Bart Robinson

Bart finished his ICT hike on Tuesday 09-15-09. I have been following his Facebook/Twitter posts and tracking his position on Google maps. Congratulations on completing the ICT Bart!

Ken and Marcia

Ken and Marcia Powers also finished their ICT thru-hike, on August 31st, in just 59 days.

http://trailjournals.com/gottawalk

He did it!

Jerry (Frog) Finnegan finished his ICT quest today! I was privileged to be a part of the last 30 miles of his 60 mile final section from Grandjean to Willow Creek. Awesome scenery. Awesome experience topping out at Ross Peak at 9200 feet. An awesome welcoming committee of family and friends at the trail's end. I hope to make some videos available.

Through Hiker Request

I was asked to post this for a through hiker:

Hi Leo,
Some info for the ICT blog:I will be starting a six-week trip on the ICT on August 17. I have one section south of the Selway left and then everything north of Wilderness Gateway. I will be sending out updates from the trail via satellite phone at http://twitter.com/ZippyMorocco. With luck, this will complete my 5-year journey on the trail (photos and maps from previous years are at http://www.bartrobinson.com/trips/index.php?page=1&group=1).Thanks,Bart Robinson

trail #120 access info update

I have been contacted by a property owner on E.Spring Creek Rd. (north of Clark Fork) who would like to pass along the following clarifications:
The entire north end of the road is apparently posted as "NO TRESPASSING". Unless you know someone who invites you to cross their property take the alternative route around this area. This would include dropping off the ridge at the Porcupine Lk. trailhead (southbound), then continuing down to Lightning Ck.Rd. You can follow this into town but will have to ford the creek (i.e. don't plan on doing this in the spring!). Of course, if you are northbound, you can pick up Lightning Ck Rd off Hwy 200, walk north until crossing the creek, then follow signs along the road to Porcupine Lake. Unless the Forest Service has done some serious maintenance, the trail will be invisible, requiring a bushwhack up to the ridge. The road across Lightning Ck should be rebuilt next year (2010).

Stateline Ridge

Did the ridge from Little Joe Rd down to Hoodoo Pass over the 4th of July weekend. Trail is in good shape and easy to follow (a rarity up north) with the exception of just north of Hoodoo Pass. If you take the road down the montana side from the pass, then the first left and start climbing, you will see the trail exit on the right. Pick it up here, because you'll never find it from the pass.

Also hiked down from Trestle Creek to E. Spring Creek Rd outside of Clark Fork. Access issue with private property owner at bottom of mountain.
If you are southbound: Take all switchbacks until you come to one with a metal stake in the trail (the last one). Contour further to the west (leave trail) until you clear the end of a large brown metal-pipe fence, then drop down to road.
north bound: go to near end of road until you see large brown metal-pipe fence on left. Stop at last home BEFORE fence and ask permission to walk down their driveway to the mountain behind them. Bushwhack up and to the right until you find trail.

Class of 09

Jerry "Frog" Finnegan is only 60 miles away from completing his ICT quest!

with the 18+ mile section we did last Tuesday up above Clark Fork, he only has 60 miles to go.

He has saved the Sawtooth section from Grandjean down to Willow Creek for the grand finale'.

Thru Hikers Starting

They are on the trail and asked me to post this.


Leo,

We are starting a self supported ICT thru hike beginning 7/4/2009 using the usual thru hiker mailing of supplies. Boxes are now in position at our chosen resupply points.

Our ICT journal is at www.trailjournals.com/GottaWalkICT and our own website is www.GottaWalk.com We will update journal entries and photos as we can while hiking.

Our contact email is OnTheTrail@GottaWalk.com Hope to see you out on the trail!

Hello Leo,

We are driving to Idaho tomorrow. Can you please post the above to the 2009 blogs? While checking on resupply I heard that a hiker from Virginia was also planning a thru hike and was scheduled to be in Naples the first week of August.

You, Steve and all the organizers and trail crews have our thanks and appreciation!

Ken and Marcia Powers
...GottaWalk

Brian Frankle hikes the ICT North to South

(All photos courtesy Brian Frankle, http://www.ula-equipment.com/)

Hi all,

I wanted to share Ron Whittaker's post from the Idaho Outdoors Yahoo Group regarding ULA owner Brian Frankle's successful journey on the ICT this summer, traveling north to south.

I must say, to watch Brian's slide show, is to experience a wonderful scenic sweep of Idaho, north to south, along the jagged backbone of our state, meandering from the British Columbia border to Fairfield, and then across the desert to finish. Awesome pics and congrats on an incredible journey, Brian.

Many thanks, Ron, for sharing the links from Brian's successful trip.

Here's Ron's post:

"First a little back-story: When Jerry Finnegan, Nick Abshire, and I were onthe ICT in northern Idaho in summer 2006, we met Chris Harrington, who finishedhis ICT hike that year. Chris was using a backpack made by ULA Equipment.

That's the tie-in to this story. The guy who runs ULA Equipment, BrianFrankle, this summer completed his thru hike of the Idaho Centennial Trail from north to south.

Here is the link to Brian's website: http://www.ula-equipment.com/idahocentennialtrail/index.htm

and his photo album, recognize any of these places??? http://picasaweb.google.com/briansbliss/IDAHOCENTENNIALTRAIL

Ron Whittaker (60% of ICT done)"

Trail Route

The Idaho Atlas and Gazetteer and the only guidebook on the trail, “Discover Idaho’s Centennial Trail,” are 5 to 10 years old and some trail sections have been moved.

Again, the ICT maps on the IDPR web site are the best and most up to date routes. Users tell us that the guidebook and the Idaho Benchmark Atlas provide valuable supplementary information.

On the ground, follow the ICT markers and USFS trail signs, where they exist. One recent user said it best, “Traveling the Idaho Centennial Trail is a challenging, discovery type of experience. I enjoyed that aspect of the trip.” It is incumbent on ICT backcountry travelers to research and plan their journey in great detail, and you’ll have a great time. The trail is not signed, marked or blazed in the same manner as the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail.

Go to The IDPR web site and read more about the ICT.

Leo Hennessy
Centennial Trail Coordinator

ICT web site

For those of you who are yearning to plan a trip on the Idaho Centennial Trail, or if you're just curious about what it is, check out the new web pages on the Idaho Centennial Trail on the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation web site.

The web site has a ton of information and photos about the Idaho Centennial Trail, how the trail was created, where it goes, what trail uses are allowed, how to find the best trail maps for the ICT, notes on resupply points, trail access issues and more. The web site also links to videos from a great program that Idaho Public Television did on the Idaho Centennial Trail.

Since the ICT was created in 1990, there haven't been very many people who have conquered the full length of the trail in one summer. Now there's no excuse ... we've provided the information you need, now you just have to plan a trip, get the time off reserved, and check out the trail.

Have fun!

Best, Steve

ICT Snow Conditions

I just returned from Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness and all of the high mountain passes are in the process of melting out. They are passable. The snow line on north slopes was 8600 feet as of 7/7/08.

Leo

Welcome to our new blog

Hi everyone,

This is Leo Hennessy, trail coordinator of the Idaho Centennial Trail, from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. I want to welcome you to this new blog on the Idaho Centennial Trail.

We hope this will be a useful tool for people and public agencies to find out the best information about the Idaho Centennial Trail.

Please feel free to post information, photos and video from your trips on the Idaho Centennial Trail.

We'd also like to use this blog as a forum between trail users, the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and Idaho Parks and Recreation to discuss issues related to the Idaho Centennial Trail.

In my mind, the Idaho Centennial Trail is a relatively undiscovered jewel that runs through the best of Idaho's outdoor settings, from the colorful desert in the Owyhee Canyonlands to the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, to the Stateline Trail, to the Cabinet and Selkirk mountains in the Idaho Panhandle.

I hope this blog inspires you to get out there and enjoy the trail.

Leo