~8 miles
3,500 vertical
Got out with George today for a trip and a half up Green. Up the front, down Greenman to Ranger, back up to summit, met Allison and Sierra, then down Ranger/Gregory. Never really even checked times. I think I had 41:51 up the standard route from Gregory TH.
Sierra
Sierra
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Green Mountain
6 miles
2,400 vertical
51 up
Got out with Allison and Sierra today up Gregory/Ranger. It was surprisingly cool. Stuck with Allison and went fairly easy, but she was working a bit hard due to time spent slacking at sea level. Lots of awesome butterflies out today.
2,400 vertical
51 up
Got out with Allison and Sierra today up Gregory/Ranger. It was surprisingly cool. Stuck with Allison and went fairly easy, but she was working a bit hard due to time spent slacking at sea level. Lots of awesome butterflies out today.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Green Mountain
5 miles
2,400 vert
37:18 up/25 down
Day 4 in a row on Green, I just don't get sick of it for some reason. It is so quiet and peaceful. The trail is a good gradient and offers a good bit of variation and some fun views along the way.
Went moderate today, never pushed at all, but never really slacked either, just kept it steady. Felt good from the first step and felt better with each step up, felt like I could have really poured it on this morning, especially on the upper half, but refrained. Near Saddle Rock, I passed an older gentleman who I have seen many times in the past few weeks, probably in his 60's. He was moving pretty quick and it took me a little longer to pass than I anticipated. On the way down, he was already at the last wooden step before the final switchbacks. Pretty amazing, I sure hope I can stay that fit and active at that age.
2,400 vert
37:18 up/25 down
Day 4 in a row on Green, I just don't get sick of it for some reason. It is so quiet and peaceful. The trail is a good gradient and offers a good bit of variation and some fun views along the way.
Went moderate today, never pushed at all, but never really slacked either, just kept it steady. Felt good from the first step and felt better with each step up, felt like I could have really poured it on this morning, especially on the upper half, but refrained. Near Saddle Rock, I passed an older gentleman who I have seen many times in the past few weeks, probably in his 60's. He was moving pretty quick and it took me a little longer to pass than I anticipated. On the way down, he was already at the last wooden step before the final switchbacks. Pretty amazing, I sure hope I can stay that fit and active at that age.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Green Mountain
5 miles
2,400 vertical
35:53 up/22 down
Standard route
Got out of bed today and felt a bit creaky (I am 37 now afterall….). My back has been a bit stiff from humping heavy boxes all over the place preparing for the move, then I sat in one of our patio chairs to eat dinner and it broke, tweaking it a bit more. Crazy how something stupid around the house can potentially mess up your running or well being, like when I fell down the basement stairs and tweaked my ankle last summer, Kraig risking it all playing mini golf, or a collapsing yard chair.
Started up the trail a bit later than I had hoped and was a bit hurried by wanting to get to work by 8. I overall felt lousy as I warmed up my tired muscles through the upper part of Chautauqua. I was listening to my mp3 player and was eager for the line up of Endurance Planet episodes I had queued up.
I was hoping to go a bit faster than I did the past few days, but was not really committed to going too hard. I felt better and better the higher I went, but was paying more attention to the earphones than looking at my watch and subsequent pace. I went somewhat hard, but never felt as though I was extending myself, just really flowing well. I did crank it up through the new section, as it is my favorite section of trail to run, going up and down as it really is ideal for going fast.
Made the summit in 35:53, a few minutes off PR, but I was pretty happy with that considering the lack of commitment today. Went down in 22ish, and as George likes to say, the super computer was kicking in as my feet could do no wrong and my coordination was spot on.
2,400 vertical
35:53 up/22 down
Standard route
Got out of bed today and felt a bit creaky (I am 37 now afterall….). My back has been a bit stiff from humping heavy boxes all over the place preparing for the move, then I sat in one of our patio chairs to eat dinner and it broke, tweaking it a bit more. Crazy how something stupid around the house can potentially mess up your running or well being, like when I fell down the basement stairs and tweaked my ankle last summer, Kraig risking it all playing mini golf, or a collapsing yard chair.
Started up the trail a bit later than I had hoped and was a bit hurried by wanting to get to work by 8. I overall felt lousy as I warmed up my tired muscles through the upper part of Chautauqua. I was listening to my mp3 player and was eager for the line up of Endurance Planet episodes I had queued up.
I was hoping to go a bit faster than I did the past few days, but was not really committed to going too hard. I felt better and better the higher I went, but was paying more attention to the earphones than looking at my watch and subsequent pace. I went somewhat hard, but never felt as though I was extending myself, just really flowing well. I did crank it up through the new section, as it is my favorite section of trail to run, going up and down as it really is ideal for going fast.
Made the summit in 35:53, a few minutes off PR, but I was pretty happy with that considering the lack of commitment today. Went down in 22ish, and as George likes to say, the super computer was kicking in as my feet could do no wrong and my coordination was spot on.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Green Mountain
2,400 vertical
5 miles
42:32up/?? down?
Went up Green the "standard" way again with Sierra today. It was yet another one of those perfect mornings and we had the trail all to ourselves. Went super easy.... 60% walking, 20% jogging, 15% stopping to wait on Sierra and another 5% for moving a dead tree that fell overnight.
On the way down we bumped into Homie, so we waited for him to finish and then went down pretty easy.
5 miles
42:32up/?? down?
Went up Green the "standard" way again with Sierra today. It was yet another one of those perfect mornings and we had the trail all to ourselves. Went super easy.... 60% walking, 20% jogging, 15% stopping to wait on Sierra and another 5% for moving a dead tree that fell overnight.
On the way down we bumped into Homie, so we waited for him to finish and then went down pretty easy.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Green
6.5 miles
2,500 vertical
George and I met at Chautauqua for an easyish spin up Green. After a minor delay, we hit the trail around 6:30? Went up the "standard" route in 44 from Chautauqua at easy moderate pace blabbing the whole time. My legs felt good, but I am content to take it easy for a bit. The descent was very slow as we waited a bunch for Sierra, might have even taken us longer to get down Ranger/Gregory..... As always, it is always a blast running with George, even if his day was off to a bad start ;).
2,500 vertical
George and I met at Chautauqua for an easyish spin up Green. After a minor delay, we hit the trail around 6:30? Went up the "standard" route in 44 from Chautauqua at easy moderate pace blabbing the whole time. My legs felt good, but I am content to take it easy for a bit. The descent was very slow as we waited a bunch for Sierra, might have even taken us longer to get down Ranger/Gregory..... As always, it is always a blast running with George, even if his day was off to a bad start ;).
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Moving lots of boxes
~3 miles
~700 vertical feet
Just a guestimate on the stats, but I spun many laps up and down the stairs today. I regretfully passed up an offer from Homie to go to the mountains, but the impending move on the 30th is weighing heavily on me. Got quite a bit done around the house, packed and carried many boxes, feeling like I am starting to get a handle on it. Sierra reminded me all day that we should be out trouncing around on snowy peaks, I felt so bad not being able to get her out, it has been a full week and will probably be another two weeks until we get out again. At 2:30 I got caught up on a few mountain trip reports and almost sped out the door for a late afternoon trip up Grays and Torreys, but was ultimately glad I did not.
As a side note, I don't feel tired or sore today whatsoever from the race yesterday. Last year I felt it a bit (although I climbed a few 14ers the next day....). I may take a few days off or easy before I start training again, mainly I need a bit of a mental break.
~700 vertical feet
Just a guestimate on the stats, but I spun many laps up and down the stairs today. I regretfully passed up an offer from Homie to go to the mountains, but the impending move on the 30th is weighing heavily on me. Got quite a bit done around the house, packed and carried many boxes, feeling like I am starting to get a handle on it. Sierra reminded me all day that we should be out trouncing around on snowy peaks, I felt so bad not being able to get her out, it has been a full week and will probably be another two weeks until we get out again. At 2:30 I got caught up on a few mountain trip reports and almost sped out the door for a late afternoon trip up Grays and Torreys, but was ultimately glad I did not.
As a side note, I don't feel tired or sore today whatsoever from the race yesterday. Last year I felt it a bit (although I climbed a few 14ers the next day....). I may take a few days off or easy before I start training again, mainly I need a bit of a mental break.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Mt. Evans Ascent
Mt. Evans Ascent
6/21/08
14.5 miles
3,800 vertical +/-
2hrs 09min 18 sec
13th male
14th overall
2rd 35-39 age division
Results:http://www.racingunderground.com/mtevans/
The field for this one was pretty deep and I was a bit intimidated going into it, but heck, the best way to get better is to run with people who are faster! With names like Matt Carpenter, Michael Selig, Cornelis Guijt, Bryan Dayton, Andrew Adamowski, Daryn Parker amongst other fast names on the start list, I knew that a faster run than last year on my part would most likely yield an even lower placing, but my focus today was to just go out and run my own race, have fun, do my best and try not to really be influenced one way or the other by who was ahead.
The morning was perfect, if a bit cool while getting ready, but by the 8am start time, the temperature had warmed to a near perfect temperature under perfect blue clear skies. I take my place on the line next to Carpenter and mention something to him about whether or not he is going for the record. He shrugs off the question as expected, saying something to the effect of the record standing for 30+ years (1:41) and he is of course not giving much up, especially to me, a complete stranger.
The race starts and I am buried in a surge of adrenaline pumped runners. Quickly things begin to sort themselves out and I settle into a “comfortable” pace behind Mike Selig in something like 12th or 13th place? Mike is a great runner and has placed very high at Pikes before, in addition to some other very good placings, so I am a bit surprised to be this close to him. We pass the 2 mile mark a few ticks over 15 and at one point, I even work up the nerve to attempt a pass, but he is not letting it happen and I quickly realize that the additional effort would just not be worth it, oh well .
I keep most of the runners ahead of me pretty much in sight for about half the race, but they are ever so slowly creeping away a bit more with each passing step. I keep Mike within 30 seconds or so and know that he knows how to pace well, so I figure that I am on track to at least set a PR. At mile 7.5, he suddenly and unexpectedly pulls to the side of the road and jumps into a waiting vehicle (of course he is having a bad day which explains why I was so close afterall….). Before he jumped in, I gave Mike some encouragement for him to continue as I passed by, but he is done for the day.
Just prior to summit lake, I get passed by a guy who I do not recognize and he is really turning over a great pace. I continue to maintain my steady trot though and he does not get too far ahead. I make it to summit lake 3 minutes faster than last year and know that if I play it smart, I can at least maintain that margin. At this point my legs are starting to feel a bit worked from the effort and the pavement and I know from experience that last 5 miles are going to really hurt bad .
Out of the blue, I think to myself that there are no women ahead of me and it secretly makes me happy . No more than a few minutes after thinking that, I hear a light pitter pat behind me and some fast breathing that sounds suspiciously feminine. Uh oh, here it goes, I am about to get chicked . A petite Japanese woman passes and we exchange nods. I try hard to keep up and do OK, until we get to the final downhill and she shoots off ahead and quickly passes the guy that earlier passed me, but I keep them in sight and for the most part am always on the same stretch as them. I later find out that she is an Olympic Gold medalist in the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Games! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoko_Takahashi I guess I don't feel that bad afterall..... .
As the switchbacks start to really double back, I notice that a few guys are starting to gain on me, along with the second place woman. I am hurting and I really start to question whether or not I can hold them off and start having haunting premonitions that I am about to lose at least 3 places in the final mile. Without really increasing my pace, just mainly adjusting effort to altitude and building fatigue, I dig as deep as I can and it feels as though I am about to explode. I am not super concerned with placing, my primary goal is to go under 2:10, but I have come this far and worked this hard that I don’t really want to concede hard fought placings to anyone this close to the summit.
All kinds of crazy thoughts go through my head in the last miles. Jump on the back of a car? Cut a switchback or two? Give up and walk? Steal some poor sap’s carbon road bike? None of that is realistic or fair, so I give in to good ole’ fashioned deep suffering, knowing that this last push is hurting my competitors as much as me and before I know it, it will all be over.
A surge of adrenaline as I near the final switchback gives me just what I need to bust out my best sprint. I know I have everyone behind me under control, but I can see that I am getting pretty close to 2:10 and don’t want to take any chances. I sneak in under my goal time and dizzily walk off the pain for about a minute. Then my mountaineer brain immediately kicks in and I spent another few minutes huffing my way up to the true summit. I figure if I don’t do it now, I will not want to later as my mind and quads revolt. I flop onto the familiar summit rock and pant for a bit, sign the register and spend a few minutes looking down on the race and taking in the views.
The trip down was a mess. We jumped into a “shuttle” (somebodys SUV), were dropped off at the waiting busses at summit lake, then were told that they would not be departing for another 45+ minutes!! Uggg…., I just want to get down after waiting for friends to finish for over 40 minutes at the summit. We resort to good ole’ fashioned hitch hiking and myself and my two friends who I rode with this morning all got rides within 10 minutes or so.
I had a great day on the mountain. I felt great and felt as though I gave it my all and had no excuses, I had an awesome time the whole day, despite the pain and suffering. You gotta like that sort of thing, otherwise why else would you pay $55 to run the highest road race?
Matt Carpenter ended up breaking the course record, bringing it down to 1:37:01! Naoko Takahashi also set a woman's course record of 2:06:20.
6/21/08
14.5 miles
3,800 vertical +/-
2hrs 09min 18 sec
13th male
14th overall
2rd 35-39 age division
Results:http://www.racingunderground.com/mtevans/
The field for this one was pretty deep and I was a bit intimidated going into it, but heck, the best way to get better is to run with people who are faster! With names like Matt Carpenter, Michael Selig, Cornelis Guijt, Bryan Dayton, Andrew Adamowski, Daryn Parker amongst other fast names on the start list, I knew that a faster run than last year on my part would most likely yield an even lower placing, but my focus today was to just go out and run my own race, have fun, do my best and try not to really be influenced one way or the other by who was ahead.
The morning was perfect, if a bit cool while getting ready, but by the 8am start time, the temperature had warmed to a near perfect temperature under perfect blue clear skies. I take my place on the line next to Carpenter and mention something to him about whether or not he is going for the record. He shrugs off the question as expected, saying something to the effect of the record standing for 30+ years (1:41) and he is of course not giving much up, especially to me, a complete stranger.
The race starts and I am buried in a surge of adrenaline pumped runners. Quickly things begin to sort themselves out and I settle into a “comfortable” pace behind Mike Selig in something like 12th or 13th place? Mike is a great runner and has placed very high at Pikes before, in addition to some other very good placings, so I am a bit surprised to be this close to him. We pass the 2 mile mark a few ticks over 15 and at one point, I even work up the nerve to attempt a pass, but he is not letting it happen and I quickly realize that the additional effort would just not be worth it, oh well .
I keep most of the runners ahead of me pretty much in sight for about half the race, but they are ever so slowly creeping away a bit more with each passing step. I keep Mike within 30 seconds or so and know that he knows how to pace well, so I figure that I am on track to at least set a PR. At mile 7.5, he suddenly and unexpectedly pulls to the side of the road and jumps into a waiting vehicle (of course he is having a bad day which explains why I was so close afterall….). Before he jumped in, I gave Mike some encouragement for him to continue as I passed by, but he is done for the day.
Just prior to summit lake, I get passed by a guy who I do not recognize and he is really turning over a great pace. I continue to maintain my steady trot though and he does not get too far ahead. I make it to summit lake 3 minutes faster than last year and know that if I play it smart, I can at least maintain that margin. At this point my legs are starting to feel a bit worked from the effort and the pavement and I know from experience that last 5 miles are going to really hurt bad .
Out of the blue, I think to myself that there are no women ahead of me and it secretly makes me happy . No more than a few minutes after thinking that, I hear a light pitter pat behind me and some fast breathing that sounds suspiciously feminine. Uh oh, here it goes, I am about to get chicked . A petite Japanese woman passes and we exchange nods. I try hard to keep up and do OK, until we get to the final downhill and she shoots off ahead and quickly passes the guy that earlier passed me, but I keep them in sight and for the most part am always on the same stretch as them. I later find out that she is an Olympic Gold medalist in the marathon at the 2000 Sydney Games! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naoko_Takahashi I guess I don't feel that bad afterall..... .
As the switchbacks start to really double back, I notice that a few guys are starting to gain on me, along with the second place woman. I am hurting and I really start to question whether or not I can hold them off and start having haunting premonitions that I am about to lose at least 3 places in the final mile. Without really increasing my pace, just mainly adjusting effort to altitude and building fatigue, I dig as deep as I can and it feels as though I am about to explode. I am not super concerned with placing, my primary goal is to go under 2:10, but I have come this far and worked this hard that I don’t really want to concede hard fought placings to anyone this close to the summit.
All kinds of crazy thoughts go through my head in the last miles. Jump on the back of a car? Cut a switchback or two? Give up and walk? Steal some poor sap’s carbon road bike? None of that is realistic or fair, so I give in to good ole’ fashioned deep suffering, knowing that this last push is hurting my competitors as much as me and before I know it, it will all be over.
A surge of adrenaline as I near the final switchback gives me just what I need to bust out my best sprint. I know I have everyone behind me under control, but I can see that I am getting pretty close to 2:10 and don’t want to take any chances. I sneak in under my goal time and dizzily walk off the pain for about a minute. Then my mountaineer brain immediately kicks in and I spent another few minutes huffing my way up to the true summit. I figure if I don’t do it now, I will not want to later as my mind and quads revolt. I flop onto the familiar summit rock and pant for a bit, sign the register and spend a few minutes looking down on the race and taking in the views.
The trip down was a mess. We jumped into a “shuttle” (somebodys SUV), were dropped off at the waiting busses at summit lake, then were told that they would not be departing for another 45+ minutes!! Uggg…., I just want to get down after waiting for friends to finish for over 40 minutes at the summit. We resort to good ole’ fashioned hitch hiking and myself and my two friends who I rode with this morning all got rides within 10 minutes or so.
I had a great day on the mountain. I felt great and felt as though I gave it my all and had no excuses, I had an awesome time the whole day, despite the pain and suffering. You gotta like that sort of thing, otherwise why else would you pay $55 to run the highest road race?
Matt Carpenter ended up breaking the course record, bringing it down to 1:37:01! Naoko Takahashi also set a woman's course record of 2:06:20.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Loop around Chautauqua
~3 miles
~500 vertical
~30 minutes
Just got out for an easy run this morning. I was feeling really tired after getting shocked out of a deep REM stage at 4:15am (had to take Allison to the airport).... Uggg.
Ran Enchanted Mesa, Mesa, Bluebell-Baird, Ski Hill. Bumped into Kraig at the end of the run. Felt dopey and uncoordinated for the entire run (actually felt that way all day). Going to bed EARLY!!!
~500 vertical
~30 minutes
Just got out for an easy run this morning. I was feeling really tired after getting shocked out of a deep REM stage at 4:15am (had to take Allison to the airport).... Uggg.
Ran Enchanted Mesa, Mesa, Bluebell-Baird, Ski Hill. Bumped into Kraig at the end of the run. Felt dopey and uncoordinated for the entire run (actually felt that way all day). Going to bed EARLY!!!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Sanitas
3 miles
1,300 vertical
22up/15down
Went SUPER easy today, trying to taper and save my energy for Evans on Saturday. Am feeling pretty good, just need to maintain good sleep and eat well. The hay is in the barn so to speak.
1,300 vertical
22up/15down
Went SUPER easy today, trying to taper and save my energy for Evans on Saturday. Am feeling pretty good, just need to maintain good sleep and eat well. The hay is in the barn so to speak.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Flagstaff
Flagstaff via the road
5.5 miles
1,200 vertical
21:53 to turn/45 total RT
Woke up this morning and felt great and even said as much to Allison how good my legs felt. As part of my taper, I wanted to run hard, but not as long today. I also wanted more pavement practice and figured just going up Flag to the Amphi turn off would be just right.
I parked at Chautauqua and had a nice warm up through the park. I love running on the narrow trail through the deep green grass this time of year. I was not sure how motivated I felt to really kill it, but seeing several cyclists just starting up the road got my competitive juices flowing.
I hit it hard from the start and felt like I maintained a solid pace the entire way, feeling particularly fluid and rhythmic. This is a rare feeling for me on the road and was actually REALLY enjoying it. I was competing hard with a guy on a bike, but he got a good gap on the flat section, but I started to reel him back as the road kicked up again before the turn. I was trying hard to go under 22 minutes as my best on this split has been 22:??.
Was very satisfied with my time of 21:53 and felt awesome at this point. Everything seemed to be coming together between my physicality and my intentions. I debated keeping the effort to the top of Superflag, but need to force myself to save it for Saturday. Jogged easy up the road toward the Amphitheater, then took the Flagstaff trail down at a very casual rate.
It was a wild flower bonanza on the way down, the birds were chirping and the whole forest was teeming with life. Nothing better than a June morning!
5.5 miles
1,200 vertical
21:53 to turn/45 total RT
Woke up this morning and felt great and even said as much to Allison how good my legs felt. As part of my taper, I wanted to run hard, but not as long today. I also wanted more pavement practice and figured just going up Flag to the Amphi turn off would be just right.
I parked at Chautauqua and had a nice warm up through the park. I love running on the narrow trail through the deep green grass this time of year. I was not sure how motivated I felt to really kill it, but seeing several cyclists just starting up the road got my competitive juices flowing.
I hit it hard from the start and felt like I maintained a solid pace the entire way, feeling particularly fluid and rhythmic. This is a rare feeling for me on the road and was actually REALLY enjoying it. I was competing hard with a guy on a bike, but he got a good gap on the flat section, but I started to reel him back as the road kicked up again before the turn. I was trying hard to go under 22 minutes as my best on this split has been 22:??.
Was very satisfied with my time of 21:53 and felt awesome at this point. Everything seemed to be coming together between my physicality and my intentions. I debated keeping the effort to the top of Superflag, but need to force myself to save it for Saturday. Jogged easy up the road toward the Amphitheater, then took the Flagstaff trail down at a very casual rate.
It was a wild flower bonanza on the way down, the birds were chirping and the whole forest was teeming with life. Nothing better than a June morning!
Monday, June 16, 2008
Sunday June 15th, 2008 Mt. Bierstadt
Mt. Bierstadt South Ridge
6/15/08
13.6 miles
4,450 vertical feet
Solo
For the past few years, I have had my eye on the South Ridge, described by Roach as a “Salubrious Sojourn”. I searched for TR’s in the 14erworld archive and elsewhere and was unable to find any?Allison and her mom were planning a hike for Sunday morning, followed by father’s day plans, so I figured Scott Gomer Creek from the Abyss TH would be a great spot for them to have a mellow mother/daughter hike, while I planned on running ahead for a bit. So many options from here…. hmmm…. What to do?
We got to the trailhead a bit later than I would have preferred (a bit before 10am), but I’ll admit that it was nice to sleep a little later after getting up at 3:55am the previous day. Started up the trail at 10am and jogged at a mellow pace, mainly because I had a loaded camelback with plenty of water, clothing, camera etc…. but I also wanted to keep my effort on the moderate side. The trail here is great for running and not too steep, gaining about 1,000 feet over 3.8 miles, much of it seemed pretty flat. The morning was beautiful, if a bit warm, but I was so stoked to be out running through the mountains on a warm summer day.
I stopped every so often to take pictures and drink in the morning. The trail was completely dry, except for a few short muddy spots. I passed the two trail junctions and continued on the Abyss Trail as it started to switchback up the steeper hillside until I got to a nice clear area on the steep hillside and headed straight up and trended left. The bushwhack was very easy as the forest is sparse and there is very little deadfall. There were a few remaining snow patches, but you would have to go out of your way to step in them. Once at tree line, you can see most of the route ahead and point 13,780 looks a bit distant, but the terrain is pretty mellow.
I made my way up to the ridgeline, where you can get a unique perspective on Bierstadt’s imposing East Ridge and peer down upon Frozen Lake. The ridge seems to go on and on for a long time with several bumps along the way and the final kick to point 13,780 is steep and sporty on large solid rocks (class 2+).Once I got to pt. 13,780, the remainder is a cake walk as Bierstadt looks to be within spitting distance. It is mostly a flat stroll to reach the main trail, where I encountered the expected hordes of hikers. I made quick work of the upper section, staying mostly on snow next to the rocks and topped out at 12:15pm and took a nice leisurely break.
Coming back down from 13,780, I followed the ridge a short ways, leaping from one solid boulder to the next, then dropped right and took a more direct line to the left of a huge snowfield (might be a good glissade with an axe?) which got me to a great, low angle grassy slope that I was able to quickly perform a descending traverse to my route through the trees. I rang up Allison on the two-way radios and she informed me they were a bit below the first junction and I told her I would be there soon.
The descent was quite expedient and I made it back to trail in the valley in 45 minutes from the summit of Bierstadt, going at a quick, but very measured and safe pace. I met Allison and her mom a few minutes later and we all hiked out together, getting back to the car at 3:20.
If you are looking for something new to do somewhat close to home, this route on Bierstadt is awesome. It felt very remote and quiet (except for the summit of course), and seemed to me like I was climbing a whole new peak. I highly recommend it!Splits:Depart TH: 10:00amBegin bushwhack: 10:50amTreeline: 11:10amPt. 13,780: 12:00pmSummit: 12:15pmLeave Summit: 12:30pmBack at Abyss Trail: 1:15pmBack at TH: 3:20pm
Pictures:http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r...ere/Bierstadt/
6/15/08
13.6 miles
4,450 vertical feet
Solo
For the past few years, I have had my eye on the South Ridge, described by Roach as a “Salubrious Sojourn”. I searched for TR’s in the 14erworld archive and elsewhere and was unable to find any?Allison and her mom were planning a hike for Sunday morning, followed by father’s day plans, so I figured Scott Gomer Creek from the Abyss TH would be a great spot for them to have a mellow mother/daughter hike, while I planned on running ahead for a bit. So many options from here…. hmmm…. What to do?
We got to the trailhead a bit later than I would have preferred (a bit before 10am), but I’ll admit that it was nice to sleep a little later after getting up at 3:55am the previous day. Started up the trail at 10am and jogged at a mellow pace, mainly because I had a loaded camelback with plenty of water, clothing, camera etc…. but I also wanted to keep my effort on the moderate side. The trail here is great for running and not too steep, gaining about 1,000 feet over 3.8 miles, much of it seemed pretty flat. The morning was beautiful, if a bit warm, but I was so stoked to be out running through the mountains on a warm summer day.
I stopped every so often to take pictures and drink in the morning. The trail was completely dry, except for a few short muddy spots. I passed the two trail junctions and continued on the Abyss Trail as it started to switchback up the steeper hillside until I got to a nice clear area on the steep hillside and headed straight up and trended left. The bushwhack was very easy as the forest is sparse and there is very little deadfall. There were a few remaining snow patches, but you would have to go out of your way to step in them. Once at tree line, you can see most of the route ahead and point 13,780 looks a bit distant, but the terrain is pretty mellow.
I made my way up to the ridgeline, where you can get a unique perspective on Bierstadt’s imposing East Ridge and peer down upon Frozen Lake. The ridge seems to go on and on for a long time with several bumps along the way and the final kick to point 13,780 is steep and sporty on large solid rocks (class 2+).Once I got to pt. 13,780, the remainder is a cake walk as Bierstadt looks to be within spitting distance. It is mostly a flat stroll to reach the main trail, where I encountered the expected hordes of hikers. I made quick work of the upper section, staying mostly on snow next to the rocks and topped out at 12:15pm and took a nice leisurely break.
Coming back down from 13,780, I followed the ridge a short ways, leaping from one solid boulder to the next, then dropped right and took a more direct line to the left of a huge snowfield (might be a good glissade with an axe?) which got me to a great, low angle grassy slope that I was able to quickly perform a descending traverse to my route through the trees. I rang up Allison on the two-way radios and she informed me they were a bit below the first junction and I told her I would be there soon.
The descent was quite expedient and I made it back to trail in the valley in 45 minutes from the summit of Bierstadt, going at a quick, but very measured and safe pace. I met Allison and her mom a few minutes later and we all hiked out together, getting back to the car at 3:20.
If you are looking for something new to do somewhat close to home, this route on Bierstadt is awesome. It felt very remote and quiet (except for the summit of course), and seemed to me like I was climbing a whole new peak. I highly recommend it!Splits:Depart TH: 10:00amBegin bushwhack: 10:50amTreeline: 11:10amPt. 13,780: 12:00pmSummit: 12:15pmLeave Summit: 12:30pmBack at Abyss Trail: 1:15pmBack at TH: 3:20pm
Pictures:http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r...ere/Bierstadt/
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Grays and Torreys via Lost Rat
6/14/08
8.5 miles
3,600 vertical
Jeff Valliere and Dave Hale (Scooby, Shep and Sierra) for Lost Rat, Allison Valliere and Kevin Lund
Needing to do something close to home today, we got a cracking early start from home to meet Dave at the Stevens Gulch TH where he, Emily, Matt and Sharon had camped out. This is mainly a conditions report, so I will keep it brief.
Started at 6:08am. The trail has some snow but was quite frozen and travel was quick and efficient. Made it to the base of the climb a few minutes after 7:00am, spent about 15 minutes gearing up, then were heading up Lost Rat at ~7:20ish. There were 4 people ahead of us, but 2 turned around as a dinner plate size rock skipped down from above and spooked them (they did not have helmets). We soon passed the other two, a couple with their dog. It was her first snow climb and they both seemed a bit on edge (also had no helmets).
The angle was around 40 degrees most of the way and the snow was in great condition, maybe a touch harder than I am used to. Was not wearing my sturdy boots and I was regretting that as it was a bit tough to really kick in. The shaft of my axe would only penetrate a few inches. This seemed to not bother Dave at all, but me being not quite as comfortable or experienced on steep snow I opted to employ the use of my pick most of the way. A bit overkill, but I just feel a bit more comfortable in that situation.
Our progress up the couloir was efficient, but not particularly fast as we were more focused on safety instead of speed. This gulley is deeply inset and the surrounding cliffs are riddled with loose rock. We observed and dodged a few small rocks ranging in size from golf ball to grapefruit size.
If you opt to try this climb, for sure bring a helmet, keep a sharp eye up the hill and maybe even get on this a bit earlier than we did.We topped out around 8:00am, met up with Kevin and Allison who stuck to the standard trail and were spying on us from above. Took a long break, then made the summit of Grays at 8:38am.
It was great getting up there ahead of the slowly approaching masses below and we shared a long break on the summit with one guy before his two buddies showed up. Dave, Allison and I continued on to Torreys while Kevin took a quick glissade. Torreys got pretty crowded with climbers topping out on Dead Dog, skiers, boarders, etc….
Bumped into Steve Nicholls back at the saddle, then his friend Allie and fiancé Sarah further down. We chatted for a while and it was fun bumping into friends up there. Dave ripped the glissade from the saddle, but I could not talk Allison into it, so we stuck to the trail. Walking out was a little slushy, but no bad at all and we were mostly on top of the snow. Back at the car at noon on the dot. Absolutely awesome day. PERFECT weather, great climb, great company.
Pictures:http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r...re/Lost%20Rat/
6/14/08
8.5 miles
3,600 vertical
Jeff Valliere and Dave Hale (Scooby, Shep and Sierra) for Lost Rat, Allison Valliere and Kevin Lund
Needing to do something close to home today, we got a cracking early start from home to meet Dave at the Stevens Gulch TH where he, Emily, Matt and Sharon had camped out. This is mainly a conditions report, so I will keep it brief.
Started at 6:08am. The trail has some snow but was quite frozen and travel was quick and efficient. Made it to the base of the climb a few minutes after 7:00am, spent about 15 minutes gearing up, then were heading up Lost Rat at ~7:20ish. There were 4 people ahead of us, but 2 turned around as a dinner plate size rock skipped down from above and spooked them (they did not have helmets). We soon passed the other two, a couple with their dog. It was her first snow climb and they both seemed a bit on edge (also had no helmets).
The angle was around 40 degrees most of the way and the snow was in great condition, maybe a touch harder than I am used to. Was not wearing my sturdy boots and I was regretting that as it was a bit tough to really kick in. The shaft of my axe would only penetrate a few inches. This seemed to not bother Dave at all, but me being not quite as comfortable or experienced on steep snow I opted to employ the use of my pick most of the way. A bit overkill, but I just feel a bit more comfortable in that situation.
Our progress up the couloir was efficient, but not particularly fast as we were more focused on safety instead of speed. This gulley is deeply inset and the surrounding cliffs are riddled with loose rock. We observed and dodged a few small rocks ranging in size from golf ball to grapefruit size.
If you opt to try this climb, for sure bring a helmet, keep a sharp eye up the hill and maybe even get on this a bit earlier than we did.We topped out around 8:00am, met up with Kevin and Allison who stuck to the standard trail and were spying on us from above. Took a long break, then made the summit of Grays at 8:38am.
It was great getting up there ahead of the slowly approaching masses below and we shared a long break on the summit with one guy before his two buddies showed up. Dave, Allison and I continued on to Torreys while Kevin took a quick glissade. Torreys got pretty crowded with climbers topping out on Dead Dog, skiers, boarders, etc….
Bumped into Steve Nicholls back at the saddle, then his friend Allie and fiancé Sarah further down. We chatted for a while and it was fun bumping into friends up there. Dave ripped the glissade from the saddle, but I could not talk Allison into it, so we stuck to the trail. Walking out was a little slushy, but no bad at all and we were mostly on top of the snow. Back at the car at noon on the dot. Absolutely awesome day. PERFECT weather, great climb, great company.
Pictures:http://s147.photobucket.com/albums/r...re/Lost%20Rat/
Friday, June 13, 2008
No summits for me today as I have an optometrist appt. this afternoon at 3:30, then need to continue packing house for upcoming move. Heading up to climb Grays Peak tomorrow via Lost Rat (steep snow), then over to Torreys. If time permits, I hope to run up Kelso as well. Hoping to do a high altitude run Sunday, but have not yet come up with a solid plan.
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