Messages

1

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Great Divide, Canada Section - Flooding - June 2013

« on: August 11, 2013, 12:18:55 pm »

Thanks.

In Swan Lake.

Route to here is good in all sections, for any following us. This is a tough cycle though! Wholly cow.

Careful of drivers in Canada, big trucks and small brains don't mix with cyclists. Katie nearly caught out by caravan and truck on small bridge. Take care.

Our blog with link to SPOT live page: www.jamesbracher.wordpress.com

All the best

2

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Great Divide, Canada Section - Flooding - June 2013

« on: August 06, 2013, 01:49:15 am »

Thanks...totally forgot those PDF's were sent to me!

We are now in Fernie. The route down so far has been pretty good. We followed the Goat Creek true to the Divide Route out of Banff. There is a bridge out but the river is easily crossed, there were lots of day trippers out along there when we went through. Then the route to the West of Spray Lakes is also good, no problems, and gets you away from the dusty, busy Smith Dorien.

The bridge is out over the Elk River 40 k's or so North of Elkford. We went the alternate route on the East side of the river, there are several big wash outs that are slow to cross but definitely passable although the rivers are reasonably fast flowing and knee deep when we went through. Also, on this East side there has been significant traffic; heavy machinery (repairing wash outs) and locals using the back country on 4x4's. This has really chewed up the track and you can expect slow and muddy progress, but possible! Took me and the Mrs 5 hours to go 30km.

We spoke to a cyclist going North who said the route East from Elkford to Sparwood has a big wash out that took him 3 hours to negotiate. We missed this section out.

We made an unimaginative B-line for Fernie after our 5 hours rolling around in the mud this morning, arriving in Fernie in good time by road! I also had no maps for this...there's the excuse.

I'll get that SPOT information posted. Life was hectic before departing on this trip so not much time to figure out how it all worked. Marcaurele can you tell me how I can upload information that has already been recorded on my SPOT onto a new shared page that I just set up tonight?

All the best.

3

Temporary ACA Route Road Closures / Re: Great Divide, Canada Section - Flooding - June 2013

« on: July 29, 2013, 07:46:27 pm »

Hi,

My fiancee and I are planning on starting the Great Divide route this sat 3rd Aug. We've been concerned about the trail conditions and have been doing as much digging as possible to find out if it is possible to get through the Canada section. At the weekend we had a good kit buying session in Banff and took the opportunity to ask the outdoor shop assistants their knowledge of the routes, we also asked at Parks Canada but they had little first hand knowledge and will always toe the party line.

What we have concluded are that trail conditions following Spray River and up Goat Creek are poor, with several bridges still out and the trail washed out. However, a bike shop bloke said that his girlfriend had cycled that part of the route. There are sections where you will need to ford rivers, so, as long as river levels are ok, this is possible. Another cyclist told us a similar story. Our plan is to be prepared and get in amongst it.

As a safer alternative to this there is the Legacy trail, that goes from Banff to Canmore. You can then cycle through Canmore and onto the Smith Dorien Road where you can join the Route at the South end of Spray Lakes.

From this point the previous thread from the couple on a tandem suggests we can make it over Elk Pass.  From here on, the information is thin on the ground.

I also ordered my ACA Canada maps for the route 6-8weeks ago and not received them, is this normal?

Hope this helps Jacin. We have got a spot device so I'll try post the link and update this thread as we go.

Cheers.