Jordan Olson of Medina, Ohio and formerly of Woodland Park, recently hiked the Continental Divide Trail from the Mexican border to Montana. The CDT is approximately 3,100 miles long and winds its way through the Rocky Mountains passing through New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Montana.

The Continental Divide Trail closely follows the Continental Divide. About 95% of the trail is located on public land, including national parks, national forests and land managed by the Bureau of Land Management. There are few facilities along the trail itself and it is usually necessary for the hiker to leave the trail to resupply or find lodging.

Olson, a Chemistry teacher and track coach at Medina High School in Ohio, was very happy with his job and life in general but felt something was amiss and he needed a challenge physically and spiritually.

“My meaning and purpose were, and are, rooted in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and I was having a hard time keeping Him where He belongs, and I knew I needed to rectify that,” he explained.

He spoke to school administrators who approved his request for a leave of absence and gave him peace of mind he would be able to return to teaching. He sold his house, put his furnishings in storage and began to prepare for his journey.

Olson was born in Hillsboro, Ohio in 1990 and moved to Woodland Park in 1995. His father worked as a teacher at Evangelical Christian Academy in Colorado Springs and Woodland Park High School. Olson attended school in Woodland Park from Kindergarten through fifth grade. In 2001, the family moved back to Ohio because his father took a teaching job. Olson graduated high school in 2008 and then attended the University of Akron where he earned his Bachelor’s in chemistry and physics education and Master’s in Exercise Physiology.

On June 17, he set out on his journey at the Crazy Cook Monument in the Big Hatchet Mountains of New Mexico, along the U.S. – Mexico border. He said he had no idea why he felt so confident and “arrogant, if truth be told,” as he set out for the journey, but then the very first day presented several challenges including extreme dehydration and loss of electrolytes that made him rethink his decision.

On the second day, he awoke feeling horrible and sore. He went to the second water cache and there was a note with a number to call if anything was needed. He hesitated calling, but then he relented and called the number. A man picked him up, took him to town and he spent the night in the Community Center. After a goodnight’s rest and needed hydration, he decided to continue his trek.

“I surrendered myself to the care of the Lord and wanted the journey to be transformative and meaningful,” he said.

As he traveled, he felt encouragement through faith and all the social media posts, cards, care packages and the people he met along the trail.

“My parents monitored my journey and a few times, sent care packages to local post offices that were there when I arrived,” he explained.

He spent 85 days with five rest days covering 2,200 miles, which averaged 27.5 miles per day. He said the feeling of loneliness, solitude and silence was hard at times, but his goal wasn’t to conquer nature but to meet God in it and to surrender whatever had taken root in his heart.

“My mantra became, surrender early, surrender often, surrender deeply, and surrender completely,” he said.

He explained the first twenty days were physically the most difficult and throughout the trip, for the most part the weather was generally good. He experienced a few intense thunderstorms, and one, was in a very exposed area above tree line called Snow Mesa in southern Colorado. He encountered some snow and sleet above Copper Mountain in Colorado. The coldest temperature was 27 degrees and the warmest was 108. During his hike, he spotted numerous wildlife, but fortunately no close encounters. He stated that the Wind River Range in Wyoming was the most beautiful stretch of trail.

“The 85 days I spent on the trail,” he said, “were filled with more than I could have ever imagined. I found that it’s okay to admit that you can’t do everything on your own.”

With 400 miles and approximately 13 days to go, Olson found himself extremely ill. He was in the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness, not far from Anaconda, Montana and found himself very weak, unable to keep anything down, with aches, fever, and he knew something was definitely wrong. He visited an Urgent Care facility and was diagnosed with the bacterium, Campylobacter, which was surmised as coming from a bad water source. During his recovery and treatment, it was determined that continuing was not possible.

“It wasn’t the ending I expected, standing at the Canadian border would have been nice,” he said, “but it wouldn’t have changed what I learned or who I became along the way.”

Olson feels the journey helped him get a good start in righting his ship, but he thinks the process will continue forever on this side of heaven.

“This trip went a long way in helping strip me down to be vulnerable enough to realize how my priorities and desires were out of whack and that I needed to take certain things out of the center of my life and put Jesus back there,” he said.

He realized during the journey that he loves being in a mentor role for kids in their teenage years, and the classroom and coaching has been the two big ways he has done for the past 12 years. He will return to his job next August.

“I’m definitely anxious to find myself back in those types of roles, but some more prayer and meditation on where I think the Lord is calling me is in store’” he said.

While he’s eager to return to his life, he will always treasure the journey.

“The experience was incredible. The impact it had on my heart was immense and I hope it had an impact on others as well,” he said. “I went into the journey knowing it would be a hard few months, but I didn’t know just how hard of a look I was going to be forced to take at myself, my motivations, and my priorities in life.

“I will be forever grateful to, and humbled by, the people: people who followed along, prayed for me, encouraged me, sent messages, met up with me, and especially those who were willing to go out of their way to help a complete stranger. The Lord really does provide when you surrender yourself to Him.”