Light bedtime reading - tour divide content!

[redefined_cycles]

Could be called, 'into the unknown'. Tells us of a person named Walking Jim and potentially includes some bushwhacking and large river crossings. Am reading it now... enjoy!

https://intocascadia.com/2023/01/09/hig ... f-cdt-gdt/

[woodsmith]

A couple of my friends are planning on hiking it this summer and extenting it about another 100km north having hiked the GDT last year. I quite envious, apart from the swimming bit...

[redefined_cycles]

Yes, I wondered about the swimming. Obviously they're all hard nuts these that attempt going into the unknowns where there's potential for lots of bushwhacking (I assume thats where the vegetation is so thick, it's impossible to walk without a croc dundeed knife and some chopping). Durston reported that they out their gear in bin liners for the swim across.

I assume that's fully stripped to the briefs or whatnot and then reclothing as soon as they're on the other side. But bin liners, wouldn't they just knacker all the gear inside!! Though I suppose all the clothing/electronics would be in proper dry bags during packing.

Lovely pics and it must be unusual when you have to name a mountain range cos it's not on the map!

[fatbikephil]

Good find Shaff, makes stuff in this country look fairly easy....

[redefined_cycles]

Good find Shaff, makes stuff in this country look fairly easy....

Thanks Phil. Yes I read it and the Tour Divide madw that little bit more sense to me (and 'divide' in general). It was posted (and written) by Dan Durston on the Durston thread. The tent (named after him) arrived today aswell and now makes a bit more sense of why/how well built it is.

I never bothered to read the last bit mind. About 'advise for those wishing to travel there'. Don't fancy grizzlies so prefer to just stay close to home. Maybe Carignorms one day if I gets better at this wilderness stuff

[Alpinum]

Thanks for sharing Shaf, hadn't seen it yet, despite (irregularly) visiting Dan's blog. After all, I've got one of his tents and hiked in the same places, so like to see what he's up to.

bushwhacking (I assume thats where the vegetation is so thick, it's impossible to walk without a croc dundeed knife and some chopping)

We always found bear 'tunnels' through the brush facilitate the whacking part and also without following bear tracks, it wasn't as bad as eg the rhododendrons between about 4200 and 4800 m in the Nyainqentanglha Shan or the willows and alders in the Alaska Range and Scandies in general (if I'm allowed for generalisation).
Despite owing a short (33 cm blade) machete for gardening and keep brush in check, I never brought it along, and never heard/read/met hikers who brought one along. One tends to look for a route away from shrubs, brush etc. to try to keep the whacking to a minimum.
All others call themselves survivalists and don't go on long walks

[...] unusual when you have to name a mountain range cos it's not on the map!

Where did you read that? I must have missed it, but read about unnamed passes, which comes with no surprise. Even in heavily crowded Alps there still remain unnamed mountains, simply because they're hidden from pastures and passes used within a certain regularity and of course, because they're rather insignificant.

Good find Shaff, makes stuff in this country look fairly easy....

Having hiked the GDT (and some extra) in 2015 from Waterton to Mount Robson (before the GDTA had started to work extensively on the route, as also mentioned by Dan, who did his GDT yoyo in 2017) and countless hikes and rides in the UK, especially the remoter and hillier parts, I'd rather say different then easier/harder.
For one, the bogs, midges and also the wind in eg Scotland are of a different calibre then what you'd find along the GDT
On the other hand, I'd not recommend the GDT to eg a keen Swiss hiker (who sticks to the hiking paths) as his/her first long hike. A Cape Wrath Trail or Nordkalottleden would be a sensible first step to get away from those (often) tidy and very well marked Swiss mountain paths.
But then again, in 2015 it was quite different, having seen all the work the GDTA has been doing since then. The GDT has seen so much work, it must have become quite a bit easier (less route finding, more blazes, less bush whacking, build trails etc.).

The two most challenging points for my girlfriend and self in 2015:
1. one must love hiking in the woods. Most photos of the GDT or this blog post don't really do the amount of hiking in the woods any justice. Look at the map (link in blog post) and find just how much woodlands there is). We used every option to go above treeline, even if it meant that we weren't precisely on the 'official' GDT for some short segments.
2. Bear country. No problem with that in general, but to keep it as safe as possible for all involved (the bear always loses), one should eat away from the tent. I found little fun when day after day in cold rain and wind you look for a place to cook and eat 50 - 100 m away from your tent, tarp up, cook and eat and drink quickly, tarp down (unless you want bear or elk pull it down over night, which happened to us), brush teeth and go to bed. We just like a hot cup in the warm and soft realms of quilt/bag and mat too much.

Luxury problems, so it can't be that hard after all

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks very much Gian. Yes, I'm unsure now whether it was a valley, pass or mountain that he named after something nearby (I think a lake).



Thanks for sharing the insight on how to eat/sleep bear friendly. Not that I'd need such info unless they started emigrating over. The wife is constantly scaring me from my bivy plans by reminding me about the various big cat sightings. I think I'm ok with cats

[jameso]

Will take a look at that later, thanks for posting it up.

In my lower moments last year (injury/'feeling like an old man' related) I thought of planning a trip on foot this summer rather than on the bike. I've really enjoyed trekking trips in the past and a long thru-hike style trip would be great. I'm riding pretty much as normal now but the hiking ideas stuck (and the Gatewood cape could be even more handy then).

[Dave Barter]

Will take a look at that later, thanks for posting it up.

In my lower moments last year (injury/'feeling like an old man' related) I thought of planning a trip on foot this summer rather than on the bike. I've really enjoyed trekking trips in the past and a long thru-hike style trip would be great. I'm riding pretty much as normal now but the hiking ideas stuck (and the Gatewood cape could be even more handy then).

I’ve been heading out on foot a lot more these days. The Cape Wrath Trail is an amazing wilderness when walked out of season. Sadly I’ve only had the time to do it in 4 day sections.

[jay91]

Enjoyed that shaf . I've have been thinking about going backpacking for a while but haven't got around to it yet

Ultralight backpacks keep popping up on twitter from these guys
https://atompacks.co.uk/

[redefined_cycles]

Enjoyed that shaf . I've have been thinking about going backpacking for a while but haven't got around to it yet

Ultralight backpacks keep popping up on twitter from these guys
https://atompacks.co.uk/

Thanks Jay. Yes... I've actually made a deal on a Durston backpack that just needs repairing. Not sure if the chap had second thoughts after finalising the deal and me asking when I can pick it up. Told me that he'll get back to me and is super busy at present

Might text him just now...