2021 GDTA Annual Report

By Brad Vaillancourt, President of the Great Divide Trail Association  At the beginning of the year, we gladly said goodbye to 2020 and we looked forward optimistically to a new start in 2021. Unfortunately, as we’ve all experienced, the pandemic continued and 2021 has produced its own share of challenges…

Continue reading

Reflections from the GDT FKT

By Andrew Cotterell First Day “Today was the hardest and most rewarding day. First part was like the Rockwall, Iceline and Molar Pass. Then lots of willow bushwhacking. Body feels good, muscles are tired. bugs are intense. Love you dearly!! Xxx” –  InReach message to my wife, Megan on day…

Continue reading

Thru Hiking the Great Divide Trail with a Baby

Author:  Kyle Philibert-Palmer Background:  Kyle & Natasha Philibert-Palmer thru-hiked the GDT in 2021 with their 8 month old son “Toothless”. They write about their adventures, including this hike, on their website http://backpacksandbikeracks.com When we were planning a family, we had one thing in mind: We planned on sharing the outdoors…

Continue reading

Hiking Saskatchewan Crossing to Field, SOBO

By Barb Lauer Another summer, another section of the GDT completed.  Woohoo! This summer it was Section D, Saskatchewan Crossing to Field (SOBO).  Lynnie and I have now completed more than half of the GDT and feeling better and better that we will eventually complete it all! Section D SOBO…

Continue reading

2021 GDTA Volunteer Recognition Awards

Each year we recognize the efforts of our volunteers who have gone above and beyond to help us achieve our objectives. This year we want to recognize the efforts of these 7 individuals whose hard work and dedication were a big part of our success in 2021:  Jim Schieck – In recognition of…

Continue reading

Adopt a Trail Program

by Deb Yanchula and Jeremy Bateson It was Day 2 and we were following Dutch Creek up towards Tornado Pass. There was a bare hill, lots of deadfall to climb over (probably brought down by an avalanche) … and the trail disappeared. It was time to put down our packs,…

Continue reading

Solving the Conifer Conundrum

By Jenny L. Feick, PhD Unless noted otherwise, all photographs in this article were taken by the author or Ian Hatter in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Is it a pine? Is it a fir? Is it a spruce? And why should I care? Most people hike through the coniferous forests…

Continue reading

2021 Trail Building & Maintenance Trips

For this year’s Trail Building & Maintenance article we decided to let the volunteers tell in their own words about the trail crew trips. Over and above these reports there was one major “Scouting Trip” early in the spring, which besides setting the stage for all the High Rock trips,…

Continue reading

October 2021 Trail and Road Conditions

Trail Conditions Update – October 15, 2021 Fall colours are here, and so is the snow! Winter is coming and snow has fallen at higher elevation on most of the GDT so expect wet, slippery and muddy trail conditions. Nighttime and early morning temperatures are below freezing, so be prepared for…

Continue reading