Think about a crooked line working down a map of the USA, north to south, starting at Montana’s border with Canada, and ending at Arizona’s with Mexico, tracing alpine spines and snaking by desert plateaus. Now think about using the entire line, 2,700 miles in all, on a motorcycle, the whole lot you want strapped to the handlebars, the body.
When you’re a seasoned bikepacker, it’s possible you’ll suppose that line can be the Nice Divide Mountain Bike Route, a legendary path community established in 1997 that’s one of many world’s most interesting bike adventures. However, there’s one other. A route extra wild, extra rugged, harder, extra the whole lot.
The Wild West Route. And it’s lastly prepared for all comers.
Envisioned and deliberate by Kurt Refsnider (we coated Kurt and the way the WWR got here to be again in AJ #10, which you should purchase right here), the WWR is a testomony to the sort of nation one can see from lengthy days on a motorcycle saddle, and to the numerous great thing about public lands within the West. Refsnider spent years poring over satellite tv for pc maps of the realm who wished his path to run by, connecting current trails, connecting hearth roads, and, essentially the most tough half, accessing stretches of Navajo Nation land.
Snake River Plain, Idaho
The non-profit org Bikepacking Roots, headed by Refsnider, will probably be offering GPS navigation knowledge, a smartphone app with offline info, and route guides to riders who plan to take the WWR on. A bunch of 40 or so check riders have been using sections of the course the previous yr, Refsnider amongst them, and so they’ve pronounced it able to go.
We talked with Refsnider about what made him plunge into this undertaking and what the WWR is all about.
***
AJ: Why a brand new long-distance route, and why did you resolve to route it the place you probably did?
KR: Bikepacking has by no means been as well-liked as it’s proper now, and the need for really epic, probably life-changing long-distance routes is equally excessive. Bikepacking Roots is dedicated to supporting the rising bikepacking neighborhood by tasks like this and thru advocacy endeavors, and primarily based on our surveying of the bikepacking neighborhood, demand for a brand new cross-country route providing comparatively non-technical using was excessive. Though there are many brief routes being created by people, the event and long-term upkeep of deliberately designed routes of this magnitude is a very large enterprise – the Wild West Route undertaking has taken practically three years to finish. We additionally wished to create a route that showcases the sprawling expanses of untamed public lands within the West, and, actually what higher place to try this than by Idaho, Utah, and Arizona?
A further distinctive ingredient of this route growth undertaking is the collaborations that it took over the previous 2 years to make the route a actuality – working with land managers within the Forest Service and BLM, with personal landowners for entry and water in a number of key areas, and with tribal officers and neighborhood members on Navajo Nation because the route grew to become a element of the Navajo Nation Trails Initiative.
Did you have got a selected sort of bike in thoughts whereas designing it? Plus-sized journey bike? Gravel grinder? Full-squish? Previous-school hardtail?
The route was designed with mountain bikes in thoughts – a hardtail with entrance suspension and a pair of.2″ or wider tires will probably be perfect for many riders primarily based on suggestions from the 40-plus check riders we had out on the route final summer season. Low gearing and large brake rotors may even be perfect for the lengthy climbs and descents. A few of the rougher jeep highway sections can be fairly comfy on a full-sus rig or one thing with plus-sized tires, however neither are notably essential. And though the route follows lots of of miles of gravel roads, the gravel in these Western states is a far cry from what many riders consider as “gravel.” Depart your gravel bike at dwelling for this route – deliver a correct mountain bike.
Painted Desert, Navajo Nation
What a few specific rider? Is that this for the hardcore, sufferfest-addicted masochist? Or can a match, informal rider deal with this?
Riders who relish quiet, distant, and scenic using on filth roads and Four×Four tracks and who’re comfy being self-sufficient for 2-Four days between resupply factors will love this route. It’s undoubtedly rugged and difficult, nevertheless it’s not excessive – we didn’t design the path to be a sufferfest. In reality, we explored a number of parallel route choices in lots of areas after which linked the perfect choices collectively to create essentially the most pleasurable using expertise attainable. We tried to incorporate mellower sections interspersed with extra rugged mountain sections and tried to incorporate resupply choices in small communities repeatedly whereas nonetheless attempting to keep up as distant a really feel to the route as attainable. In southern Arizona the place water is rather more sparse, water availability partially dictated the place we positioned the route.
Do you have got a favorite part?
It’s powerful to decide on only one incredible part. The distant mountains of central Idaho are idyllic – wolves howl, small streams supply frequent water, and wildflowers add bursts of shade to fully burned mountainsides. The desolate Snake River Plain in southern Idaho gives a sort of solitude and expansiveness that’s powerful to seek out within the West. The 100-plus miles of tough using at practically 10,000 toes elevation on Skyline Drive in central Utah is extremely memorable. And the range of landscapes in my dwelling state of Arizona is unparalleled. There are simply so many superb miles alongside the size of the route!
If folks wish to make the most of what Bikepacking Roots gives, how ought to they take benefit?
We’ve created a collection of intensive navigation, logistical, and academic supplies for riders planning to discover the Wild West Route. We’ve GPS tracks and 1,500 waypoints for navigation functions accessible for gratis to Bikepacking Roots members (and membership is free!), and we developed a logistical and academic information with overview maps that’s practically 100 pages lengthy, accessible in return for a $20 donation. We’ve additionally collaborated with Knobby Guides to create a navigation-ready smartphone app on which riders can simply put up updates or feedback about any water supply or different waypoints alongside the way in which. The app may even permit us to simply share sudden detours if wanted with rides en route. That will probably be launched in only a few weeks. All this may be discovered at our web site.
Has the suggestions from riders because you first plotted the course brought about any modifications or updates?
Suggestions from the riders that rode some or the entire route final summer season was invaluable in tweaking a couple of sections of the route and for growing a extra complete itemizing of bike-friendly sources in communities alongside the way in which. One part in northern Idaho was severely washed out from flooding to the purpose of being probably unsafe for cyclists, so we re-routed that and have been in discussions with the native Forest Service recreation planner about attainable options – they’re not planning to rebuild that highway, however it’s the solely manner by the completely gorgeous Cupboard Mountains. And in communities, the check riders handed out informative postcards concerning the route, and that led to numerous gives from people and companies excited to assist future bikepackers on the route.
How lengthy would you count on a full journey of the WWR to take?
My finest evaluation is that the majority riders will cowl between 40 and 70 miles per day, with the latter being an enormous day within the saddle for a lot of this route given how a lot elevation acquire is included in lots of the segments. That every day mileage interprets to 40 to 70 days of using to cowl the total size of the Wild West Route.
