I collected the active logs from several people starting with Big Dog. I edited out all the wrong turns etc and created 18 Tracks of 500 points ready to download to a hand held. I also collected waypoints for gas stations, motels, and a few cafes. There are no camp grounds. I used Natioal Geo to create tracks for the actual divide for each state. Just to see how close you get. There are also option side trip Tracks to pass through Chama, Jackson Hole, and Helena. There are also a few other options. If you don't have a computer on the trip: Obvioiusly you can only pick 2 other tracks to download. You can cut and past in options without increasing the 18. If you can't remember to search for "CDR Tracks" here, this file is also posted on GPSXchange.com
As T-Bird said, red is actual divide. As you can see the CDR does not go very close in many places. I finished GPSing a route as close as possible across New Mexico crossing the divide 40 times. I was going to try to do Colorado also but will probably publish just AZ sometime in the near future. I just got back from a week GPSing the GWT from Camp Verde to the Grand Canyon. Would like to publish tracks for AZ & UT next year.
Just wanted to say thanks (to you and all of the other folks which provided information to you) for posting these tracks!!! I got home from my CDR and mini TAT (Utah and Colorado) trip two weeks ago. I used these tracks for the CDR portion of my trip and they were flawless. Just a word of caution relative to a couple of sections .....both in Montana. I should have done more research....but I heard that the CDR was pretty mellow....so I simply/blindly followed the tracks When I got to Wise River, I headed North up the canyon....next thing I know.....I'm into some way overgrown two track....then I lost the trail....then I came around the corner and there it was.....Fleecer Ridge :eek1 I figured everyone says this trip is mellow....so I dropped into first gear and pinned the throttle! Made it quite a ways up the hill....and then it became obvious that the little girl (WR250R) wasn't going to make it!!! Tried to do a U-turn and ride it back down....but had lost too much steam. I made about 3/4ths through the U-turn and lost it. Did a header into the hill side (Leatt brace did its job) and my bike did a few cartwheels before it came to a stop.....not good when you're riding solo :eek1 :eek1. Anyway, tucked my tail between my legs, backtracked to Wise River and slabbed it to Butte. I subsequently found out that the "slab" is now the current route.....and most people don't even know about the Fleecer Ridge portion. In order to not be completely conquered, on my way back South I rode the Fleecer Ridge section.....it was a steep bastard....but doable since I was now going down hill (i.e., North to South). BUT..... I wouldn't want to do it on a big bike. The other area was on the alternate route from Helena to Butte. The ride/road was great.....until I was about 1-2 miles from the summit. At which point the road was posted as "closed"!!! Since there were a few loggers working right there, I didn't want to blow past the road closed sign. I zoomed in on my Zumo....and sure enough, there was a trail that splits off and reconnects back onto the "GPS track" (i.e., on the other side of the summit). So I back track a hundred yards or so, and I can see the trail. It's basically a two track/ATV trail..... I decided what the hell, and take off down the trail. Of course, it progressively gets worse. Basically, you drop down one side of a canyon for about a mile, then head back up the other side for another mile, where it then ties back into the main road. Then....it starts to rain lightly :eek1. At this point, the trail is very steep, big embedded rocks, and drop-offfs......and I'm starting to worry that with the rain, I'm not sure I can ride back up, in the event I need to backtrack Then, as expected, I reached the bottom and had to work my way back up the other side. It was just as bad/technical.....basically "heavy throttle terrain". Once you start....you don't stop, or you won't get going again (at least on my WR!). In any event, I made it without dropping the bike and was stoked Ironically, when I got back to the main road, I looked up the road, and that's where it was "closed" going the other way. The rest of the ride down to Butte was uneventful. In retrospect, I had no business going down this road solo. If something had happened, I would have been screwed. Also, I was really glad I was not on my DR650....I'm sure I would have dropped it several times. Sorry, but no pix....my hands were full at the time If I were to do it again, I'd either forget the "alternate" route through Helena....or blow past the road closed sign. Funny part..... When I got home, I read Cannonshot's RR......and he explained in great detail these two areas/issues!!! Oh well, I made it.....and like I say.....sometimes it's better to be lucky than smart The trip was fantastic and I highly recommend it to anyone. Thanks again
We did it north-south in '07. Pretty much same issues as you We ended up taking the same detour you did (on the Lava Mountain trail, the Helena-Butte section) - for pretty much no reason except I had a GPS track for it since a friend had to go that way in '05 due to a tree down. I didn't have a track for the actual published CDR route. We made it down one side of the canyon. At the bottom ran into some locals on trials bikes that said going up the other side was even worse, so we bailed east to I-15. Going down Fleecer on an overloaded KLR was a bitch. July 4, 2007 - I won't forget it http://www.gdr.jennyandterrythompson.com/July 4.htm
Six of us rode a shortened version of the CDR last month. SIx GS/GSA's picked up the trail in Rawllings headed south. WE HAD A BLAST. The information provided herein is right on the money, up to date, and a piece of cake to follow. Having never done anything like this previously (except Big Bend National Park in Texas....which..take my word for it, is a B**CH on the GSA), I was really concerned about the ability of the GSA to handle the terrain. NO issues whatsoever. I recommend this section of the CDR to anyone wanting to get their feet wet. The camping was great..(broke out my Jet Boil this am to make some coffee cause I needed a bit of CDR fix), you are never far from help if something goes wrong, gas is never far, etc.. I have been riding for 30 years and coming home from this brief 9 day trip has left me still wishing, 4 weeks later, I was back out there. I picked Cannonshots brain to the point he must have thought the only question I had left to ask was "would you come with me?" But, he was always gracious, going way beyond to help me find my way. So thanks to riders like yourself and others who take the time to post these rides for the rest of us. I did want to add there was one section we could not ride due to all the heavy logging of dead pines in Colorado. In speaking with the FS some counties will see 100% loss of trees. Really sad to see...whole mountains are now covered in dead trees. Anyway, the right turn off of 134 west of Kremmling was closed last month. It may have reopened since but we were force to ride pavement to Kremmling where we picked up the trail again. The leg fom Kremmling to Salida was outstanding. Beautiful country. Thanks again guys. dave
Jerry, Thanks for putting this together and working updates. I'm hoping my brother and I will be able to do this ride next summer if I'm in country - or 2013 for sure! By the way, if one had a Garmin Montana, you could put all of these Tracks (30) and 170 more in the Track Manager and you wouldn't have to filter them down to 500pts. Cheers,
Good point for you Montana snobs, but also true for people in the cheap seats with 62/78. I will do an update with accurate active logs.
Yep, the newer Garmin OnTrail (handhelds) appear to all support the 200 x 10,000pts numbers for Tracks. Good new for our riding needs. Cheers,
I guess this is a HiJack of 18 x 500? I took my edited Active Log file and created 15 2,000 point tracks. This file is 4 meg in .gpx so too big to post here. I have a .gdb version posted on GPSXchange.com
Yes, the route is mostly maintained county roads. Some are forest service roads, but there is nothing technical or even require much ground clearance on the main route. I read some of the side trips can be tough, though.
He has been banned. I sometimes communicate with him via email. He is not sure why he was banned, but has suspicions. I have tried asking one of the moderators to get him back but not luck. Maybe if others also complain too, something could be done.
