GREAT DIVIDE TRAIL: Section F - Bogs, Bears & Bergs

Krysta and Brian leave Jasper and head north towards Mt Robson Visitor centre, the main terminus of the Great Divide Trail.
The weather turns worse and brings rain, turning their route into a boggy and muddy traverse. This remote section had lots of signs of wildlife - including a close encounter with a Grizzly bear.
But setting their gaze upon Mt Robson for the first time from the shores of Berg Lake trail was a reward neither of them could have anticipated.
Follow along as they complete their final section of the Great Divide Trail.
Thanks for watching - and stay tuned for the next big adventure!
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Equipment used:
Shot on: amzn.to/3kOFLD8
Tent: amzn.to/31ffOWY
Krysta’s Backpack: amzn.to/2ZcNbXB
Krysta’s Hiking Shoes: amzn.to/2YyGYXd
Krysta’s Sleeping Pad: amzn.to/3g02MAJ
Krysta’s Sleeping Bag: amzn.to/31WEYIL
Krysta’s Pillow: amzn.to/2EdogfJ
Garmin inReach: alnk.to/9xb2mvq
Krysta’s Goretex Jacket: amzn.to/2ZdmIJJ
Krysta’s Down Jacket: amzn.to/31jvFDU
Krysta’s Smartwool Long sleeve: alnk.to/aAFAfqf
Krysta’s Smartwool Short sleeve: alnk.to/6TrFEiA
Krysta’s Smartwool Underwear: alnk.to/2uyJ7UM
Brian’s Backpack: amzn.to/34gMcbu
Brian’s Shoes: amzn.to/30paj6W
Brian’s Pants: amzn.to/2ShgepS
Brian’s Mid Layer: amzn.to/3jlupGo
Brian’s Camera: amzn.to/2Seuu2U
Brian’s Lens: amzn.to/3l08q8l
Fuel: alnk.to/58i5QbX
Laundry Soap: alnk.to/1MTHcy6

[@filmic1]

What an enormously gorgeous country we have. Thanks for sharing your odyssey. I remember when the GDT was just a rumour of discontinuous overgrown sections. Amazing, daunting. RE: @9:45 I suspend two pieces from my Peak1 SSteel cookset under the food cache. Jasper definitely does not like the clanging noise. Sets off quite a racket and it stopped yanking at the prussic cord we used. Other hikers weren't so fortunate. One lost his entire food cache. Got a photo of that with my Nikkormat. (Adirondacks ~ 1987)

[@lorindaducklow7157]

I just binge watched all of the 6 section videos of your journey on the GDT. WOW! I absolutely loved it! I did 100k from the north to Assiniboine Mt and out there. Watching how you included the world into your emotions at every shift and realization, was captivating. I could identify with what you were going through, physically and emotionally. I see courage in you, grit, determination, awareness, wisdom, light, and depth. I feel blessed to have seen into you and your soul changing adventurous journey. You are an inspiration. It seems you were doing exactly the most important thing you could do during these weeks in the mountains. growing personally. You seem to be a beautiful person inside and out, and no doubt you shine even brighter now! I cried so much watching and listening to your story, my heart was with you. I love the mountains, but you have a way of showing it that warms my heart. My tears are joy, love for the beauty I saw through your lens. Thank you both for sharing such a deep experience. The video was so good too! Great job!

[@MissNikkor]

I love your videos, I watched the PCT one and now this GDT series Wow! Western Canada is magnificent. Wild, immense, with magnificent mountains and lakes such as can be seen on the PCT. I really enjoyed seeing your partner join your adventure. You make a great team. You are beautiful to see together. Congratulations to you both. It's a terrain that seems quite difficult, and the fact of being in a grizzly area must make the adventure even more thrilling.

[@KrystaNorwick]

Thanks for watching!! Really glad you enjoy! It really is magnificent!

[@katlw136]

I loved watching this series! You do such a good job capturing real, unpretentious footage of the hike and your inner emotional journey. Thank you!

[@BackcountryForward]

That opening monologue was moving! Thank you for that! Edit: As a big ideas guy myself... I really feel what Brian was saying. I've even had people mention that they think this trail this year for me is just a dream and they speak about it like they don't expect me to follow through. I want to do this trip to prove to myself that I can do big things! (Now back to finishing the video!)

[@BackcountryForward]

@@KrystaNorwick I've decided I want to be yours' and Brian's friend! Haha you guys seem great! Thanks for putting this all together Krysta! Ps. This is Jesse from the FB group... did you ever end up recording your physio webinar?

[@BackcountryForward]

I'm so sad this is over. I can't even imagine how I'm going to process the ending of my journey! Thank you SO much for this Krysta. It's really helped lift my spirits, inspire me, and encourage me! I can't wait to see what other "big ideas" await you and Brian! Keep Moving Forward, Backcountry Forward! ~ Jesse

[@BackcountryForward]

@@KrystaNorwick I have... ish... I'm way further behind than I should be! lol But I'm excited!

[@BackcountryForward]

@@KrystaNorwick your videos helped a lot with that!

[@marcofthetrail]

Went through the area last year. I share the enthusiasm for Colonel pass Campground. That is a such a gem and the only way to get to it is through 25-30 kms of difficult trail either direction. Makes it even more special. Love the music you played here as well. Great song.

[@lenoredisman3192]

Loved this whole series of the GDT

[@kurtisf3366]

I’ve done lots of hiking in the Willmore and Jasper and mud is a fact of life on some of these trails. Our Tonquin Valley motto was “Embrace the suck” a dual meaning with the sucking sound of your boots in the mud and the crappy conditions. Just power through the mud and lift your eyes to the scenery instead of looking for roots to jump onto to avoid the mud. We almost had tshirts made haha.

[@kurtisf3366]

@@KrystaNorwick We have spent a ton of time in the Kananaskis area and Peter Lougheed Provincial Park in particular. If you ever get the chance (and you aren't afraid of heights), go do Northover Ridge, which I believe is also an alternate to the GDT. It makes a great 3 day trip but I'm serious about the heights thing, you go up onto a knife edge ridge that is absolutely amazing, but only about as wide as your boot for a 6 foot section and about as wide as a city sidewalk for probably a km or so.

[@kurtisf3366]

@@KrystaNorwick Sorry, realized I didn't answer your question properly, I haven't been into the Elk Pass Area much. We're probably going to do Section B of the GDT this summer so we'll get to see some of it then. Might even try the Coral Pass alternate if we're brave enough...

[@arlenebaltrus9709]

Well done!! Your videos are excellent. Thank you for sharing this big adventure.

[@davidcampbell4174]

Great documentation of your journey. Thanks for sharing.

[@KrystaNorwick]

Thanks for watching!

[@Tylee10]

I’m happy you guys made it and I was able to watch your adventure. Now you guys have to do the pacific crest trail 2600 miles!

[@KrystaNorwick]

Thanks for watching our GDT hiking series! We are hooked on doing long distance hikes now, and are in the lookout for a next one. We’d love to do the PCT! Have you hiked it?

[@Tylee10]

@@KrystaNorwick it's an amazing backpacking trip with many others doing the same as you. They become your backpacking family and you see them here and there on the way back to Canada. If you go start from Mexico it's easier to just cross the border with permission into manning park and get picked up there. 😀

[@madame88ca]

Well you guys, as a viewer, I’m sad that these amazing vlogs have come to an end, but I know you were ready for it to be over - a thousand thank yous for so generously sharing all the ups and downs (literally and figuratively) with us. It SO felt like we were there with you (OK, maybe minus the wet feet, etc 🙃). You guys totally rock!! I’ll keep your liking for all dressed chips in the back of my mind going forward. Love, Auntie C and B💕👍🏻👍🏻

[@remainingwild]

At 0:06 there's a scene of the glacier at Berg Lake and even though I haven't done that hike yet "what lessons have I learned" rings so true for me

[@aquamarine9568]

This was an incredible series. Congratulations both of you. I would love to see a video that discussses the technicalities of the trail, for example how difficult was it, which were the easiest sections, which the most difficult and why, what kind of experience hiking had you had before this hike, what did you do to prepare your body to hike this hike, does one have to be an experienced hiker to do the trail etc. I ask because I have read it is very to extremely difficult, but some concrete examples would be helpful. Part of me says I want so badly to try, but the other part says it is impossible. Your videos are so well done. Thanks for sharing your experiences and the journey.

[@hikingwithbarb9006]

Congratulations on completing your thru hike. Very inspiring and thanks for keeping it real even when things became ugly and you were feeling vulnerable. I binged watched all the episodes this weekend and really enjoyed! What a great honeymoon! I am hoping to do the PCT in a few years but I think doing the GDT or even a section or 2 would be great practice. I've been thinking of doing Rock Lake by Grande Cache to Mount Robson but the uncertainty of the trail and the remoteness of it intimates me. Maybe I just need to listen to what Brian ended the video on.... "Just do it!"

[@betty-loucreamer112]

You rock that big suit ! You both amaze me! The scenery was even more spectacular! The bear didn’t seem to phase you! Congratulations to you both! I appreciate you documenting your journey! I look forward to watching many more of your adventures! I’m goi g to rewatch multiple times! Love to you both😘

[@jasonjackson7293]

I really enjoyed following along on your journey. It was amazing to see how much stronger and how much more confidence you gained through out your journey Thanks for sharing this beautiful hike with us. Now I understand my it is on a lot of people's radar these days.

[@jasonjackson7293]

@@KrystaNorwick Working on it. JMT only so far.

[@marksabo8276]

Thank you for sharing your journey. The transparency of your feelings made it real a wonderful video. Good luck on your continued journey.

[@SteveAudra]

Amazing scenery! And well done on finishing it! That must have felt so great!

[@RootlessWanderer]

2:40 - 😳 Wow what a journey thanks for sharing! PS Was the cider at the end? Lol...

[@RootlessWanderer]

@@KrystaNorwick When I can't be out there hiking I am watching others hike lol. Thank you for your videos!

[@flyingzebra8612]

Wow, thank you for these videos! I'll be planning my gdt thru hike now... Absolutely breath taking! One of the misconceptions I've had about thru hiking is that you need to have super ultralight gear but your videos have shown me that really, it's possible with anything! Thanks again and I hope to see more videos of your travels :)

[@JH-hw3ci]

Great stuff. Can you explain how exactly the trail changed you? Was it in a good way? What specifically changed about you? Thanks again foe sharing your adventure.

[@jjohns288]

Thanks and nice job. I wish you both the best in life.

[@annehindley-norwick9997]

Bravo to you both!! 🏆

[@remainingwild]

17:34 Bryan: "You should do it" Me: alright!

[@tonymizzaro5739]

That is amazing. Great job to you both. I see you are using the arcteryx packs. How did they work for you? What size pack did you both go with. Incredible views. Thanks for sharing.

[@tonymizzaro5739]

@@KrystaNorwick thanks for the reply. I would really enjoy that. I have really enjoyed watching your journey. I enjoy learning more about what it takes to attempt a hike like this. And the gear is interesting. Thanks again for sharing your epic adventure. Tony.

[@tonymizzaro5739]

@@KrystaNorwick I would really appreciate that. Thanks so much for getting back to me. Hope you and your family have a great thanks giving weekend.

[@tonymizzaro5739]

Thanks so much. I look forward to seeing it. I have really enjoyed watching your amazing hikes. Thanks for taking us along. Very inspiring. Makes me want to try more.

[@betty-loucreamer112]

I meant Bug suit! 😂

[@naplesbeachgetaway]

Sometimes you need a second coffee. Isn’t that the truth