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Canadian Rockies at their best, wild and beautiful, along the Continental Divide.


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Map Key

93.8

Miles

151.0

KM

85%

Runnable

8,229' 2,508 m

High

4,222' 1,287 m

Low

18,194' 5,545 m

Up

18,028' 5,495 m

Down

7%

Avg Grade (4°)

102%

Max Grade (46°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Commonly Backpacked · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Section Of

Need to Know

The GDT is a wilderness trail. Hiking it provides a wilderness experience that in places may include unmaintained trail, no trail at all (route finding required), animal sightings and encounters, isolation, unbridged creeks and rivers, and long distances between resupplies.

Summer weather can include snow :>)

Resources regularly updated with the latest conditions and other information are:
- GDTA website www.greatdividetrail.com
- Dustin Lynx book "Hiking Canada's Great Divide Trail"
- Dustin Lynx's Guidebook Topo Map Set
- GDT App
- Gem Trek maps

Description

The GDT (Great Divide Trail) is a long distance hike along the Continental Divide in Canada. This is Section A, the southernmost section of it.

Section A runs from the Canada/USA border in Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park (the combined Canadian Waterton Lakes National Park and US Glacier National Park) at the northern end of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT), to the town of Coleman, Alberta.

One of the most scenic sections of the GDT, Section A features high ridge walks with views of the rugged, snowy mountains that go on forever. In some places one can even see the prairies in the far, Far, FAR distance to the east.

Please see the resources listed above under Need to Know for up to date detailed descriptions and valuable hiker information.

Alternate Routes
- Great Divide Trail - Mt Rowe/Sage Pass Access Alternate Route
- Great Divide Trail - Mt Rowe/Sage Pass Alternate Route
- Great Divide Trail - Barnaby Ridge Alternate Route
- Great Divide Trail - Grizzly Lake Trail Camp Alternate Route
- Great Divide Trail - Blairmore Alternate Route

Access Trailheads (motor vehicle accessible)
- Lakeshore Trail trailhead in Waterton Townsite in Waterton Lakes National Park (near Section A start)
- Carthew - Alderson Trail trailhead in Waterton Townsite in Waterton Lakes National Park (near Section A start)
- Akamina Parkway from Rowe Lakes Trail trailhead to Carthew - Alderson Traverse and Summit Lake Trail trailhead (near Section A start)
- Castle Mountain Ski Resort
- Suicide Creek Trail trailhead near Castle Mountain Ski Resort
- Lynx Creek Road
- Lynx Creek Road at Lynx Creek Road to Coleman Trail trailhead
- Coleman (Section A end)

Access Trails
- Snowshoe Trail and Twin Lakes Trail (7.4 miles)
- Blakiston Valley Trail (6.2 miles)
- Yarrow Creek-Avion Ridge Trail for 17.9 miles, to Font Creek Trail for 3.8 miles, to main GDT (21.7 miles total)
- Bovin/Blue Lake Trail for 8.7 miles, to Font Creek Trail for 3.8 miles, to main GDT (12.5 miles total)
- South Castle Road for 14.7 miles, to Font Creek Trail for 3.8 miles, to main GDT (18.5 miles totla)

Shared By:

Joan Pendleton

Trail Ratings

  5.0 from 2 votes

#1138

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  5.0 from 2 votes
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Trail Rankings

#37

in Alberta

#1,138

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2,623 Since Oct 26, 2018
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Photos

Mt. Custer (center) stands amid a sea of peaks as seen from high on the Carthew - Anderson Traverse.
Dec 20, 2016 near Pincher…, AB
Chapman Peak (furthest left), Lake Wurdeman, Lake Nooney, and Mt. Custer (furthest right) rise among a sea of peaks when looking south from the shoulder of Mt. Carthew.
Dec 20, 2016 near Pincher…, AB
Gorgeous views of Summit Lake, Chapman Peak (left), and Mount Custer (right) make the Carthew - Alderson Traverse a must-do.
Dec 20, 2016 near Pincher…, AB
Just below the summit on the west side of Peak #5, a gorgeous valley stretches to the west-southwest, complete with snowy peaks into the distance forever. A brief sun shower hangs a rainbow over the valley if you look closely just upper left of center.
Jul 26, 2022 near Pincher…, AB
On the Carthew - Alderson Traverse, Chapman Peak welcomes visitors through the trees.
Dec 20, 2016 near Pincher…, AB
Mount Custer offers a spectacular backdrop to any journey along Cameron Lake.
Dec 20, 2016 near Pincher…, AB

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