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Great Divide Mountain Bike Route

The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is a bicycle route especially designed for mountain biking. It traverses an extended portion of the Rocky Mountains of North America, stretching from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico on the border with Mexico.

Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and Continental Divide National Scenic Trail

The Continental Divide Trail is a nationally recognized hiking trail, although not yet complete. The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) is a mountain bike route that roughly parallels the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). Occasionally the two trails intersect and share sections, but they are largely separate routes. The GDMBR is generally made up of dirt and gravel roads, while the CDT more often consists of narrow footpaths.

In Canada, the term "Great Divide" refers to the Continental Divide of North America, which is the divide between water that flows towards the Atlantic Ocean (Gulf of Mexico) and the Pacific Ocean. Though this term is sometimes used in the United States as well, in the U.S. the continental watershed divide is more commonly referred to as simply the Continental Divide.

The Route

The GDMBR was conceived, researched, and mapped by the Adventure Cycling Association. At 2,709 miles, it is the longest mapped and published off-pavement bike route in the world. The route is generally ridden north to south, crossing the Continental Divide a total of 30 times. Originally, after its completion in 1998, the route began at Port of Roosville, Montana, and covered 2,490 miles (4,007 km) to the border of New Mexico and old Mexico. In 2003, Adventure Cycling extended the route into Canada. The Canadian segment stretches from Banff, Alberta, to the U.S. segment's starting point at Port of Roosville; this added another 221 miles to the route. Since then, a couple of minor route changes have upped the U.S. segment to 2,493 miles and lowered the Canadian mileage to 216 for a grand total to 2,709 miles.

The route begins in the glacially carved surroundings of Banff National Park in the southern Canadian Rockies. It passes through the heavily forested mountains of Montana and Idaho, meanders down through the Tetons into the barren high desert lands of Wyoming's Great Divide Basin, ascends again up and over several 10,000 to 12,000 foot passes in Colorado, and switchbacks through rugged mountainous sections of New Mexico before finally dropping into the Chihuahuan Desert. The majority of New Mexico is forested, not desert. The route's highest altitude is around 11,910 feet (3,600 m) above sea level at Indiana Pass in Colorado. The first half of the Canada segment, Montana, and New Mexico are generally considered to be the most rugged and challenging sections, but pockets of difficulty exist throughout. Violent thunderstorms can happen at any time on the route and are the biggest impediment to progress, as they often render the riding surface impassable.

Time to finish

The 2,709-mile trip generally takes around ten weeks for the typical through-rider rider who stops frequently along the way (an average of about 39 miles per day). Many also choose to complete the route in shorter segments of one or two weeks over the course of several summers. For all but the most gonzo cyclists, taking time to absorb the route's cultural and natural resources is the preferred style of touring the GDMBR.

The fastest time to complete the entire GDMBR is 17 days, 21 hours, and 10 minutes clocked by Matthew Lee in 2007. This effort was ridden in conjunction with the Great Divide Race (GDR: a race that covers the 2,493-mile U.S. segment) and as a pilot run of Tour Divide (TD: full-route divide racing). John Nobile currently holds the GDR course record with a 2008 time of 15 days 1 hour and 26 minutes. The idea of racing the GDMBR is the inspiration of endurance racing legend John Stamstad, who successfully completed the first ever individual time trial (ITT) on the US route segment in 1999. The summer of 2008 marked the official advent of the second competitive event on the route. Tour Divide races under the same self-support rules as the GDR and also travels southward but it begins from the route's northern terminus of Banff, Alberta. The two events begin ~ a week apart from each other in mid-June; TD starting the second Friday in June and GDR the third. The times-to-finish in these competitions are particularly impressive as they are completed under a self-support, solo cycling rule format that prohibits any outside assistance on route.

Physical and Mental Condition

The GDMBR will test a rider’s physical stamina and mental tenacity.

Physically, the route poses many challenges. Cardiovascular fitness is key. Most of the route is in the mountains or the high desert above 6,000 feet, and it reaches altitudes as high as 11,900 feet above sea level. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of the route is over dirt or gravel surfaces. A rider may lose 10 percent of his or her body weight during the ride. Carbohydrate, protein, fat, fluid, and salt intake are critical for stamina and health. A rider will pass through free range cattle lands and be exposed to water born parasites and viruses, not unlike traveling through an undeveloped country.

Endurance is more important than speed. In some sections it is impossible to go fast, and certain rough downhill sections can be as challenging to ride as many of the long uphill portions. Prevailing winds tend to blow from the southwest, so if riding north to south riders will experience their share of strong headwinds. They may also be exposed to thunderstorms, hail, snow squalls, and temperatures ranging from below freezing to above 100 degrees F. Temperatures can fluctuate fifty degrees or more within a single 24-hour period.

Terrain difficulty

Most of the route is on unpaved US Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) roads. These roads vary in quality from smooth, high-quality dirt or gravel to a few unrideable sections of steep cobble. Washboard roads can be a nuisance; their condition will vary based on such factors as weather, the time of year, and how recently the road has been graded. Several sections, particularly in New Mexico, can become impassable gumbo after moderate to heavy rainfall.

Overall, the route is moderately difficult. Some of the most challenging portions can be the relatively flat, open basins, where headwinds often blow the strongest. And, counterintuitively, some downhill sections can be almost as much work to ride as the uphills, due to headwinds or poor road quality. Montana is arguably the most technically challenging state, while New Mexico dishes up the roughest environmental conditions.

Supplies

The set of maps published by Adventure Cycling contain detailed information about the availability of food, water, bike shops, and other services found on or near the route. It is essential that the rider obtain these maps and carry them with them. Also recommended is the guidebook Cycling the Great Divide: From Canada to Mexico on America's Premier Long-Distance Mountain Bike Route. Published by The Mountaineers, the book was written by Michael McCoy, who did all of the original route research for Adventure Cycling. Be advised though, that the maps and book (most recently revised in 2008) can become outdated as the details on the ground change. Do your research, plan ahead, and check the Adventure Cycling website for the latest map updates before you start the trip.

Many towns along the route are very tiny with a limited selection of groceries and goods. And relatively few bike shops are found on the route. Research what is available in the way of local bike shops before setting out. A possible way to ensure you will have the fresh parts and supplies you'll need is to mail them to local post offices to: USPS General Delivery, c/o your name. There are time limits on how long post offices will hold mail, so contact each one for specific information.

Obtaining adequate potable water can be challenging on portions of the route (especially the Great Divide Basin in Wyoming and portions of New Mexico), so riders must have enough carrying capacity for several days' worth. There are also several multi-day stretches of the route (depending on the distance ridden per day) where no services of any kind are available, so riders must be prepared to be completely self-sufficient.

Essential equipment

A sturdy mountain or all-terrain bicycle is recommended for riding this route. A front suspension helps, since there are plenty of washboard sections, especially later in the summer and fall. Some riders have experienced problems with rear suspension breakdowns; a seatpost shock absorber could take the place of a rear suspension. Rear shocks will undergo extreme abuse, and the mileage and rough terrain of this ride may exceed the MTBF (mean time between failures) of many shocks. Mechanical disc brakes might be the best choice because hydraulic lines are more difficult to repair or replace. Heavier, all terrain type tires are best; softer high performance tires will wear out very fast. The wider the tire the better. Riders use either trailers or on-bike saddlebags (panniers) to carry their gear.

A water filter or chemical means of sanitizing river or creek water is essential. A cell phone can be carried, although it won't work in many remote areas. Insect repellent will be needed in some areas at certain times of the year. Horse flies can be as big of a problem as mosquitoes, and they will bite through clothing. A thoroughly waterproof tent should be packed along. A good cycling odometer is a must for successful navigation.

Some riders find a mapping GPS device useful, as it can provide additional peace of mind. The route, however, is successfully ridden many times each year without the benefit of a GPS. GPS routes and waypoints are available from Adventure Cycling and from other enthusiast websites.

Weight is everything. "The real luxury is enjoying the ride, not carrying luxuries around." ( Trek4fun.com)

Animals likely to be encountered

Animals seen along the route may include both black and grizzly bears, moose, deer, elk, antelope, and many others. The presence of bears makes the storage of food an important issue, encouraging riders to suspend food packs from tree branches where bears can't get to them overnight. Many riders carry bear spray/repellent. Rattlesnakes, woodticks, and potentially disease-carrying rodents are other wild creatures to be aware of and prepared for.