State Rep. Mat Erpelding is attempting to hike a 950-mile route along the Centennial Trail stretching the entire length of Idaho in about 40 days, reports S-R outdoors writer Rich Landers, who has a write-up about Erpelding’s hike here. Erpelding said he’s making the big hike to raise awareness of trails in Idaho, and as a fundraiser for the Redside Foundation, which promotes health programs for outdoor guides. Erpelding, D-Boise, is a mountain climbing guide and outdoor educator who teachers college-level PE and leadership courses.

Landers writes that the route is a network of trails, roads and bushwhacking through at least 10 national forests and three wilderness areas. Despite devoting 10 hours to a 13-mile navigation error over White Mountain, Erpelding, 38, had covered 220 miles in 10 days as of Wednesday, Landers reports. “Crossed the Selkirks, Cabinets, and some of the Bitterroots,” Erpelding posted on Facebook. “Only had to get my bear spray out once.”

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