He started in a desert in New Mexico, drank out of a cow pond, and told us he'd be back at his desk in Washington, DC by October 1st. On September 7th, Jared "Fisherman" Lampal touched the northern terminus monument at Waterton Lake in pouring rain (probably the worst weather of the entire trail) teared up, and then drank a room-temperature IPA out of his shoe. Allegedly, it's a CDT tradition.

141 days. 11 zeroes. Approximately 2,850 miles. No grizzlies, though there was a black bear in a Walmart parking lot in Steamboat Springs. Three concerts, including one he essentially crowdfunded his way into via a Goose fan Facebook group while 2,000 miles into a thru-hike. Zero rodeos. One very large lasagna.

In this final episode of the 2026 CDT Trail Correspondent Series, Doc and Fisherman close out the full arc, from Lordsburg to the Canadian border, and answer every question the trail left open. The completionist scores up the scorecard. The tattoo appointment is on the books. And Sunny is, in fact, downstairs.

Show Notes

Hiker Trash Radio | Trail Correspondent Series · 2026
Jared "Fisherman" Lampal | CDT Post-Hike Interview
Mexico to Canada — The Full Debrief


Jared "Fisherman" Lampal set out from the southern terminus of the Continental Divide Trail on April 20th with a desk job on hold, a solar-powered Garmin watch, and a tattoo with two empty triangles on his arm. 141 days later, he touched the northern terminus monument at Waterton Lake in the pouring rain, surrounded by his finish-line crew, and holding a room-temperature IPA destined for a shoey. In this final episode of the 2026 CDT Trail Correspondent Series, Doc and Fisherman do the full debrief: every open loop, every answered question, and the final scorecard on one of the most documented CDT thru-hikes in HTR history.


In this episode:



  • The finish: Goat Haunt, Waterton Lake, pouring rain, and a shoey courtesy of an Australian named Hitch Master

  • How Jared's parents ended up at the Canadian border — and why Sunny was not there

  • No grizzlies — but a black bear in a Walmart parking lot in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

  • Montana: Glacier vs. the Wind Rivers, the Beaverhead Range, and a lot of sagebrush

  • The Hiker Trash moment Doc has been waiting two episodes for: a Goose concert near Missoula, secured entirely via digital panhandling in a Facebook fan group

  • The JB Savreaux crossover that almost happened — and the yo-yo CDT skier who actually did cross paths

  • Final stats: 141 days, ~2,850 miles, 11 zeroes, 5 states, 3 concerts, 4 fourteeners, 0 rodeos

  • The five-state difficulty ranking — and why Jared still thinks the CDT is harder than the AT

  • What the CDT taught him that the AT couldn't: water, weather, and respect

  • Sunny's A+ resupply performance, homemade fudgy brownies, and why Jackrabbit always perked up when a box was coming

  • The first meal back: not dim sum, not EB's burgers — it was a lasagna at Filomena in DC

  • Post-trail depression, the inbox with thousands of unread emails, and the tactical beard shave plan

  • The CDT tattoo triangle: appointment booked for this weekend

  • PCT urgency level: low — "a life goal, not a today goal"

  • Advice for anyone thinking about the CDT in 2027: do it, start in the bubble, and don't let the internet scare you off


Mentioned in this episode:



  • Goat Haunt, Glacier National Park (final campsite before the monument)

  • Waterton Lake / Waterton, Alberta (northern terminus)

  • Banff, Alberta (where Jared's parents were)

  • Steamboat Springs, Colorado (black bear, Walmart parking lot)

  • James Peak, Colorado (hardest day of the trail — already recapped in Check-In #2, referenced here)

  • Bob Marshall Wilderness, Montana (where the lasagna craving hit)

  • Glacier National Park (up there with the Wind Rivers as a favorite section)

  • Beaverhead Range, Idaho-Montana border

  • Rogers Pass, Montana (jump-off point for Missoula)

  • Missoula, Montana (Goose concert)

  • Filomena restaurant, Washington, DC (the celebration lasagna)

  • EB's Burgers, Washington, DC (still on the list)

  • Goose (jam band; Jared has seen them approximately 30 times)

  • "Hitch Master" (Australian Far Out commenter, alleged originator of the CDT shoey tradition)

  • Jackrabbit (trail companion for more than two-thirds of the trail)

  • CB, Snowbird, Arson, Ty, Tie-Dye (finish-line crew)

  • Dana "Sniper" Wolf (HTR AT yo-yo correspondent, northbound complete, southbound in progress)

  • JB Savreaux (HTR SOBO CDT correspondent — crossover did not happen)

  • Gannett Peak, Wyoming (still unchecked; dedicated trip planned with CDT friends)

  • Far Out app

  • Capital Bikeshare (DC)

  • NH 48 / US High Points (ongoing completionist side projects)


Final CDT Scorecard:



  • April 20 – September 7, 2026

  • 141 days / 11 zeroes / 130 hiking days

  • ~2,850 miles (official route ~3,040; alternates shortened it)

  • 5 states: New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho (border), Montana

  • 4 fourteeners: San Luis, Elbert, Grays, Torreys

  • 3 concerts: Elks Lodge metal show (Grants, NM) · Denver · Goose (Missoula, MT)

  • 1 black bear (Walmart, Steamboat Springs)

  • 0 grizzlies

  • 62.1 miles in 23 hours (Great Basin Challenge)

  • 0 rodeos


Sponsors: Far Out · Garage Grown Gear · Hilltop Packs · Jolly Gear · Off the Trail Recreation · Six Moon Designs · Triple Crown Coffee · Vaer Watches


Follow Jared: Instagram @jl_onthe_trail


Connect with HTR: Facebook · YouTube · Instagram · TikTok · hikertrashradio@gmail.com · BLEAV Network


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