FYI - there is a new trail as you leave Banff Park, called the High Rockies Trail.  I have ridden it a couple of times now and the first part out to Buller Pass is complete.  Here is the link to the map and information.  http://kananaskisblog.com/high-rockies-trail/2015/  The first part from Goat Creek to Three Sisters Dam (approx 10km) is on reclaimed logging roads with some boardwalk sections.  The section from Three Sisters Dam to Buller Pass Parking is about 15km - all single track and super fun.  That's as far as the trail goes for now and this pops you back on the Spray Lakes road about 2km north of the road into Shark mtn Road.  Currently, the TD route uses the Shark Mtn Road to connect back on the Spray Lakes Road.

Greg T (TD 2013)

Reunion in the Basin
 
Looks like Les Handy SOBO and his girlfriend Jill Hueckman NOBO will be meeting in the basin today.  What a romantic setting...
I have Les' truck here at my place for when Jill arrives.  Also,  the Colorado crew, John Fairbairn, Andrew Schumann, Les Handy and Jefe Branham were at the Banff Elementary school Grade 3 class on the Wednesday before the race.  Lesley Reid, the Grade 3 teacher, is an avid fan and organized this for the kids.  This made a huge impact - one of the young boys even brought his mom down to the start to say good-bye to Les and the Colorado crew.

I saw Lindsay at the top of Goat Creek trail when I was cycling home tonight from Banff.  She was pretty stoked.  She saw lots of bears including a Grizz on top of Elk Pass today.  She said 30 days without a beer... so she is going for one when she gets in.  I messed up the picture but you can imagine- she was pretty happy!

Just saw Nat go by the Goat Creek Trailhead - about an hour out of Banff - looking and in a great mood.

I cannot seem to acquire Rocky gore tex socks anywhere in Los Angeles. REI said they were waiting for their restock shipment to come in, and then the next time I went in they said they would no longer carry them. Any recommendations for a place to purchase them before I leave for Banff on Tuesday?

Hey Jeff - I just checked Mountain Equipment Coop in Calgary and they appear to have stock in size 10 anyways.  You can always call them and have the socks put aside for pick up or arrange something like that for when you get to Calgary.  Here is the link to the website.
http://www.mec.ca/product/4000-338/rocky-stretch-gore-tex-oversocks-unisex/?f=10&q=gore%2Btex%2Bsocks

If I'm reading the NWS map correctly, I see recent (24h) snowfall in ID, WY, and CO, and very slow melt up in Canada (although it is picking up).

If anyone has any on-the-ground route beta about snow depth and snow quality (postholing into slush puddles?), I'm sure many of us would love to hear.

I fully expected some snow up until about Whitefish, but was hoping that would be about the end.  Any veterans care to guess what the trail will look like two weeks from now?

Hey there TD'ers,

Managed to fit in a training ride down to Elkford and back on Friday and Saturday.  Raining and cold on the way down to Elkford.  About 400 metres of snow to push through over Elk Pass.  It was a good test of the kit.  (Take Robin's advice, GoreTex socks are the ticket).  Came back over from Elkford on Saturday in cloudy but dry weather.  No bears seen, but lots of tracks and scat.   Saw Jason from Vermont yesterday afteroon on the Spray Lakes Road.  He was planning on camping at Boulton and making the push over Elk Pass today.

Attached a Pic of the biggest snow patch on Elk Pass.

Greg

If I'm reading the NWS map correctly, I see recent (24h) snowfall in ID, WY, and CO, and very slow melt up in Canada (although it is picking up).

If anyone has any on-the-ground route beta about snow depth and snow quality (postholing into slush puddles?), I'm sure many of us would love to hear.

I fully expected some snow up until about Whitefish, but was hoping that would be about the end.  Any veterans care to guess what the trail will look like two weeks from now?

Hello - I am not a veteran (newbie from Canmore), but I have ridden out as far as Mt. Shark from Banff and there is no snow on the trail to that point.  That was on May 21.  We are getting some rain and cooler temps here in Banff, but we did have some warm weather for about 2 weeks at the beginning of May so things started melting out.  I might get down to the Elk Pass area this weekend.  I will post the details if I make it.  For those of you curious about the weather, here is the official forecast page from Environment Canada.
http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/ab-49_metric_e.html
Cheers,

Greg  

I'll be lining up for the GD in Banff.  I live in the Bow Valley.  Around June 2008, I happened to be in the Banff Post Office and saw these 3 guys who were getting ready to do some serious riding by the look of their bikes.  I talked to one one of the guys (I believe it was Matthew Lee) and he told me about the Tour Divide.  Ever since, I have followed this race and the characters around it.  Anyways, I plan to ride my bike to work on June 14th, forget to turn right and keep on going to Mexico.  This is the year!

Greg
Canmore, Ab