Solo on the Great Divide Trail: Episode 4

[@delgray8818]

The combination of jaw dropping scenery and intimate sharing of your personal experience in the land make these videos spectacular.

[@backpackboat1]

Totally agree

[@theemeraldexodus]

I absolutely admire the courage this took! This is actually the first time I am hearing of you guys. I thought Dan was going to be short for Danielle or something. Turns out you guys are this super adorable couple! Cant wait to see more of your videos! Thanks for sharing a bit of your journey with us!

[@tamie341]

Dan is a legend for the gear he designs, very UL but also capable. That's how I found this channel but the backpacking vlogs kept me here and greatly increased my appreciation

[@tamie341]

I am rewatching this Solo GDT series and once again am blown away! Amazing scenic shots, great editing and music that perfectly fits the mood. Found this channel as Dan is a gear legend and have seen him post many times on ULreddit, but these videos really increase my appreciation of y'all. Backpacking power couple right here! Some major goals, you guys have it made. Happy trails from Oregon, keep chasin' the stoke!!

[@durstongear]

Thanks! We've got some big hiking plans.

[@microgreensgrower3946]

"Hike on and do the thing that scares you. Your courage may surprise you." Love that statement. Going to post it in my office. Loved these episodes and look forward to the next one! Woman to woman - you did a wonderful thing! You are my hero and at 68 I'm going to do what scares me in solo hiking.

[@HM-gk3rq]

And nice to see the x-mid 2p in its natural setting. Just got mine. Got to our US mailbox the day the border closed. Finally got impatient and had them mail it. ($$$$) But if the border stays closed for the summer it’ll be worth it. Excited to try it out!!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Ahh man, that's brutal! But you likely did the right thing mailing it. The snow is melting, the weather is warming, and the mountains are WAITING! Can't wait to get back on the trail.

[@SrslyJonSweet]

Wow - the fall colors were so beautiful! And I definitely have a new respect for your skills and endurance even attempting these elevations during the unpredictable fall. Sitka is adorable and I shall henceforth refer to the triangles above/below me in my XMid as the “dog corners”! Congrats again on your massive, awe-inspiring journey - as a father of two daughters I’m really looking forward to sharing this with them!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

As always, I appreciate your support and encouragement Jon. And Sitka is a "perfect-fit" in the dog corners for sure.

[@jimmartinson5279]

I crave more videos by you two... best Ive seen on youtube...

[@domo3552]

What an inspirational vlog. You're honesty and sincerity speak volumes. Loneliness is something I thankfully don't suffer from - it's the opposite, I cherish the solitude, but I empathise with you. I've passed this film on to friends for inspiration whilst they're in lockdown. Thank you! ⛺🙏

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Thank you so much! Yea...the loneliness is tricky for sure. I LOVE being alone - total introvert, who is uber-reflective and loves to journal etc. - but somehow it still gets to me! I just LOVE experiencing those awesome trail moments with Dan. But it is kind of special to have those "just for me moments" too.

[@domo3552]

@@tarafrey-durston2606 Seems like you're experiencing the best of both worlds. Yin Yang etc..

[@tracykooken2606]

ur an angel ! an talented too !!!!!!! Sing ,,dance,,,and cook...... all at the same time. oh , and play the air guitar !!!!!! throw in a healthy dash of cutness and presto......angel lol !!!!! awesome scenes n video !!!!! thanks.

[@jimmartinson5279]

What with all the spectacular scenery, and the eloquent comments.. All I can say is HELL YA

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

That works for me! :)

[@edward6077]

I will do my GDT Thru hike south to north next year 2021 I cannot wait 😍💙 love your honest feedback you are a strong 💪 women. I respect your comment to finish what you started. Hiking in the Rocky's alone is a learning experience and challenge even for the most experienced backcountry hikers.

[@ericmenocal3768]

I truly enjoyed watching these videos, Tara. Amazing footage. Good on ya for doing as much as you did! Looking forward to seeing videos of the completed journey!

[@kurtisf3366]

Stunning, I need to do some fall hiking to Assiniboine, usually I’m up in the Wilmore or Jasper in September where there are no larches. I’m glad you were able to get back out and face down some those demons and doubts that were eating away at you this summer. You’re a strong lady and don’t need to prove anything to anybody but yourself. You Yoyo’d the GDT and went back for more, pretty powerful stuff.

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Thank you Kurtis F!

[@GrandeurNature]

You are fantastic! Big hellos from Switzerland

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Hello! And thank you.

[@halabujioutdoors]

Good to see you back. Thought the last episode was the end of it, but you are back. Beautiful sceneries of Rocky Mountains!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Yup, I'm back! And I will complete the hike this summer (July), so I will make another episode in the fall.

[@carliemccracken5089]

Wow! I’m so inspired. Thank you for sharing this journey and doing so with such honestly and vulnerability. I love these videos and I feel like maybe, just maybe, I could do a thru hike trip solo too one day.

[@jules4343]

Stunning,stunning scenery. Thank you so much for honestly sharing with us all, it is a privilege to watch, well done for facing your fears.

[@matthewleaker]

Another great episode

[@Draovander]

The GDT in the Fall is amazing! I really love the vid's you and Dan made of the Yo-Yo in 2017 and realized from them that hiking GDT is a must do on my bucket list. Your solo videos reinforce that desire. Thank you for taking the time to put this one together. You are a true inspiration.

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Thanks Aaron! I always feel like the fact that I've hiked it 3 times (or close to) must be a testament of how awesome that trail is. Seriously, I would do it again in a heart-beat. Keep her on your bucket list for sure!

[@CaptainCamp]

Didn't look closely and for a second thought the doge was a fox, lol. Good stuff, enjoyed watching this!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

She is a fox ;) Or the closest I could get to one while sticking with a canine lupus :)

[@woytekwindsock8401]

Great job! Really enjoyed watching. Headed out to Waterton this week to finish my uncompleted thru-hike myself. Can't wait to see what you guys do next. Happy hiking!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Sweet! Cheers to finishing up thru-hikes :)

[@hikingwithbarb9006]

Love the falls colors and how you capture the beauty of the trails and mountains. I really enjoy watching your videos and your honesty and determination. I admire you and hope to one day follow your footsteps and do this trail as well. Huge respect to you. You are awesome and hope that you will be able to finish and can't wait to see the next episode if you're able to get on the trail this year.

[@backpackboat1]

Amazing awesomeness as usual. And wow, I don't think I've heard a John Denver song in 30+ years!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Haha, yup...good ol' Johnny. His music just fits the GDT in my opinion. :)

[@Kevinschart]

Hi Dan - Just received my tent, super excited to try it out! I'm a baby in this back packing thing so I'm upgrading from my ALPS Lynx 1P. She served me well, but I'm on the tall side so I wanted to try something with more inside space. This tent is a bit lighter, has less heavy fabric, and two doors so overall I should be much more cool and comfortable. Also I was curious about trek pole setups. Really looking forward to the next trip!

[@hayden3225]

You did amazingly well, and I appreciate your honesty. Hopefully, my wife and I will cross paths with you this summer as we hike NOBO!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Ahh sweet! That would be really awesome. Make sure to say hello!

[@ShowalterEnterpriseCapital]

Just ordered my Durston backpack from Drop. Can't wait to go hiking with it!

[@SrslyJonSweet]

Patrick Showalter mine arrives Friday! Usually I don’t track packages day-by-day but waiting for this one is kiiiillling me.

[@halabujioutdoors]

I'm waiting to get my backpack in 2 days, Thursday. Cannot understand why it takes more than a week to deliver from PA to NJ. But it's finally on its way, Yeah!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

That's so exciting! Dan just ordered me one today as well (about time right?!), so I will complete my GDT hike with it this summer.

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

@@SrslyJonSweet Dan just ordered me one too!

[@SrslyJonSweet]

@Tara Frey-Durston I hear he gets a small discount. ;-)

[@HM-gk3rq]

What a beautiful section! Wow! Congrats on your accomplishment!!

[@tarafrey-durston2606]

Thank you!

[@KateGrarock]

Omg wow so amazing and beautiful. Thanks for sharing. And would be my absolute dream to hike with my dog. But sadly in Australia we can’t do that In most areas.

[@beardedsusanoo8325]

Thanks for this journey :-) inspiring.

[@_dmart]

these videos have been amazing. thanks and best of luck to your future adventures!

[@gfree8037]

Sometimes, you just need a lil break. :)

[@neilquinn]

I don't have time to do the whole GDT... if you had to recommend a few shorter sections (say, 1 week, 2 weeks, etc), where would you focus? Just stay close to Banff?

[@durstongear]

Section C (Peter Lougheed to Field) is great and about 8 days, with various access points along the way. As is Section E (Sask Crossing to Jasper). Those are the two most accessible sections because they are almost entirely good trail, and easy access. Other parts of the GDT like Sections D, F and G are wilder with more route finding etc, so amazing but not the best place to start. Section B is quite good too, but undergoing some major route revisions currently so in another year or so it'll be much better. Thus good to save that for another year if you can't do it all.

[@fallofmanbrand]

nice video bro

[@unvexis]

I was thinking about loneliness on the trail. Some personalities are better suited to it than others. That said, on most long-distance American trails, it's pretty hard to avoid other people, and even loners sometimes benefit from some human interaction. However, Canada has such a low population density that even on incredible trails like the GDT, there just aren't other people very often. This adds a lot of extra difficulty to the thru.

[@beccarobb9804]

I woulda brought my dog too 😊

[@ThanatosWings]

I think its kind of a priviledge not to be alone. I've spent the past 10 years in pretty much complete issolation. This is despite me trying, just no one will talk to me or become freinds. I have no family either. Theire all either racisit or transphobic, not something i want around my kids if i have them. What are you going to do when you get divorced? Most couples do. I suggest you really got to work on being ok with yourself by youself. And you cant live your life just for someone else, whats that all about. Its self deprication and codependant. Its not healthy. If being alone by yourself is scary, why are you scared of yourself? Are you going to let yourself down? When youre by yourself, you do this to you. You let lonliness happen, no one else. You scare yourself with thoughts of being away. What is "away"? Youre not away, youre there. Just be present in moment and place you are. In the beauty and connecton to the earth. I think mother nature was testing you. Idk, for me, how can i feel lonely when the whole earth is holding me?