By Joan Pendleton The Great Divide Trail (GDT) is a backpackers’ trail. Known as an epic thru-hike, it is over 1100 km long. Divided into seven sections, with the shortest section about 100 km long, section hiking also entices backpackers. But what if one wants to do a day hike…
In May 2020, the Alberta government rescinded, without public consultation, its 1976 Coal Policy, banning open-pit mining on Category 2 lands since they were deemed vital to environmental protection. This decision to rescind exposed these Eastern Slope headwaters to coal exploration and strip-mining, and resulted in more than 350 new…
Did you know: The Great Divide Trail (GDT) is a 1,095 kilometre trail running along the continental divide watershed from Waterton Lakes National Park to Kakwa Provincial Park in Canada. Each year several hundred hikers attempt to traverse the entire trail. Many more hike a small section, or volunteer…
Committee Corner is where one finds news about what various committees are working on. Sharing news is voluntary and committees are busy, so may not always find time to share news. We hope committee participation grows over time. Thank you to the committees that sent news on such short notice.…
By Mary Jane Kreisel Last June, I wrote an article in the Pathfinder about our newly registered charitable status and how donations could support the GDTA’s work. I am writing now to update you on the progress of our donation program and its impact on the GDTA over the last…
By Charlene Deck The Great Divide Trail offers an unparalleled wilderness experience thanks to the numerous national parks, provincial parks, and wilderness areas through which it passes, but it requires more challenging trip planning logistics than most other long-distance trails. So where should you begin? 1. Start with a…
This edition of the Pathfinder Newsletter includes articles showcasing adventures on the GDT, accomplishments this year, volunteer recognition, trees of the Great Divide, and the GDTA Board going into the future. Enjoy! 2020 President’s Report: It’s amazing what we’ve achieved this year! Volunteer Appreciation: A big shout out to our…
By Doug Whiteside GDTA By-Laws Changes Despite COVID-19, 2020 has been a busy and productive year. In addition to obtaining charitable status and opening the High Rock Trail, the Board has spent a significant amount of time reviewing the GDTA’s administrative challenges. Two key areas were examined: The GDTA’s organizational structure The Board’s…
By Clara Hughes I’ve spent recent years walking thousands of miles on trails in America, always leaving the magnificent setting of our home in the Bow Valley. Routes like the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, Continental Divide, Arizona Trails, as well as more obscure and less linear walks like the Grand Enchantment,…
By Jenny L. Feick, PhD Every September, thousands of people make the pilgrimage up into the high subalpine reaches of the Rocky Mountains to take delight in the bright yellow hues of a curious conifer, the subalpine larch (Larix lyallii). Unlike other cone-bearing trees, which are evergreens, larches are deciduous like poplars, aspens, and…
