a pretty early day. Tripod, Nine Lives, and I have a really unique opportunity to do a bike trip in West Glacier which I’m super excited about. It seems like it’s a bucket list opportunity to do a bike on a road that’s only open exclusively for biking for about 2 to 3 weeks a year here in glacier national park. The rest of the year it’s also open to vehicle traffic, which definitely would make a biking day trip a little bit less enjoyable. Hopefully my body holds up for a long bike ride because I certainly haven’t been on a bike in a long time. My body knows how to walk, but not much else at this point.

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Montana

Evacuation orders issued as 5,000-acre wildfire burns near Roundup, Montana

Published

11 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Evacuation orders issued as 5,000-acre wildfire burns near Roundup, Montana

ROUNDUP, Mont. —
The Rehder Creek Fire is burning 16 miles southeast of Roundup has grown to about 5,000 acres, prompting evacuation orders for residents in the Bruner Mountain Area/Subdivision.

The fire started Feb. 26, the cause is unknown and containment was at 0%.

Evacuation orders are in effect for all residents in the Bruner Mountain Area/Subdivision. The Musselshell County Sheriff’s Office is coordinating the evacuation orders, and 911 reverse calls have been sent out to advise people in the area.

A shelter is opening at the Roundup Community Center. Residents were told to contact Musselshell County DES for further information.

Firefighter and public safety remain the top priority. The public is asked to avoid the Fattig Creek and Rehder Road area so emergency personnel can safely and effectively perform their work.

Fire resources assigned to the incident include 40 total personnel, 11 engines, one Type 2 helicopter, three tenders and two dozers.

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Montana

February 26 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

Published

23 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

February 26 recap: Missoula and Western Montana news you may have missed today

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Montana

Escobar, Jayapal, Members of Congress Call on Camp East Montana to be Shut Down – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal

Published

1 day ago

February 26, 2026

Press Room

Escobar, Jayapal, Members of Congress Call on Camp East Montana to be Shut Down – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) – joined by Representative Pramila Jayapal, the Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, and 22 other Members of Congress – sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons calling for the immediate closure of Camp East Montana in El Paso. They cite urgent humanitarian concerns following multiple deaths in custody, documented unsafe conditions, and serious deficiencies in medical care.

This marks the fourth letter Congresswoman Escobar has sent to DHS and ICE leadership. The previous three letters have gone unanswered.

The letter can be found in its entirety below and here.

“Secretary Noem and Acting Director Lyons:

We are urgently calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS or the Department) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to shut down Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas.

Camp East Montana has been operational for six months, and at least three people have died at the site since December 2025: Francisco Gaspar-Andres, Geraldo Lunas Campos, and Victor Manuel Diaz. The El Paso County Medical Examiner has officially ruled Lunas Campos’ death a homicide, citing “asphyxia due to neck and torso compression.”

Camp East Montana was constructed in a matter of weeks and opened before construction was complete and it does not have enough federal staff on-site to provide adequate oversight. Over the last several months, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, in whose district this facility is located, has sent multiple letters to DHS and ICE regarding concerns about the conditions at Camp East Montana, and has received no responses.

According to detainees, there have been constant and consistent problems at the facility since it opened, beginning with the facility’s poor construction and poor ambient temperature control. Upon opening, the drinking water at Camp East Montana tasted foul and made some detainees sick. Detainees continue to be served inadequate meals, including food that is rotten or frozen; last fall, the facility was also consistently failing to make dietary accommodations for detainees. Detainees have shared that they have sporadic access to outside spaces and recreational areas, and that their dormitory pods are cleaned only once every eight days, despite pods housing up to 72 people at a time. Laundry services are not consistent, and people are washing their clothes in the facility showers. Additionally, the facility experiences flooding and sewage backups when it rains, leading to stagnant water.

One of the biggest concerns with the Camp East Montana facility is the inadequate medical care being provided to detainees. Our offices have heard that only the most ill detainees are referred to the medical unit and that there are inconsistencies as to how soon after arriving detainees are able to undergo initial medical screenings. Detainees with chronic health issues who rely on regimented medications for their health have had difficulty accessing necessary medications, including blood pressure medication and insulin.

At least one of the deaths that occurred in ICE custody, the death of Francisco Gaspar-Andres, appears to partially be the result of poor medical care by staff at the facility. According to ICE’s own account, Gaspar-Andres sought medical attention from facility staff for increasingly serious symptoms, but was only transferred to an area hospital once his condition had severely deteriorated.

In addition to our concerns about poor medical care, we are also aware that detainees have experienced irregular access to their legal counsel, including instances of detainees having only two minutes allotted per phone call every 8 days, which is contrary to ICE’s Detention Standards on access to counsel, and that the belatedly created law library lacks adequate resources for the amount of people currently held at the facility. In January 2026, ICE announced the on-site death of Geraldo Lunas Campos “after experiencing medical distress.” ICE opened an investigation into the death, but did not provide a cause of death. However, The Washington Post later reported that another man detained at Camp East Montana had witnessed guards choking Lunas Campos when he refused to enter a segregated housing unit. Weeks later, the El Paso County Medical Examiner ruled that Lunas Campos had experienced “asphyxia due to neck and torso compression” and ruled his death a homicide.

Lunas Campos is the first detainee to die at Camp East Montana as a result of a use-of-force incident, but we are strongly concerned that he will not be the last if ICE is allowed to continue operating Camp East Montana.

ICE was given $45 billion in taxpayer dollars in the reconciliation bill, $1.2 billion of which were awarded to Acquisition Logistics, LLC, a company with no previous experience managing immigration detention facilities, to build and oversee Camp East Montana. However, in the wake of three deaths in custody so far, continued concerns about conditions at the facility, and ICE’s apparent disinterest in responding to oversight letters from Congress, we do not believe Camp East Montana is being run professionally or responsibly.

Camp East Montana must be shut down. For the safety of everyone at the facility, for an end to abuses to detainees, and for fiscal responsibility to the American people, the site cannot continue to operate. We are calling on DHS and ICE to move to immediately close operations at Camp East Montana.

We look forward to hearing from the Department promptly on this matter.

The other co-signers include Representatives Yassamin Ansari, Nanette Barragán, Yvette Clarke, Lloyd Doggett, Maxwell Frost, Jesús “Chuy” García, Sylvia Garcia, Daniel Goldman, Jimmy Gomez, Henry Johnson, Stephen Lynch, Seth Moulton, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Delia Ramirez, Andrea Salinas, Janice Schakowsky, Darren Soto, Rashida Tlaib, Paul Tonko, Lauren Underwood, Gabe Vasquez, and Nydia Velázquez.

Issues: Immigration

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