A hundred years from now, someone will walk the Great Divide Trail who doesn’t know our names. They’ll experience the beauty of the Rockies and the corridor we’ve helped to protect, walk along the trails we built together, and feel the connection of the community. They’ll know the trail. But they won’t know us, unless we tell them.
The GDTA is proud to be installing a 100-year time capsule along the GDT this summer. We are collecting stories and photos from members, preserving them, and sending them to the Association of 2126 to tell them about the beginnings of the trail and our hopes for its future.
Start writing today, and join us in sending our trail stories into the future.
Submit your message!
- $5 contribution: Your message will be preserved on archival media in digital form, and securely sealed in the capsule. Submit up to 250 words and 1 photo.
- $15 contribution: Your message will be preserved on special archival paper, up to 2 pages in length (900 words), and up to 5 photos. PLUS you’ll receive one of only 50 beautiful ceramic mementos (as supplies last). In addition, you can submit up to 12 pages to be preserved in digital format.
These mementos are hand-made by a Calgary artisan, a sturdy 3/8″ thick and 5″ across, with a full-colour GDTA logo, GPS location, and opening date of the capsule. Carry it with you, hand down to your descendants, or entrust to an institution, to preserve the memory of the capsule.
These are currently in production and will be mailed to you directly after the capsule is installed. If there is significant interest, more mementos may be produced.
There will also be limited space for physical artifacts, so if there’s something you feel should be included, send us an email explaining your idea and we may be able to include it.
Submissions close June 15th.
How it Works
- Online: Fill in our online submission form HERE. You can either submit typed text, or a photo/scan of your handwritten message which is especially fun for people of the future to see. (GDTA 2126 Time Capsule Submission – Fill out form)
or
- In-Person: Join us for Trail Days, and visit the GDTA’s booth on June 13th to hand-write a message on archival paper.
Not Sure What to Write?
Here are a few prompts:
- The trail asked something of you. A hard day, a hard year, a stretch that cost more than you expected. What did it ask, and what did you learn about yourself when you answered?
- Describe a single day or night along the trail. The sound of the forest, laughs with friends, a delicious trail snack creation, or a summit worth remembering. How did it feel?
- What do you hope the GDT looks like in 100 years? What exists today that you hope remains, and what does it mean to you?
- What would you want a hiker in 2126 to know about the people who built this trail?
- Tell us your favorite trail story, or campfire story, that makes people laugh, cry, or get inspired?
- For the gear junkies: what is your favorite piece of gear, and why? What are the specs, and what do you predict in the gear evolution of the future?
There’s no wrong answer. Write what matters to you.
Share photos of anything that inspires you, that are related to the GDT. Landscapes and views, the people you’ve met and walked with, or your gear!
The Specs
The capsule itself is a stainless steel tube, 6″ in diameter and 14″ long, filled with argon and welded shut at both ends for total water resistance and it will be encased in a watertight plastic container for additional protection. The capsule will be installed in a secure location near the new Blaeberry Cable Car crossing, as it is a major infrastructure project along the trail that has the best chance of standing the test of time. The capsule location will be registered with historical societies, university history departments, and time capsule record-keeping organizations.
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! Submit your message before June 15th.
GDTA 2126 Time Capsule Submission – Fill out form
