Bikepacking The Great Divide
At its core, bikepacking combines the freedom of multi-day backcountry hiking and travel with the range and excitement of riding an agile bicycle. It’s about exploring new landscapes, close to home and farther afield, via gravel roads, single track trails, and forgotten double wide tracks, carrying everything you need with you.
My introduction to bikepacking came after I thru hiked the Pacific Crest Trail in 2018. After completing the trail I picked up mountain biking and quickly saw the potential for combining this new hobby with my love for backcountry camping. It wasn’t long after when I learned about the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route and decided to once again cross the country under human power.
Stretching from Banff, Canada, to the US / Mexican border in New Mexico, the Great Divide route travels 2,700 miles along gravel roads and single track trail along the Continental Divide.
You experience a diverse set of geographical features along this route from alpine elevations of 11,913’, wide-open grasslands, and remote desert in New Mexico. I got to work planning my ride. I researched the best bike for the terrain I would experience, gear and tools specific to bikepacking, and began studying the maps of the route.
The planning and training paid off as I set off from the border of Canada this summer. Pointing my wheels south I began to peddle. The 2500 miles of dirt and gravel lead me through incredible towns and landscapes that showed a picture of the American West few experience. The Great Divide is a challenging route, you’ll face dangerous weather, long remote water carries, and the possibility of mechanical issues far away from any bike mechanic. The reward, however, is riding your bike and experiencing some of our countries best landscapes and communities that are far off the beaten path.
My path to bikepacking isn’t unique - many people who enjoy the wonders of backpacking and hiking are well prepared to begin bikepacking. All you need to start is a bike, your camping gear, and a willingness to try something new.
How to Begin Bikepacking
While bikepacking you carry essentially the same gear as when you backpack. You’ll want to include some bike tools and tubes for emergencies but fortunately, you have more places to carry it on a bike.
Don’t be fooled into thinking that bikepacking requires a bike with all of the latest gadgets, custom bags, or ultralight camping gear. Investing in quality gear certainly helps in the long run, but is not a necessity to get you up and running. Start by using what you own and picking a short (20-40 miles) overnight route near you to discover the fun of bikepacking.
The essential list of gear you will need:
- Shelter system
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Jetboil Stove
- Warm Clothes (optional depending on weather)
- Multitool
- Patch kit and spare inner tube
- Food and water
When you are starting out don’t be afraid to throw your gear in a backpack and ride your bike. As you go you can learn how best to strap your shelter or sleeping kit to your handlebars or seat post and carry more weight on your bike instead of your back.
There are many ways your exploration can occur – off-road, gravel, pavement, mountain bike trails. There are different ways to do it and different ways of carrying the gear you need. Whether you travel fast and light, or slow and comfortable, it doesn’t matter. Go out, go on an expedition, have an adventure!
You can follow spmartin on Instagram for more bikepacking adventures.