Tour Divide 2017 Race Preparation

[rickga]

Does anyone have a link to map cues for the reroute around Rawlins thru Wamsutter?  I have the GPX file but I am a map guy first. 

[dskunk]

Does anyone have a link to map cues for the reroute around Rawlins thru Wamsutter?  I have the GPX file but I am a map guy first. 

I looked around in all my emails and related bits and pieces to see if I could see anything about cues for the Basin. Nothing. I’m sure there is something out there, somewhere. There is a short stretch (couple of miles) where cues really won’t help though. The portion of the route that runs along the edge of the ridge is not on a well-defined trail. You will probably have to trust your GPS there.

[sheilar]

I don't believe cues for that section were ever published.  I made my own using google earth.
sr

[Flinch]

I have Matthews' 2015 cues, plus my own generated from Google. Both worked.

Anyone know how to attach a spreadsheet to a message?

Here's a crude copy of Matts'. Note the header is first line.

Map Mile   Distance New   Action   Comment   Mi   Narratives   notes
            42.4   Ride through the Bison Basin Oil Field camp.   Main GDMBR
            42.9   At junction, bear left.   Main GDMBR
            42.9   LEAVE MAIN ROUTE AT 42.9 CUE. *IMPORTANT: Reset cyclometer mileage to zero as you turn right below   Begin Wamsutter North Bypass
                  
42.9   0   R      0   Turn RIGHT / south to begin gradual 2mi climb up to butte above. Potentially challenging in strong SW winds   
45.4   2.5   LB      2.5   Soft LEFT turn onto more primitive two track (unofficial name = Bison Rim Trail). The higher grade road you are leaving will curve right / begin to drop   
45.51   0.11      Pole "Fremont Co., WY"   2.61   Rusty metal Pole 60 feet off left of trail says, "Fremont Co., WY" on it. (this is the indicator you're on right two-track). Ridge vista finally begins to open up.   
48         Trail faint, keep to center of ridge      NOTE: The Bison Rim Trail will be quite faint at times for next .75mi. Keep to center of ridge when in doubt   
49.85   1.85      Hood of red truck 40 ft left of trail   4.46   Hood of red Chevy truck sits 40ft left / off trail. Great overlook to the north here. Short hike-a-bike ahead in distance.   
50.09   0.24         4.7   Brief push to the top of ridge. This mesa top is the actual Continental Divide. If not windy, perhaps the best bivy spot in the Great Basin, and one of the few literal Conti-Divide bivies.   
51.74   1.65   RB/S      6.35   Bison Rim Trail forks. Keep straight / right to continue on ridge road. Left fork heads north / down into Bison Basin.   
54.19   2.45   R   BLM 3221   8.8   Descend to, and T into BLM Rd 3221 / Bison Basin Rd. Go RIGHT (south) on BLM 3221 / Bison Basin Rd   
60.39   6.2   S   Sign Hadsell Rd .25 mi   15   Keep straight as BLM Rd 3216, Cyclone Rim Rd goes right. Sign reads Hadsell Rd .25mi   
60.59   0.2   S   At Y on 3217   15.2   Keep straight at Y on Hadsell Rd 3217; BLM Rd 3214, Rocky Crossing Rd goes right.   
61.89   1.3      Creek/Cabin   16.5   Hadsell Cabin on right. Quality of water source at Lost Creek UNKNOWN   
61.99   0.1   R   On Hadsell Rd 3217   16.6   Fork right on Hadsell Rd 3217, as a (seemingly) higher grade Osborne Rd goes left. (note small 3217 metal post / sign)   
62.19   0.2   RB/S      16.8   Stay straight / right as road levels off. A short connector back to Osborne Rd goes left   
64.49   2.3      Cattleguard   19.1   Cross cattleguard   
68.09   3.6   W   Water: solar powered pump, cattle trough   22.7   Solar-powered water pump (cattle trough) + remnants of old cabin (a roof) on LEFT   water
72.39   4.3   L    At Y     27   Keep LEFT (southeast) at Y. BLM 3210 Eagles Nest Rd goes right. BLM signs are badly damaged   
76.89   4.5   R   At T on CR 23 / Crook's Gap…Rd   31.5   At T turn RIGHT / south on CR23 / Crook's Gap - Wamsutter Rd. Next 28 miles   
               Note: Next 28 miles, this is a wide, higher-grade haul road used frequently by mining trucks. Use caution, especially on weekdays   
78.99   2.1         33.6   CR63 Mineral X Rd on left (further east this road becomes (Main GDMBR for 26 miles)   
103.59   24.6   RB   Pass water tower, curve R   58.2   Pass Wamsutter water tower, and ride onto pavement and curve west towards Love's Truck Stop.   
104.79   1.2   FW   Wamsutter   59.4   Love's 24-hr Truck Stop / I-80 mining community of Wamsutter.   Food / showers
104.89   0.1      End Wamsutter North cues   59.5   Ride under I-80 westbound bridge, then RESET CYCLOMETER TO ZERO   
               Begin Wamsutter SOUTH cues   

Wamsutter South Reroute:

Turn   km   Mile   Narratives   Notes
   0   0   IMPORTANT: Reset cyclometer mileage to zero precisely between the two I-80 bridges in Wamsutter   reset
      0.5   McCormick curves around to cross high bridge over railroad tracks. SUGGEST USING BIKE LANE ON BRIDGE   
      1.65   Cross Cattleguard and ride onto gravel CR23 Wamsutter Rd South   
         Note: CR23 (south) continues to be a mining haul road for next 28 miles; be cautious on weekdays.   
      9.8   Wamsutter Rd becomes signed Carson County Rd 701   
      27.9   Cross WY789 (fairly busy hwy) and ride onto Carson County Rd 608   
      31   Road forks. Turn RIGHT to remain on CR608   
      34.1   Turn RIGHT to remain on CR608. BLM Rd 3305 Willows Rd goes left   
      39.4   Drop down to cross Wild Cow Creek. Begin gradual climb   
      42.6   Turn RIGHT to remain on CR608. Coss Cattleguard and begin to drop towards Cherokee Creek   
      43.9   Turn LEFT on CR608 just after crossing Cherokee Creek. BLM Rd 3309 "Wild Horse Rd" goes right. Begin 6 mile climb to the top along S. Fork of Cherokee Creek. Much of the land along the climb is private. Stealth camping not advised   
      51.3   MCCarty Canyon Rd (CR503) comes in / joins 608 from left / behind. Keep straight.   
      55.1   McCarty Canyon Rd leaves main road (right and down). Keep straight onto CR501 (some maps identify 501 as Cherry Grove Rd)   
      57   Keep straight to begin FUN [NOT fun Matt!] descent into Savery, however, notice CR752 stock trail going left. This insane downhill drops 1,000 feet into West Fork Loco Creek (trib of Savery Creek) **No TD rider would be docked for taking this slightly longer, double-black route into Savery.   
      63.9   T into /  turn RIGHT onto CR561 and ride into Savery, WY   
      65   Savery, WY; Turn LEFT on WY70 (4.5mi to Slater, CO)   
      69.5   Slater, CO Turn Right on unsigned Moffat Co Rd 1 (REJOIN MAIN GDMBR)   
   67.7   42.1   0.25 mile past the Slater, Colorado, post office (which is in a trailer on the right), turn left onto unsigned gravel road, dropping through a ranch.   dial back cyclometer to 42.1mi
   69.5   43.2   Cross Slater Creek on narrow bridge.   

Key: RB = Bear Right, LB Bear Left, S = go Straight, W = Water

I second using the GPS from the first part of the Bison Rim Trail. Still, you won't have much of a problem. Last 36 miles of the North reroute is major gravel road. Enjoy the headwinds!

Glen

[Flinch]

...and my version. Note that I kept the ACA map mileages in the first column, then kept up a running total miles after the turnoff onto the new route.
The second miles column is distance from last mile marker.
Key: RB = Bear Right, LB = Bear Left, R = turn Right, L = turn Left, S = continue Straight, F = Food, W = Water, C = Camping.

Map 3 A            
Mile   Dist   Feature   Comment   
0.0          South Pass City   
0.5   0.50   RB    Carissa Gold Mine. Fork right.   
2.5   2.00   S   Through 4-way intersection.   
2.9   0.40   R    At stop sign   
4.4   1.50   R   FWC    Atlantic City. Turn at Miner's Delight Inn   
5.3   0.90   LB    Curve left at junction.   
8.3   3.00   S   Toward "Sweetwater Bridge Crossing 7"   
14.7   6.40   WC   Sweetwater River   
16.9   2.20   RB   Along fenceline.   
20.3   3.40   R   Following main road/unsigned Co. Rd. 2317   
26.2   5.90   W C    Diagnus Well visible to south   
27.8   1.60   S   Co. Rd. 2317. Water = Picket Lake, 2 mi to right   
40.7   12.90      West Alkali Creek.   
42.4   1.70      Through the Bison Basin Oil Field camp.   
42.90   0.50   R   At Jnct, depart old route   
43.20   0.30   RB   At Y   
44.40   1.20   LB   At Y   
45.40   1.00   LB   At Y   
45.50   0.10   LB   At Y onto lesser rd   
46.55   1.00   S   At Jnct   
48.65   2.10   LB/S   At Y   
49.35   0.70   S   At Y   
49.85   0.50   S      
51.85   2.00   R   At Bison Basin Rd/BLM 3221   
57.95   6.10   LB   At Y BLM 3217   
59.25   1.30   RB   Stream (no water), then RB at Y BLM 3217   
69.35   10.10   LB   At jnct BLM 3217   
73.75   4.40   R   Hwy 23/Wamsutter Crooks Rd   
77.45   3.70      Pond 2 mi down rd to L - Alkali   
81.35   3.90      Pond to R 0.6 mi Alkali   
101.45   20.10 FWC   Wamsutter (Beeer!!!)
101.55   0.10   L   Logan Street   
129.35   27.80   LB   Stream (no water)   
129.95   0.60   S   Jnct 789, Wild Cow Rd   
132.85   2.90   RB   At Y   
135.85   3.00   RB   Jnct Wild Cow Rd   
143.95   8.10   R   Wild Cow Rd   
145.15   1.20   L   After stream (no water), W. Cow Rd   
151.85   6.70   S   At Y   
152.15   0.30   RB/S   Join Mcarty Canton Rd   
155.85   3.70   S   Rd = Cherry Grove   
157.05   1.20   LB   At Y Cherry Grove   
158.55   1.50   RB   At Y Rd 501/Cherry Grove   
158.85   0.30   RB   At Y Rd 501    
164.25   5.40   R   At Y Rd 561   
165.25   1.00   L FW   Onto 70 Savery   (water, food at Museum)
169.65   4.40   R   Rd 1, old rt joins   
171.05   1.40   LB   On Rd 1   
182.85   11.80 FWC   Brush Mtn Lodge (there be a Trail Angel!)   

You can count on water at Dagnus Well and Wamsutter, then Savery. Brush Mtn is Heaven. The solar powered pump ~60 miles past Altantic City may/may not be working. In between, there be buzzards!

Have fun
Glen

[Sandstorm]

The re-routes will be on the gpx track right? I won't have to just know exactly where they are? Theoretically as long as you follow the gps line you should be fine...?

[bon]

The re-routes will be on the gpx track right? I won't have to just know exactly where they are? Theoretically as long as you follow the gps line you should be fine...?

That is correct. Be sure to get the correct gpx, which will be released around mid May.

[Flinch]

Going into March the snowpack in parts of Canada & Montana is above average, and Wyoming from 130% to 200% of average (Union Pass area) ouch!. Another 2011 snow avoidance year? (for those more recent to the race - 2011 had reroutes around snowed in passes).

Might be another late June-July ITT for me if it continues...and that brings the issue of fires in New Mexico, plus the heat. Of course my last planned July ITT was in 2013, and the Canada portion of the course washed away two days after the Grand Depart - so toured part of it. Can't win. 

Any reports from locals?

Glen

PS
Montana http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/mt_swepctnormal_update.pdf
Wyoming http://www.wcc.nrcs.usda.gov/ftpref/data/water/wcs/gis/maps/wy_swepctnormal_update.pdf

[Rob Colliver]

The Fernie ski area is having a great time at the mo - they have just had the best snowfall rate for 24 hours this season so far, but the base is below average

http://bcrfc.env.gov.bc.ca/data/asp/realtime/asp_pages/asp_2C09Q.html

It could be a warm spring, it could keep snowing and cause diverts again. Oh the joy of random weather.

Snow depth for the ATR is what is concerning me - we will be up at 13,000' a few times and the pack looks big the further west you go.

[bakerjw]

A friend who lives in Coeur D'alene Idaho told me last week that they've been getting hammered with snow. It will make for an interesting year,that is for sure.

[FOG]

Colorado mountains are at about 200% of average snowfall and it keeps coming.
It will be an interesting ride this year.

[BobM]

Colorado mountains are at about 200% of average snowfall and it keeps coming.
It will be an interesting ride this year.

These same discussions come up every year, but it is 3 months to race time.  The weather in the last month or so will determine what the conditions will be.

[THE LONG RANGER]

What BobM said. It's actually been relatively dry and warm in CO, punctuated by like, week-long systems, but those were in the beginning of Dec., and the beginning of Jan. (roughly)

You want to worry about the 2 feet that fall in May. It's impossible to predict, but the trend has been a slowdown. If I crystal ball it, I would sadly think it'll be a low-snow, high-heat summer. Record setting highs, even. I was in Breck. a few weeks ago - it felt like April.

We'll have to wait and see.

[Ailuropoda]

In regard to the weather in early June, I still haven't booked my flight to Calgary and, if it looks like there's going to be a lot snow I may switch gears for a North Bound attempt. 

North Bound is legit, right?

[Flinch]

North bound is legit...but if lots of snow in New Mexico or Colorado then you'll be talking to yourself in strange languages when you get there.

Justin...so where DID you hide the truck innertube on Union Pass - might need it? 

[THE LONG RANGER]

The shopkeeper in Island Park talked me out of pulling my bike in an inner tube!

He actually talked me outta going over the pass to Wyoming in general, but I did anyways with... some mild encouragement from a third party THAT pass was way worse than Union Pass - snow the whole way. The shopkeeper was right though, it wasn't possible to drive or use a snow machine to cross it - just too soft - and deep, snow. Snowshoeing and pushing a bike was fine, though. Just took forever.

Re: NB: remember the highest pass on the whole route is south of Del Norte @ almost 12k'. I would almost think that NB would be a wiser choice on HOTTER years, as you hit NM as temperate as you can get it, then get into WY, MT, and Canada in superb weather.

There's always going to be a little snow on the course. 2011 was a crazy year. Lot of snow, lot of flooding. Very abnormal. Never had there been so many reroutes, before or since. The reroutes had to be rerouted. Then NM was on fire. Like all of it.

[DocTrike]

Has anyone heard anything about new custom regulations at the boarder? I have friends in Canada that wont come to the USA for yearly events anymore, because of these new regulations. I haven't found any threads or obvious data about them in my searches of state and federal websites.

If this does turn out to be an issue would anyone consider a restart of the GDMBR race? I am trike rider and that first climb out of Banff I carried my trike the entire way on my back. No way are you riding that, so starting at Rooseville suits me better. Or I have to learn to ride a Big Kids Bike all over again and go wedgie 2 wheeler (deal with all the saddle sores and butt pain issues, I never have on a trike).

Keep me updated to any boarder and customs changes for 2017!

[bakerjw]

Boy, this thread seems a lot quieter than last years TD2016 thread.

[Attaboy]

just a blue dot watching, one day hoping to tour GDMBR, lurker, but sure have noticed same. more than twice as many posts by this time last year. is interest waning?

[hubang]

I don't know if interest is waning. Personally, I'm waiting for the TD2018 preparation post to get started. Content to lurk on here until then.