Ok, so the Y is is.  For anyone thinking of doing the Tour Divide in 2015 - book your accommodation now. If you decide to pull out - trust me, someone will take that room from you. In 2013 I booked myself into a 8-sleeper bunk room. Needless to say in 2015 - I did not.

To everyone I stayed with those evenings - thanks, but could have done without the 4am wake up and all the other nerves that came with it. The YMCA is the place you want to stay - but its worth it to get a private or semi private room.

Looking back at my time at the YMCA all I can remember is wanting to get out and start my Tour Divide adventure on that Thursday. The excitement of the prospect of what lies ahead makes the time spent in Banff very difficult. Not only is it unbelievably expensive, you really don't appreciative the surroundings you are in as you spend most of your time with your head in your bike, packing up all your gear, comparing your bike with everyone else and wishing you have purchased more gear, packed less and trained harder. Banff is certainly bitter sweet.


For anyone looking at booking @ the YMCA - check out the link