Great Divide Trail Yo-Yo – The Numbers

DAYS
Start: June 1
End: November 1
Elapsed days: 154
Hiking days: 82
Days on substantial snow: 15
Zeros (town stops): 10
Zeros (injury): 6
Zeros (other obligations): 6
Zeros (waiting out fires): 50

DISTANCE
Distance hiked: 2264 kms
Distance on snow: 160 kms (est)
Distance per day: 27.6 km (16 miles)

WILDLIFE
Sheep – 71 individuals, 6 groups
Deer – Lots
Porcupine – 9 individuals, 8 groups
Goats – 7 individuals, 3 groups
Grizzlies – 7 individuals, 4 groups
Moose – 6 individuals, 5 groups
Caribou – 5 individuals, 1 group
Elk – 2 individuals, 1 group
Black bear – 2
Wolverine – 1
Fisher – 1
Marten – 1
Wolf – 1
Coyote – 1

Absent wildlife: Cougar, Lynx, Fox, Sasquatch
Closest Griz: 20 yards

NOBO wildlife: 18 individuals / 10 sightings
SOBO wildlife: 96 individuals / 25 sightings

Total wildlife (GDT 2017): 114 individuals / 35 sightings
Total wildlife (PCT 2014): 4 sightings in ~120 days (ex. deer)
Days per wildlife sighting (GDT 2017): 2.5
Days per wildlife sighting (PCT 2014): 30

Human groups encountered in backcountry (NOBO): 7
Human groups encountered in backcountry (SOBO): Lots
Longest stretch without seeing another person: 6 days (Section G SOBO)
Days without seeing another person (GDT 2017): 40-50 of 88
Days without seeing another person (PCT 2014): 0

GEAR
Baseweight (Dan, regular): 13.4 lbs
Baseweight (Dan, winter): 15.9 lbs
Baseweight (Tara, regular): 10.8 lbs
Baseweight (Tara, winter): 13.2 lbs

Broken trekking poles: 2
Fried cameras: 1
Amount of photos and videos: 257 GB
Pairs of shoes (Dan): 4
Pairs of shoes (Tara): 2

TOWN
Hotels/hostels/BnB: 2 nights
Hitchhikes: 12
Worst trail town: Saskatchewan Crossing
Best trail town: Jasper or Coleman
Best bakery: Bear Paw (Jasper)

TRAIL
Best section: C, E, G (sorry they’re all gold)
Worst section: D (but it’s still good)
Slowest part (due to brush): Jackpine Valley (we wisely took the Howse floodplain)
Slowest part (due to rugged): La Coulotte Ridge
Wildest spot: Jackpine Valley
Best cabin: Kakwa Lake