Great Divide start in June
 

Hello

I am looking at buying my tickets to arrive at Banff on June 5 planning to ride south until Jackson WY and then ride to salt lake city. I would like to know if this is too early of a starting date given that I am not going to Colorado which seems to be the last place on the route to melt.

Debra

I think it is two weeks too early.

I live in Wyoming and have biked to Alaska, the Yukon, and the NWT many times.
I have biked many sections and similar dirt roads in all seasons.

Yes, they start the GDMBR race in early June, but it's iffy.
Last year, I met a woman in Montana who was nearly hypothermic.

It is hard to predict how much more snow the mountains will get in April/May.
Most of the Northern Rockies have received average to average-plus snow so far.
If the heavy rains that hit California this winter retreat northward,
then there could still be a lot more snowfall.

I have skied on deep, fresh snow in early June in Wyoming many times.

What jamawani said.
About two weeks too early. You are almost guaranteed to hit snow on some of the high passes.
Southeastern BC is having a high snow year, it all depends on how the spring develops.

Doing the Great Divide southbound puts you in Canada and Montana during June, when it's still cold and rains a lot, and you arrive in New Mexico during late summer, when it's warmer than June and rains a lot.

In your case, you're not going to New Mexico, but the question remains: why not start in Salt Lake earlier, when it's cooler, and arrive in Canada when it's drier and not so cold?

Another good point. June is the highest rainfall month for the Canadian Rockies.

June is the month when snow melts in the rockies. Even if your path isn't blocked by snow, your path will be full of meltwater and mud.

Moreover, this year (2017) snowpack is above normal. Wait until July.

Thank you for the information on the snow. Due prior commitments and work, the touring window is about 6 weeks starting the 5 June to about 15 July with the final location being Salt Lake City, as such the wait until later plan is not great as that is eating the weeks I have to tour. I want to see some of the country side in America, as I live in a city of 1 mil in China(American citizen). Do you have any suggestions on a route that includes some dirt road that is about 1500-1800 miles long ending in Salt Lake?

Debra

Maybe ride down the West Coast and then head east at some point. San Diego or LA. Sure you can work in some dirt roads along the way.

Here's a nice rule of thumb graphic:

http://ziligy.com/photos/posts/Great...her_window.jpg

You might want to reverse your route based on this.

I will go with the info you gave me - 40 days and 40 nights.
(Hopefully, not with 40 days and 40 nights of rain)
Ending, in Salt Lake City in mid-July.
Starting in Seattle? Portland?? Vancouver???
Plus the option to do a good deal of back/dirt roads.

Since you don't have a lot extra time for staging -
Flying into and out of a major airport is pretty important.

Since the rainy season in winter/spring ends from south to north -
Southern Oregon is a better bet than northern Oregon -both better than -
Southern Wash. is better than northern Wash. which is better than B.C.
Also elevation is a factor - the lower you are in early June the better.

I figure that if you start near Seattle -
You can ride to Glacier N.P. then turn south for Salt Lake.
I - June 5 to 14 - Washington state to N. Idaho
II - June 15 to 24 - N. Idaho to Glacier
III - June 25 to July 4 - Glacier - GDMBT - Grand Teton
IV - July 5 to 14 - Grant Teton - Salt Lake

You would have 10 days to do each section -
Maybe 400 miles for the first three and 350 for the last.

Here's a possible option for the last section.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19836162

Greys River Road is fantastic.
And Hwy 150 over the Uintas would make for a fantabulous finish.

Greys River Road in September - in July you should have wildflowers

http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j2...psqnhrbfq6.jpg

I rode across the Sylvan Pass into Yellowstone, through heavy snow/sleet, in early June . Finding the camp grounds closed . Was blown off the Bear Tooth pass outa Red Lodge 3 times and snowed off the Togwotee Pass, escaping the Tetons . Snowed outa the Sunlight basin in late June trying to get back to Red Lodge . In between there was rain, lots of rain . All these memorable escapades happened in the month of June . You might want stay away from the Yellowstone/Teton area in June . That said, I'd do it again, believe it or not . I had just enough fowl weather gear for that caper . Ride safe and enjoy where you do go .

thank you jamawani for your ride suggest

Can you suggest any non-google based maps for help planning, please not ride with GPS is google based and the map is blocked in China

Debra

Debra -

I did a quick readjust on RideWithGPS switching to USGS topographic maps. I am not sure how the algorithm at the website works - and whether or not the Chinese censors will still block. I must say that I am not willing to do much to conform with Chinese censorship - because to do so confirms it.

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/19886930