Continental Divide Trail
11-18-04 | 12:28 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Hooked on Touring
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,022
Likes: 356
From: Wyoming
Continental Divide Trail
Just in case you are planning a Continental Divide Trip -
I have no idea why Adventure Cycling has the trip North to South -
they seem to be resistant to suggestions to route folks South to North.
The three mains reasons to do it S to N:
1. Precipitation -
Montana's precipitation peak is June 1 - trough is August 1.
New Mexico's precipitation peak is August 1 - trough is June 1.
2. Conditions -
Montana's high country still has snow or is quite soggy in June.
New Mexico's dirt roads - caliche & bentonite - are impassable quagmires when wet.
3. Prevailing winds -
Prevailing winds are southerly in the summer - especially in Colorado and Wyoming.
Potential drawbacks:
1. There may still be snow before July 1 in Colorado's high country, but starting in southern NM around June 15 should avoid this - plus there are alternative routes if snowpack is especially deep.
2. There is a higher risk of forest fires in Montana in late July & August, but National Forests throughout the West have been closed down completely in late summer because of the ongoing drought.
I've included a BLM picture of the continental divide in the Red Desert of Wyoming - I was heading north - yes, north - a few years back, had a slight downhill, a nice tailwind, and a wild horse a quarter mile off to my side racing me - or at least I though he was playing a game with me - it sure seemed that way.
Also I have precip probability graphs from the national weather service which really show point #1 above.
Best - J
I have no idea why Adventure Cycling has the trip North to South -
they seem to be resistant to suggestions to route folks South to North.
The three mains reasons to do it S to N:
1. Precipitation -
Montana's precipitation peak is June 1 - trough is August 1.
New Mexico's precipitation peak is August 1 - trough is June 1.
2. Conditions -
Montana's high country still has snow or is quite soggy in June.
New Mexico's dirt roads - caliche & bentonite - are impassable quagmires when wet.
3. Prevailing winds -
Prevailing winds are southerly in the summer - especially in Colorado and Wyoming.
Potential drawbacks:
1. There may still be snow before July 1 in Colorado's high country, but starting in southern NM around June 15 should avoid this - plus there are alternative routes if snowpack is especially deep.
2. There is a higher risk of forest fires in Montana in late July & August, but National Forests throughout the West have been closed down completely in late summer because of the ongoing drought.
I've included a BLM picture of the continental divide in the Red Desert of Wyoming - I was heading north - yes, north - a few years back, had a slight downhill, a nice tailwind, and a wild horse a quarter mile off to my side racing me - or at least I though he was playing a game with me - it sure seemed that way.
Also I have precip probability graphs from the national weather service which really show point #1 above.
Best - J
11-19-04 | 02:42 AM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
If your interested in doing this trip check out this journal on crazyguyonabike.com this man did the trip. It is a great write up and nice pictures.
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journ...ge_id=3384&v=0
https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/journ...ge_id=3384&v=0
11-19-04 | 09:28 AM
#4
Quadricepius Exquisitus
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 517
Likes: 0
From: Pfalzerwald
Bikes: christini awd, caondale bad boy ultra, 26" hardtail touring bike, KHS track
good info, jama. possible the aca's north to south bias has something to do with them being based out of montana? next summer, i will be riding a portion of that trail, south to north.
