The Divide 200

Hi |*FIRST_NAME*|,

I hope that spring is springing and your training is going well. If you did not get a chance to join us for the video update on Facebook this morning, you can find it here.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedivide200

As stated on the Course Page of the website, there are several jurisdictions and several permits required to make The Divide 200 happen. Two changes happened that are compelling us to change the race route.

First, in late April, we received news that the BC government has changed the rules around access in the Flathead Valley. We discussed it with the regional director, and even though we have followed all the rules, they have decided that the area needs extra scrutiny and restrictions. So we had to restart our permit process, and it can take upwards of 400 days for a new permit. It might happen faster but we cannot wait and see; you have to plan, and we have to plan. The short version is that we have to modify the course to not go into BC, which is sad for me because I think it adds a lot to the spirit of the race. There are also a lot of benefits to the change, which I'll get into below.

We have updated the course to cover the ~60km distance in BC, all in Alberta. The change in BC has created a cascade of new work on the AB permit front, as we already had one permit and another was just about finished. So we had to reapply for both, although that process should be a lot faster since we have a great relationship with both offices. Just note that the new route still is not yet approved, so there could be further tweaks, but it will be minor, not a wholesale change. We have been discussing it with both permit officers since we learned about the BC change, so they are well aware of what we are intending. We are announcing it now because we want to make sure everyone has several months to get their heads around the change.

The second change that has affected the course is new restrictions around land use in Castle Provincial Park. Castle PP makes up about 60% of the course. This area was loved to death by random camping, and the Province is taking steps to reclaim the trails and camping sites that are not authorized. We fully support the move to restore this land to its natural state, but it does mean that some of the sites we use are now off limits. Parks said we might be able to get away with using some of them, but we want to support this change, so we have proposed new locations, and we are just waiting to hear back with confirmation. The CPs would move to designated camping areas with actual outhouses!

So what's new?

1. All CPs after CP6 are in different spots and most had to be renumbered
2. The driving will be way, way easier for support crews and pacers (but there is still back-road driving)
3. You will get more access to support crews and drop bags
4. It reduces the gravel road running by around 40km
5. Course specifics:
   1. There is a bit of a reroute leaving CP4 to avoid overlap later in the race
   2. CP7 is now a little farther south, and it will be accessible by support crews (this is the worst road on the course, but better than the one in BC)
   3. From CP7, you will continue farther north along the old Great Divide Trail (GDT) route, then intersect with the spectacular Highrock Trail - that means a lot more single track right below the continental divide
   4. You will get an aid station (CP8) right above Window Mountain Lake in Racehorse Pass - more stunning views
   5. Part way south, you get another supported aid station (CP9) before you get back to Coleman (CP6/CP10)
   6. The old CP8 on Atlas Road has been removed as you now have three CPs in the north area of the course, and two of them are support crew accessible
   7. At CP10 on the edge of Coleman, you will need to fuel up because you will roll along the mighty Saddle Mountain and the Big Bear trail - you then descend to Star Creek Falls, and head south to connect to the original route on the GDT
   8. From CP11 you will now head west to Lost Creek, and south to CP12 and North Kootenay Pass
   9. At NKP you will wave fondly (or shake your fist - whatever) at BC, then pick up a special token to commemorate your journey (it's still secret for now)
   10. Heading east, you will get to CP13, which is located near CP5, so the loop is almost closed
   11. From CP13 you will head south on the Gardiner Creek Trail, and make the final big push up the shoulder of Syncline Mountain, and down to Hwy 774
   12. From there, we have asked permission to use the West Castle Wetland Trail to make your way to the finish - this is a serene bit of single track that shows you the beauty of our local wetlands, but being a sensitive area, there may be restrictions due to weather, ground conditions, and the like (so this might get rerouted)

Pretty much everything on the website should be updated, except the Volunteer pages - they are a lot of work, so we will need another week on that.

We took a few weeks to retool all of this and verify everything before sending it out. While we are still waiting for revised permits, we are confident in our choices. As I said, changes can still happen when creating a course of this magnitude, but we continue to forge ahead. Our goal was not just to throw together something that would work; we always promise epic experiences, and the revised course had to be something we are proud to present.

Watch this video again, and get inspired for September (just skip over the bit about BC). https://youtu.be/L1MtFRneyms?si=KcgxJQf38avbbqBE

See you soon! Train hard and have fun out there.

Kindest regards,

Brian Gallant
Owner + Director, Sinister Sports

Sinister 7 Ultra • Canadian Death Race • Black Spur Ultra • The Divide 200 • Castle Alpine Trail Race • The Dark: 24 Hours Underground

Gold Season Sponsors: