tibaal89 on the Continental Divide Expedition [Archive]

View Full Version : tibaal89 on the Continental Divide Expedition

tibaal89

08-29-2008, 02:09 PM

Here is a chronicle of my big trip this summer. It was an incredibly good time and I want to thank the people at AZFJ.org (http://azfj.org) for their amazing support as well as All Pro (http://allprooffroad.com/), BajaRack (http://www.bajarack.com/), Camping Lab (http://www.campinglab.com/), and Sierra Expeditions (http://sierraexpeditions.com/) for their generosity in providing equipment and all sorts of useful guidance.

Basically I strung together the following different trips into one huge traveling extravaganza. I generally refer to the whole trip as the Continental Divide Expedition since it was the largest portion and the reason I did this whole thing in the first place!

- Solo exploration in Utah
- Fishing trip in Canada (http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=wollaston%20lake&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl)
- Vising Banff National Park in Canada
- Disabled Explorers (http://disabledexplorers.com/) Continental Divide Expedition
- 2008 FJ Cruiser Summit

Quick stats:
Gone from home: 40 days
Distance driven: 7,800 miles

You can read about the trip in my blog. Here are links to my writeups of each day of the trip:

Day 1 - Last Minute CDE Preperations (http://tibaal89.com/?p=21)
Day 3 - Gillette Ruins to Smokey Mountain Road (http://tibaal89.com/?p=23)
Day 4 - Smokey Mountain Road to Temple Mining Camp (http://tibaal89.com/?p=24)
Day 5 - Temple Mining Camp to Brigham KOA (http://tibaal89.com/?p=25)
Day 6 - Brigham KOA to Yellowstone (http://tibaal89.com/?p=26)
Day 7 - Yellowstone to Miles City KOA, MT (http://tibaal89.com/?p=28)
Day 8 - Miles City KOA, MT to Grand Forks, ND (http://tibaal89.com/?p=30)
Day 10 - Winnipeg, MB (http://tibaal89.com/?p=31)
Day 11 - Wollaston Lake Day I (http://tibaal89.com/?p=33)
Day 12 - Wollaston Lake Day II (Canada Day!!) (http://tibaal89.com/?p=34)
Day 13 - Wollaston Lake Day III (http://tibaal89.com/?p=35)
Day 14 - Wollaston Lake Day IV (http://tibaal89.com/?p=36)
Day 15 - Woodhaven Toyota of Winnipeg, Manitoba (http://tibaal89.com/?p=32)
Day 16 - Winnipeg, MB to Swift Current, SK (http://tibaal89.com/?p=37)
Day 17 - Banff National Park, Canada - Day I (http://tibaal89.com/?p=38)
Day 18 - Banff National Park, Canada - Day II (http://tibaal89.com/?p=39)
Day 19 - Dorr Road Campground, Canada to Glacier National Park, MT (http://tibaal89.com/?p=41)
Day 20 - Glacier National Park, MT to Priest Pass, MT (http://tibaal89.com/?p=42)
Day 21 - Priest Pass, MT to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, MT (http://tibaal89.com/?p=43)
Day 22 - Red Rock Lakes NWR, MT ~> Yellowstone ~> Grand Teton National Park, WY (http://tibaal89.com/?p=44)
Day 23 - Grand Teton National Park, WY to Atlantic City, WY (http://tibaal89.com/?p=45)
Day 24 - Atlantic City, WY to Rawlins, WY (RV WORLD RAAWWRRRR!!!) (http://tibaal89.com/?p=46)
Day 25 - Rawlins, WY to Routt National Forest, CO (http://tibaal89.com/?p=47)
Day 26 - Routt National Forest, CO to (nearly) Hartsel, CO (http://tibaal89.com/?p=50)
Day 27 - (nearly) Hartsel, CO to Ouray, CO (http://tibaal89.com/?p=51)
Day 28 - 2008 FJ Summit Day I (http://tibaal89.com/?p=52)
Day 29 - 2008 FJ Summit Day II (http://tibaal89.com/?p=53)
Day 30 - 2008 FJ Summit Day III (http://tibaal89.com/?p=54)
Day 31 - Ouray, CO to ***hetopa Pass, CO (http://tibaal89.com/?p=55)
Day 32 - C ochetopa Pass, CO to Lower Lagunitas CG, NM (http://tibaal89.com/?p=57)
Day 33 - Lower Lagunitas CG, NM to 4×4 Trail of DOOM!! (http://tibaal89.com/?p=58)
Day 34 - 4×4 Trail of DOOM!! to (not quite) Grants, NM (http://tibaal89.com/?p=59)
Day 35 - (not quite) Grants, NM to Meason Flat, NM (http://tibaal89.com/?p=60)
Day 36 - Meason Flat, NM to Chiricahua Mountains, AZ (http://tibaal89.com/?p=61)
Day 37 - Chiricahua Mountains, AZ to Wilcox, AZ (http://tibaal89.com/?p=62)
Day 38 - Wilcox, AZ to SDHQ in Gilbert, AZ (http://tibaal89.com/?p=63)

And, for your viewing enjoyment, a few highlights...

Grand Canyon, AZ

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/02_jun22/DSC_0107.jpg

Smokey Mountain Road, UT

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/02_jun22/DSC_0181.jpg

Reds Canyon, UT

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/04_jun24/DSC_0445.jpg

Yellowstone National Park

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/05_jun25/DSC_0650.jpg

Wollaston Lake, SK

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/10_jun30/wollPic.jpg

Banff National Park, AB

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/16_jul06/DSC_0478.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/16_jul06/DSC_0554.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/17_jul07/DSC_0569.jpg

tibaal89

08-29-2008, 02:10 PM

Glacier National Park, MT

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/18_jul08/DSC_0947.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/18_jul08/DSC_0966.jpg

Grand Teton National Park, WY

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/22_jul12/DSC_0012.jpg

South Pass City, WY

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/22_jul12/DSC_0116.jpg

Routt National Forest, CO

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/24_jul14/DSC_0180.jpg

Red Cone, CO

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/25_jul15/DSC_0301.jpg

2008 FJ Summit, CO

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/28_jul18/DSC_0710.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/29_jul19/DSC_0782.jpg

Southern Colorado

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/31_jul21/DSC_0915.jpg

tibaal89

08-29-2008, 02:10 PM

Grants, NM

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/33_jul23/DSC_1276lance.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/33_jul23/DSC_1199.jpg

Meason Flat, NM

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/34_jul24/DSC_1261colored.jpg

Chiricahua Mountains, AZ

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/36_jul26/DSC_1529lance.jpg

miniyota

08-31-2008, 10:34 AM

this is the only dirt road you are allowed to drive on in yellowstone. and it goes half a mile at the most.

ha! i've been up in yellowstone about 10-15 times this summer.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/05_jun25/DSC_0650.jpg

tibaal89

08-31-2008, 10:41 AM

Hahaha, you are correct! I think it goes to a parking area for a hiking trail head or something. Yellowstone was totally paved and very touristy, no doubt about it.

I just thought it was a cool picture, I hope that pic wasn't taken as misleading. :p

ItsaCJ6

08-31-2008, 10:42 AM

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/28_jul18/DSC_0710.jpg

Your rig is facing toward the ridge (in front and to the right) that the Luna Challenge is held on in July. The snow starved Telluride natives hike to the top and ski the ridge just for grins. It's about 300 feet higher than where you're parked. I live down in the valley below.

P.S. cool trip, great pic's.

tibaal89

08-31-2008, 10:45 AM

Your rig is facing toward the ridge (in front and to the right) that the Luna Challenge is held on in July. The snow starved Telluride natives hike to the top and ski the ridge just for grins. It's about 300 feet higher than where you're parked. I live down in the valley below.

Yea, right where I'm pointed in that pic there were some people who parked at the base in a corner on the trail and hiked up to snowboard. Flippin' crazy if you ask me! Very cool to see...

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z121/tibaal89/Continental_Divide_Expedition/28_jul18/DSC_0687.jpg

crashnzuk

08-31-2008, 02:53 PM

tibaal89

08-31-2008, 03:06 PM

Cool trip! The wife and I just got back from a 3 week trip to Alaska and back in my Dodge with the truck camper. We have lots of bitchin' scenery pics just like yours. The high light of our trip (at least for me:D) was driving the haul road to Prudhoe Bay. We did just over 7900 miles. Ok, enough of my hijack:flipoff2:
Travis..

Awesome! I'd love to see some pics of that and learn about where you went. I am planning to plan (yea, that's a very early stage of planning) a trip to Alaska for the summer of 2010... :D

miniyota

08-31-2008, 04:16 PM

nope. i just think its funny. i like the park. i live in Cody, WY. its best go through in May and September. thats when all the stupid tourists are gone. and when Cody goes back to normal and Fag gas station owners finally drop the 20 cent mark-up on gas.

Hahaha, you are correct! I think it goes to a parking area for a hiking trail head or something. Yellowstone was totally paved and very touristy, no doubt about it.

I just thought it was a cool picture, I hope that pic wasn't taken as misleading. :p

85blue4runner

09-01-2008, 07:09 PM

read all 38 days over the weekend, what a great writeup with killer pics along the way..

Downunder

09-07-2008, 05:29 AM

Mate,

Very inspirational, I've thought of coming over to the States, ( I live in Australia ) purchasing a vehicle and doing some touring just based on the wheeling sites and pics I've seen. This cements the thought and it'll be happening for sure now, possibly in a couple of years.

I read each entry and really enjoyed the pics.

I especially love the thought of the diversity of terrain for the distance travelled and the fact that one is still able to find out of the way routes and campsites.

Well written and I imagine a trip of a life time. Thanks for sharing.

Al

tibaal89

09-08-2008, 04:40 PM

Thanks guys. :D

Al, I would definitely encourage you to do some kind of travel like that. There is unbelievably diverse terrain easily accessible throughout the US, particularly in the West. In just Arizona, for instance, you can go from the dry desert to rocky mountains with pine trees and snow in a couple hours. Thanks for commenting!

BCzuk

09-08-2008, 04:59 PM

Thanks for the write up. Looks like a spectacular trip

tibaal89

09-09-2008, 06:03 PM

Thanks for the write up. Looks like a spectacular trip

Thanks! It was my first time through BC ever. Banff is the shit, never seen anything like it...