I list a rough time plan for my northbound ski traverse alond the Continental Divide of the western USA. I will attempt to update my progress and have it reflected here, when possible.
I aim to plan a route that will go 95% of the time given the likelihood that the snowpack will be weak and instable. I rely on accurate slope angle classes. I am routinely trying to optimize these routes to have better and safer skiing. Of course, I am planning bail routes. If the bail routes aren't there yet, they are either very obvious, or I haven't planned them yet.
I define an alpine unit as 1km horizontal distance or 100m vertical ascent, which usually takes 15 minutes to travel. For the total units, for a given distance, I count only the hard ones. That is, I count the distance and the units uphill. This is a conservative approach; ideally the distances traveled down, when skiing, are dreamy and easy. I calibrated these numbers based on my past trips. I use these as a basis, even though I am in much better shape, my kit is lighter, my skis are better, and my route planning more exact. I expect these estimates to be accurate.
Update 2023-01-16: 2 days behind
Update 2023-02-15: 6 days behind, but postponing northern Wind River Traverse until early April, so two days behind until Canada, and 6 days behind Colorado restart date
Update 2023-05-01: Starting the final Colorado section today
Update 2023-06-03: Finished!
| Caltopo Link | Appr. Start | Appr. End | Stretch | Alpine units | Days | Rest days | Notes | Town stop | Comrades |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U6110 | 2022-11-21 | 2022-12-23 | Mexican border to Cumbres Pass, CO | 1521 | 32 | 5 | Follow CDT, skis after Ghost Ranch, 50 units a day | ||
| 1DRC3 | 2022-12-28 | 2022-12-30 | fraser_grand-lake.gpx | 69 | 2 | 0 | Grand Lake, CO | ||
| LEMN2 | 2022-12-30 | 2023-01-04 | grand-lake_buffalo-pass.gpx | 169 | 5 | 1 | Steamboat Springs, CO | ||
| 11AF0 | 2023-01-05 | 2023-01-13 | buffalo-pass_rawlins.gpx | 244 | 8 | 2 | Rawlins, WY | ||
| NLSRN | 2023-01-15 | 2023-01-20 | rawlins_south-pass.gpx | 219 | 5 | 1 | Probably no skis. | Atlantic City, WY | Boss |
| CNRFF | 2023-01-21 | 2023-01-26 | south-pass_pinedale.gpx | 192 | 5 | 1 | Pinedale, WY | ||
| GB1MC | 2023-01-27 | 2023-02-01 | pinedale_togwotee-pass.gpx | 169 | 5 | 1 | May skip and do later. | Dubois, WY | |
| FGJ8K | 2023-02-02 | 2023-02-10 | togwotee-pass_west-yellowstone.gpx | 261 | 8 | 2 | West Yellowstone | ||
| N0PCC | 2023-02-12 | 2023-02-18 | west-yellowstone_monida.gpx | 194 | 6 | 1 | Lima, MT | CK? | |
| 0MD5H | 2023-02-19 | 2023-02-26 | monida_leadore.gpx | 235 | 7 | 1 | Leadore, ID | FM? | |
| C000J | 2023-02-27 | 2023-03-07 | leadore_chief-joseph-pass.gpx | 252 | 8 | 2 | Bannock Pass | North Fork, ID | CK? |
| 53H4R | 2023-03-09 | 2023-03-14 | chief-joseph-pass_twin-lakes.gpx | 156 | 5 | 1 | Lost trail ski resort! | Butte, MT | |
| 53H4R | 2023-03-15 | 2023-03-15 | twin-lakes-butte.gpx | 0 | 0 | 0 | 203 Units; take northern Ley Alternate | Butte, MT | |
| 53H4R | 2023-03-15 | 2023-03-16 | twin-lakes-anaconda.gpx | 27 | 1 | 0 | Ley Alternate | Anaconda, MT | |
| 1GU1H | 2023-03-17 | 2023-03-20 | butte_macdonald-pass.gpx | 112 | 3 | 1 | Helena, MT | LS | |
| QQT14 | 2023-03-21 | 2023-03-26 | macdonald-pass_rogers-pass.gpx | 189 | 5 | 1 | Browning, MT | LS | |
| R8F63 | 2023-03-27 | 2023-04-04 | rogers-pass_marias-pass.gpx | 315 | 8 | 2 | Bob Marshall Wilderness | East Glacier, MT | LS |
| 62M05 | 2023-04-06 | 2023-04-11 | marias-pass_waterton-canada.gpx | 197 | 5 | 1 | Glacier NP | Waterton Lakes, CA? | LS |
| VBEB2 | 2023-04-12 | 2023-04-15 | cumbres-pass_wolf-creek-pass.gpx | 138 | 3 | 1 | Pagosa Springs, CO | TS, DV? | |
| 849FR | 2023-04-16 | 2023-04-24 | wolf-creek-pass_spring-creek-pass.gpx | 260 | 8 | 2 | Lake City, CO | TS, DV? | |
| FU8S0 | 2023-04-26 | 2023-05-03 | spring-creek-pass_monarch-pass.gpx | 219 | 7 | 1 | Salida, CO | TS, DV? | |
| TPLM7 | 2023-05-04 | 2023-05-11 | monarch-pass_leadville.gpx | 226 | 7 | 1 | Leadville, CO | TS, DV? | |
| TFD6S | 2023-05-12 | 2023-05-20 | leadville_fraser.gpx | 252 | 8 | 2 | Fraser, CO | TS, DV? | |
| Totals: | 5616 | 144 | 28 | ||||||
| averages | 8 | 5.4 | 1.1 | ||||||
| Assumptions: | |||||||||
| units/day winter | 32 | ← Counting vertical gain and distance, not down | |||||||
| units/day spring | 42 | ← Approximately after March 15th | |||||||
| rest and length buffer | 0.2 |