2022 Tour Divide Preparation & Planning

[bikelite]

Dear Matthew Lee, please update the TD media support rule to be similar to the AZTR rule #2,
"2. No support crews, this includes pre-arranged camera/media crews. The AZTR views this as support. Feel free to self-document all you like. If you want a camera crew to document your ride, either do it on your own or expect an *, no record times will be noted for media support."

[j.dn]

With just over a month left before the Grand Depart, here are some movies to get you pumped up for the race.

RIDE THE DIVIDE OFFICIAL TRAILER
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7MqAiPOF8c

Into the Divide
https://www.amazon.com/Into-Divide-John-Stamstad/dp/B08FFCDPCK

[bikelite]

Ride the Divide free
https://tubitv.com/movies/578087

[davebarter]

And one not to watch with your Mum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKLnQgHtJQE

[ScottM]

Looks like both Carson and Santa Fe forests are set to close tomorrow until significant moisture hits.  Those both have a very good chance of affecting even SoBo riders.

Then there is a fire that has the north star road through the Gila closed currently.  That one has a decent chance of reopening by the time SoBo riders get there.

The forest closures are making it look like it'll be pavement from Cumbres Pass all the way to Cuba.

There is an update to the route pending in Hartsel, CO.  It's a small reroute to remove 4 miles of busy US highway and it has ACA's blessing.  In other words they plan to adopt it as the official route.  We are waiting for a local to vet it for us.

Those are the route updates I know about as of now.

[Iowagriz]

Scott, anyone scouting Koko for you this year? I'm expecting a ton of snow or water on that section.

I drove up Richmond ridge (?), the one just north of Seeley. Drivable with some snow to the end of the singletrack (which was surprising to me).

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[ScottM]

I haven't heard anything about Koko.  I'll see what Matthew knows.

Good info on Richmond, thanks.

[j.dn]

This is the Hartsel reroute listed in the ACA map corrections.
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36592388

[ScottM]

That's not quite it for this year.  We are hoping to cut off even more of the highway.  All of it.

[ScottM]

I haven't heard anything about Koko.  I'll see what Matthew knows.

From Matthew:

I have bad news, and good news about Koko. The latest report is above-average mid-mtn snowpack, meaning hike a bike. The good news is, IIRC, that region of the pass is HAB already, so it might even be faster if you can stay on top!

[Iowagriz]

Thanks for the Koko info. Thinking small snow shoes of some sort might be good

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[taprider]

^ take it easy at the start and let the first half of the pack bulldoze a trench or pack down a trail

"after you"
"no after you"

[ScottM]

It's looking like a modified form of Cuba -> Grants dirt will be in the TD route this year.  (applause!  fanfare!)  This will help compensate for the forest closures and make it so there isn't 200+ miles of continuous pavement.  The idea, perhaps, is that it'll be required only when forest closures are in place -- that means it's unlikely clay mud and flooding arroyos will be an issue.  This is because the forests will reopen if given enough moisture.

Hoping to have first round GPX available Monday.

[ScottM]

Well the late spring storm has been dumping on central Colorado so we're going have to wait a bit on the Hartsel scouting.  GPX won't be ready tomorrow, sorry folks.

[Iowagriz]

No worries Scott. Warming up this week in Central Montana, I plan on riding Seeley to Lincoln and beyond (middle of this week). I'm hoping to see snow melting in our high country of that section.

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[ScottM]

Now shooting for this coming Monday (memorial day) for the GPX.  Scout is heading out this Sunday barring any further snow storms!

Down by the Gila, I raised the idea of taking some CDT and skipping Silver City altogether but Matthew countered that 24 hour access to least a gas station is a the main reason not to skip Silver.  Looks like Glenwood is only open 8am-8pm.

Of note is that we're planning a different detour than ACA suggests for Carson/Santa Fe.  Apparently Ghost Ranch is enough of a draw that they don't want to skip it.  We'll take NM 112 direct to Cuba which skips both forests and is lower traffic + maybe a little gravel.

[ChrisE]

That sounds like the same re-route that was in 2018?

Looking forward to getting the route and sorting out all the GPS stuff, especially since form the UK it's going to be a real rush, working this week then flying out!

[threepin]

just got back from a ride towards upper whitefish lake from whitefish. What looked like continuous snow started about 2 miles above the olney crossover or 3 miles shy of upper whitefish lake/10+ miles shy of red meadow pass. This is extremely low for this date.  I'm sure there will be more melting in the next 2 weeks but forecasts are for consistently below normal temps. If this cycle keeps up the local snowtels may be at their all-time highest readings for early june- they are far off now. Its quite possible this will be the equivalent of 2008 and 2011. I was out 2 nights ago and was stopped by the sheriff looking for a cyclist who had left for polebridge in the am, without a detailed flight plan- they finally found him near the spot i turned around tonight at 11pm.
Short fat skis could be interesting.

[ScottM]

That sounds like the same re-route that was in 2018?

Looking forward to getting the route and sorting out all the GPS stuff, especially since form the UK it's going to be a real rush, working this week then flying out!

No, in 2018 the route was only skipping Santa Fe forest -- this year we've got to skip Carson as well so the detour starts all the way up at Cumbres Pass.

We are also checking on a dam construction detour on NM 112.  I am not sure if we can use that route after all.  (Thanks to Andy for pointing that issue out!).

[ScottM]

just got back from a ride towards upper whitefish lake from whitefish. What looked like continuous snow started about 2 miles above the olney crossover or 3 miles shy of upper whitefish lake/10+ miles shy of red meadow pass. This is extremely low for this date.  I'm sure there will be more melting in the next 2 weeks but forecasts are for consistently below normal temps. If this cycle keeps up the local snowtels may be at their all-time highest readings for early june- they are far off now. Its quite possible this will be the equivalent of 2008 and 2011. I was out 2 nights ago and was stopped by the sheriff looking for a cyclist who had left for polebridge in the am, without a detailed flight plan- they finally found him near the spot i turned around tonight at 11pm.
Short fat skis could be interesting.

Wow.  Great beta, thanks.

As some have pointed out, big snow up north, fire closures down south.  North America is a land of great diversity.