THE CALCULATED ADVENTURER

As an undergrad assisting Professor Martha Apple with botany research in Glacier National Park back in 2012, DJ Moritz had a Kairos moment when he crossed paths with a hiker making his way along the full length of the famed Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT). The encounter planted a seed that lay dormant for about five years before he started seriously planning to make the trek himself.

It takes a left-brained, analytical thinker to complete a double major in Math and Statistics in three years. That’s just what Moritz did at Montana Tech, before earning his Masters in Math at the University of Montana shortly after. This is also the kind of thinker who excels at, and enjoys, logistics, so it’s no wonder that Moritz jumped into planning the details, researching the best gear, and preparing for his own CDT journey with fervor.

In May of 2018, Moritz set out from Antelope Wells, New Mexico with a plan and a commitment to himself, his family, and friends to hike through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana to Chief Mountain Border Crossing in Glacier National Park, 3,100 miles with 457,000 feet of elevation gain and loss.

For the most part he took his time, enjoying the wildlife, the solitude, and the people he met along the way. This included a stay at the Toaster House in Pie Town, New Mexico where, over decades, the renowned “Trail Angel,” Nita Larronde, welcomed hundreds of thru-hikers with a hot shower, fellowship, and yes, pie. Ultimately, it was this kindness of strangers and the connections with other hikers that left the biggest impression upon him.

One of the rites of passage, so to speak, for thru-hikers is to earn or choose a trail name. A couple he met along the way, Mould and Mildew, helped select Mortiz’s trail name. When he got bored, he would sometimes sing. That, along with perhaps his optimism, led to Moritz becoming Jean Valjean, after the protagonist in Les Misérables. The character, hardened from 19 years of prison for stealing bread for his starving sister, was changed forever by the benevolence of a deacon who defended him, and challenged him to become a kind and generous benefactor for those around him. Moritz experienced many examples of this altruistic behavior along the alluring, yet grueling, trail. He was also that helper for others. The nickname stuck.

As snow began to threaten his trip, Moritz had to hustle a bit near the end. He completed the 3,100-mile trek on the Canadian border, five and half months after he began. It’s not required to report a completed CDT thru-hike, but it’s estimated that less than 300 people do this monster hike annually, compared to three times as many who do the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail, the other two legs of the long-distance “Triple Crown” for hikers. Its wayfinding requirements, scrappy climbs, varied wildlife, and isolation make the CDT one of the most difficult
long-distance hikes in the world. Moritz is forever part of a truly elite club.

For him, however, this south- to north-bound trip, in which he wore out five pairs of shoes (should have been six), didn’t fully satisfy his spirit. Having battled through moments, hours, and days when he just wanted to be done, his confidence had grown exponentially. He decided to complete his Masters in Statistics at Montana State University, and later, begin his PhD there. And, why not try the CDT the other direction, this time on a bike?

On June 14, 2024, Moritz began the Great Divide Mountain Bike Tour in Banff, British Columbia. The path roughly parallels the hike, frequently diverting to backroads and trails where bikes are allowed. He finished on July 18, 2,730 miles south in Antelope Wells. The overriding feeling this time was the same. The views were exceptional, the wildlife plenty—he saw it all, including, unexpectedly, turtles. The challenge was up to his expectations.

Still, despite the many miles of solitude, it was again the people who made the tour. From cowboy camping and waking up to a moose standing above him, to riding parallel with deer and elk running alongside him, the memories will endure, along with the friendships.

His next great accomplishment will be that PhD. After that, who knows? Moritz, er, Valjean, isn’t sure. But whatever it is, he has proven he’s up to whatever he puts his mind to.