The GDT switchback that almost broke me near Jasper last month

I was 6 days into the Great Divide Trail section around Jasper and hit that endless switchback climb past Jonas Pass. My legs were done by mile 14 but the map said the camp was only 4 km ahead, turns out those map kms are lies when you're hauling a 40 lb pack. I ditched my planned rest day in the townsite and pushed through, which got me to the next shelter by dusk but I had zero energy for bear hangs or cooking. Anyone else find that the GDT's elevation math never matches the real trail, or is it just me?

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sean78213d ago

...so you skipped the rest day and that's where it went sideways. Did you actually look at the elevation profile before you started that push, or were you just trusting the km markers on the map? Because I've learned the hard way that 4 km on the GDT means 4 km straight up, and that's a whole different beast when your legs are shot. What was your pack weight by the end of the day, and did you end up sleeping without bear hang? That's the kind of shortcut that haunts you at 2 am when you hear something sniffing around.