As for mountain lions, I know several backcountry riders who wear competitive titanium neck collars (lined w merino wool).
A cat's target is your neck...

This arguement is stupid. If you line up in Banff with the intent to push yourself the whole way to Antelope Wells then you deserve credit for the finish. Shit happens. The glory in this race is to finish and as a rookie you don't know if 25 days is possible. If you finish, whatever your time, you're a badass in my mind.

Cut-off, soft cut-off, different GD times/days, doesn't matter, not good ideas. The fact this event/experience is by its very nature defying ideas & attempts to regulation prompted by increased numbers, etc, shows how "large" and incredibly unique the TD is. The competition comes from so many angles and forms, even stages and levels, that to apply anymore common race organization just results in boiling down to definitions an event which begs NOT to be included.
It's the nature of the Tour Divide.

Great calls!!  And I want to be as HAPPY as Jason Simoni ! Go Long Ranger !! Do in those Chinese buffets !

[Thanks to all of you in the proverbial clubhouse, sharing everything, what an experience and I am not even racing.]

On rider safety, other than bears and a couple of stolen bikes this call and this call from Jeff Kerby are about as close to danger from outsiders as we've gotten.  

Thanks for sharing those calls- Jeff was great relating that "clown" encounter, good lord.
Thanks to all of you in the proverbial clubhouse, sharing everything, what an experience and I am not even racing.  Wow.
Hats off to the gallant racers present and past, every friend, spouse, w rider info and update, and most definitely you folks who organize the Tour Divide. I'm hooked and donation happily given. I've already committed out loud to too many people that this is my next race.
Spray for the bears, tazer for the clowns?