Continental Divide Trip

[velo47]

Hi All,

I am planning on doing a Continental Divide Trip next month. I'll be taking the 4x4 Sprinter and generally following the GPS Kevin route. I'm starting in Southern NM on June 27. I'll take about a week through NM. On July 5, I'm leaving the CDT route and meeting up with a group that is doing the Colorado BDR. The BDR is expected to take us through July 11. Then I'll rejoin the CDT route up through WY and MT, hopefully timed to meet the rest of my family at our daughter's in Missoula around July 27.

I'm planning on doing the NM portion and the WY & MT portion alone, but may have another Sprinter join up for WY & MT. I'd love some suggestions for things to see along the route. Sidetrips are OK (and encouraged)!

Once out of Colorado, the route goes through Rawlins, Teton, Butte, Helena, and Whitefish.

Also, anybody who lives along the route and wants to get meet up, that'd be great! My timetable is very fluid, so I don't really know where I'll be when, but I should have a better idea as the trip progresses.

Thanks,
Matt

[Steve C]

Matt, just curious but are you also planning to tour back to NM or are you going to hop on I-15 and make time? If you have the time, you might consider driving a little west and go back down through Idaho. If so, I would have some ideas... Cheers!

[velo47]

Hi Steve,
Unfortunately, this trip we will be going home via I-15. The son needs to get home for work, so we'll be on a schedule.

[rionapo]

Can you link to the Kevin route?

[velo47]

Here's the link. The GPX tracks are available for purchase, but you can see the route here.

https://sites.google.com/a/gpskevina...otorcycle-ride

And here's what appears to be an updated version.

https://sites.google.com/a/advpal.co...al-divide-ride

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by velo47

Here's the link. The GPX tracks are available for purchase, but you can see the route here.

https://sites.google.com/a/gpskevina...otorcycle-ride

And here's what appears to be an updated version.

https://sites.google.com/a/advpal.co...al-divide-ride

Here are a few quick thoughts, not pretending to be expert or exclusive:

I don’t know the territory south of Silver even though my uncle worked for Kennecott Copper there including during the 1950s strike in the movie Salt of the Earth. I take the road to Hachita when headed to the Chiricahua in AZ. Basin & range topography, Hachita in particular a distinctive landmark.

The green route north of Silver is my preferred. Cosmic Campground (33.47926, -108.9226) is special. Reserve, NM is county seat of Catron County (named for head of Santa Fe Ring, attys who specialized in fleecing Hispanics for their land in the late 1800s / 1900s). Gun ownership is required by county ordinance. Blue (east) between Gila/Aldo Leopoldo Wilderness is curvy and nice bike ride. Gila Cliff Dwellings in the two.

Pie Town sells pies, though the older restaurant closed last year.

Either green or blue around El Malpais is special. Take a hike or bushwhack across the lava. Tunnels on the west, maybe cinder cones on the east. If it’s a long bushwhack, pay attention to where you are if you want to get home safely. Same with tunnels.

Mt. Taylor is the southernmost of the 4 sacred peaks of the Navajo people. Also revered by everyone else. Good reason. It’s big and obvious.

Looks like the route goes near the Ignacio Sánchez WSA (33.47926, -108.92265, incorrectly identified by BLM as Mesa Chivato on its web page). BLM advertises it as a dispersed camping area. More importantly, it’s a short distance from the Guadalupe Ruins, the easternmost Chaco outlier and with spectacular views of the neighborhood, including a volcanic plug called Caebezon you’ll pass as you continue north.

Mesa de Cuba Badlands is just before you get to Cuba, NM. Head north a ways on the dirt access road to get to the badlands. Go there.

After Cuba, it’s into the mountains. You’re east of the divide here. Strangers aren’t too welcome in some areas along the actual divide so it was easier to stay on public lands.

El Rito is an art colony of sorts. Hopewell Lake has dispersed camping past its campground. Avoid the weekend.

Next campsite is probably Lagunitas. I’ve never been there (planning a visit at the end of June) but I have hiked Crucitas Basin Wilderness east of there. Good country. I understand the views west are worth the trip.

Say hello to the Cumbres / Toltec RR as you enter CO. A dear but departed friend and mentor was instrumental in its protection. A warm spot in my heart.

As they say, “Move on, nothing to see here”

Enjoy.

[velo47]

Thanks Don!

[rionapo]

Originally Posted by velo47

Thanks Don!

You’re welcome.

Don’t forget to visit the places I left out.

[velo47]

Well I'm getting everything ready to head to the border on Saturday, with the "official" start on Sunday!

Already watching 2 wildfires that look like they will affect the route. The first is the Johnson fire near the Gila Cliff Dwellings in Southern NM, and the second is the Sylvan Lake Fire in central Colorado south of Gypsum. It's shaping up to be a bad fire season already.

There's a group of 7 or 8 vehicles on Expedition Portal that set off on the CDT this Monday, following a similar route to mine (minus my detour to the CO BDR). Maybe I'll cross paths with them somewhere along the way. A couple of them are members here (GvB40 and JoefromSF).

Looking forward to a great trip!

[rionapo]

Just back from Lagunitas Lakes on FR87 near the NM/CO border, which i think is the tougher route east of Chama. Mostly rocky, campground is rough and quiet. Saw elk, deer and bear. After Lagunitas the road gets rockier with a couple of touchy spots avoided by short runs through the trees. We only went as far as the Brazos lookout where we saw a biker standing in his pedals and focusing hard on the trail. Views good but shortened by smoke. I think the road may get worse on the northward descent from Brazos.

The map also looks like you take FR250 from CO17 to Platoro Reservoir. Talking with someone in Colorado yesterday. He said there was new gravel on the road and got two flats, one sidewall. I avoid it for its washboard but haven’t been on it in years.

It looks like the blue route from Platoro goes through Elwood Pass. It’s spectacular but basically a gravel route with a couple of exceptions. You also get to pass near the Summitville Superfund site, a heap leach cyanide operation where a pond leak killed the fish in the Alamosa River. I have no doubt the red trail alternative is red.

Weather is coming a bit up north and there’s been rain. Enjoy.