Bumped into a work/14erworld acquaintence Lincoln as I pulled up to Sanitas. Hiked easy with him and Sierra. Despite the hard effort during the snowshoe race on Saturday, my legs felt surprisingly good.
~25 up
~22 down
Sierra
Sierra
Monday, January 11, 2010
Saturday, 01/09/10 Hardwater Snowshoe Race
Hardwater 11 Mile Snowshoe Race
2nd place
2:16:54
Results
Race website
For months, my good friend Kevin Lund had been talking about putting on a snowshoe race on the Sourdough Trail in early January to fill the void left by the cancellation of the Turquoise Lake 20 mile snowshoe race in Leadville that traditionally has been held on the same weekend.
I was reluctant to commit, given that the weather up there is often times cold and windy this time of year and the host of usual other excuses I might have not to race. I put the idea mostly out of my mind, but spoke with Kunkle (he and Keith B were signed up for the 30k) and Kevin Thursday evening and was reminded of it. Kevin also informed me that there was the option to register on race day for only $20and there was a pair of Vasque shoes up for grabs. On Friday, I mulled it over, debating whether or not to race or volunteer, yet ultimately decided that with no other plans, a perfect forecast and the fact that Allison was enthusiastic to race it as well, it would be a great workout at the very least.
This was a very small race, 25 participants total, almost evenly spread out between the 11 miler, and the 30k option. We assembled at the start line in the Sourdough TH parking lot for the 9am race start and there were several very fast and fit looking guys stretching and warming up. Though it was a small race, you never know who is going to show up and blow your doors off in this neck of the woods and this was looking to be yet another one of those instances.
We started at 9am sharp and I led it out across the lot and onto the trail. This being my first snowshoe race and really my first time running in snowshoes, I had no idea what to expect or how to pace myself regarding speed. I held the effort high, but was careful not to blow too soon and just maintained a steady tempo. I could hear breathing behind me, but I did not want to look back and alter my focus.
A guy in a Redfeather Snowshoe Race Team kit (Greg) soon came along side, then passed me within the first ~1/2 mile or so and got a bit of a gap. He looked pretty fast, fit and decked out, so I figured he would just continue to increase his lead, but was surprised to maintain my deficit at a consistent 15-25 seconds for the next few miles, almost constantly keeping him in sight (it helped that his outfit had a lot of red).
I dared not look back, but I could not hear anyone for quite some time and assumed we had opened a good gap on the remainder of the field. At around 2.5 to 3 miles on one of the switchbacks, I could see Brian Hunter closing in, though I was not worried, as I knew he was racing the 30k. I held the gap for a while, but soon Brian passed on a loose snowy section and I gave him encouragement as he took off down the hill. He was looking great and really flying, going on to win the 30k, nice job Brian! I am assuming that when he closed in on Greg, they both really upped the pace and were racing one another, since the gap went from ~25 seconds to 2 minutes by the time I arrived at the turnaround aid station just below the gate for Brainard Lake.
At the turnaround, I skipped their services and did an immediate u-turn in hot pursuit of Greg. I figured he would continue to put time on me, but I chased for all I was worth regardless. Before long, I started passing other racers still going the other way and was getting encouraging time checks. Allison gave me some great encouragement and was a great motivational boost. I was feeling better than I thought I might given my moderate fitness and lack of specific training for this (none) and kept the effort high. Though climbing is normally my strength, my quads were starting to balk a bit on some of the short but steeper inclines. This was certainly due to the effort, but I also think 11,000 vertical feet in the snow the previous week was not the best taper after being sick and sedentary for 2 weeks (excuses??).
I kept hoping to see a glimpse of red through the trees, yet saw none. I asked a guy on skis what the gap was near the 8 mile point and heard something along the lines of 4 minutes. My hope was a bit dashed here and my thoughts of catching Greg diminished significantly and my new focus was to just limit my losses and not get caught from behind. Though my thoughts wavered, I did manage to maintain my effort and soon started to pass other people recreating on the trail, giving encouragement that I was really close. What does that mean? 4 minutes? 2 minutes? Less than a minute? The last ~1.5 miles trend downhill with some flat toward the end. The trees are somewhat open, but I guess were just thick enough to hide in. I was flying through this section, feeling surprisingly quick and strong, hardly noticing that I had snowshoes on my feet, with a surge of adrenaline knowing the finish was near and that I might be closing in on my competitor.
In what seemed like a flash, yet an eternity at the same time, the trail ended and the finish line appeared. To my astonishment, I could see Greg just ~150-200 feet ahead, about the same distance or less to the finish line. Sprinting out of the woods, across the road and through the parking lot, I gave it all I had and ended up just seconds back. The results have me down as 11 seconds behind, but I think it was a bit closer. I was stoked to be so close, as I really thought the whole time that I was further back, yet being so close was a bit difficult, knowing that, well…. I was SOOO CLOSE!!!
We exchanged congrats, then I immediately dashed off to the aid station near the Brainard gate to give Kevin my snowshoes so he could use them to sweep the course (he loaned his nice ones to Allison for the race). I rallyed the snowy roads to get there in time, but missed him by 10-15 minutes. I was bummed to not get to hang out at the finish and talk with Greg more and cheer on the remaining finishers.
I did however make it back in time to cheer Allison across the line and though she was toward the back, she was not last and had a great time as well.
Though the race was small, it was well organized, close to home, inexpensive, had many great prizes (Vasque shoes for Male and Female winners in both distances) and some awesome raffle prizes handed out at the finish, including a super nice backpack that was really the grand prize. The course was awesome too and I heard from several who ran the entire 30k and they stated that it was very challenging, perhaps more so than the Turquoise Lake race.
Thanks to Kevin, Reid and Kristen for organizing/volunteering your time. Hopefully they are able to put on this race again next year, I will be there for sure and I will highly recommend it to others. What a great day!
2nd place
2:16:54
Results
Race website
For months, my good friend Kevin Lund had been talking about putting on a snowshoe race on the Sourdough Trail in early January to fill the void left by the cancellation of the Turquoise Lake 20 mile snowshoe race in Leadville that traditionally has been held on the same weekend.
I was reluctant to commit, given that the weather up there is often times cold and windy this time of year and the host of usual other excuses I might have not to race. I put the idea mostly out of my mind, but spoke with Kunkle (he and Keith B were signed up for the 30k) and Kevin Thursday evening and was reminded of it. Kevin also informed me that there was the option to register on race day for only $20and there was a pair of Vasque shoes up for grabs. On Friday, I mulled it over, debating whether or not to race or volunteer, yet ultimately decided that with no other plans, a perfect forecast and the fact that Allison was enthusiastic to race it as well, it would be a great workout at the very least.
This was a very small race, 25 participants total, almost evenly spread out between the 11 miler, and the 30k option. We assembled at the start line in the Sourdough TH parking lot for the 9am race start and there were several very fast and fit looking guys stretching and warming up. Though it was a small race, you never know who is going to show up and blow your doors off in this neck of the woods and this was looking to be yet another one of those instances.
We started at 9am sharp and I led it out across the lot and onto the trail. This being my first snowshoe race and really my first time running in snowshoes, I had no idea what to expect or how to pace myself regarding speed. I held the effort high, but was careful not to blow too soon and just maintained a steady tempo. I could hear breathing behind me, but I did not want to look back and alter my focus.
A guy in a Redfeather Snowshoe Race Team kit (Greg) soon came along side, then passed me within the first ~1/2 mile or so and got a bit of a gap. He looked pretty fast, fit and decked out, so I figured he would just continue to increase his lead, but was surprised to maintain my deficit at a consistent 15-25 seconds for the next few miles, almost constantly keeping him in sight (it helped that his outfit had a lot of red).
I dared not look back, but I could not hear anyone for quite some time and assumed we had opened a good gap on the remainder of the field. At around 2.5 to 3 miles on one of the switchbacks, I could see Brian Hunter closing in, though I was not worried, as I knew he was racing the 30k. I held the gap for a while, but soon Brian passed on a loose snowy section and I gave him encouragement as he took off down the hill. He was looking great and really flying, going on to win the 30k, nice job Brian! I am assuming that when he closed in on Greg, they both really upped the pace and were racing one another, since the gap went from ~25 seconds to 2 minutes by the time I arrived at the turnaround aid station just below the gate for Brainard Lake.
At the turnaround, I skipped their services and did an immediate u-turn in hot pursuit of Greg. I figured he would continue to put time on me, but I chased for all I was worth regardless. Before long, I started passing other racers still going the other way and was getting encouraging time checks. Allison gave me some great encouragement and was a great motivational boost. I was feeling better than I thought I might given my moderate fitness and lack of specific training for this (none) and kept the effort high. Though climbing is normally my strength, my quads were starting to balk a bit on some of the short but steeper inclines. This was certainly due to the effort, but I also think 11,000 vertical feet in the snow the previous week was not the best taper after being sick and sedentary for 2 weeks (excuses??).
I kept hoping to see a glimpse of red through the trees, yet saw none. I asked a guy on skis what the gap was near the 8 mile point and heard something along the lines of 4 minutes. My hope was a bit dashed here and my thoughts of catching Greg diminished significantly and my new focus was to just limit my losses and not get caught from behind. Though my thoughts wavered, I did manage to maintain my effort and soon started to pass other people recreating on the trail, giving encouragement that I was really close. What does that mean? 4 minutes? 2 minutes? Less than a minute? The last ~1.5 miles trend downhill with some flat toward the end. The trees are somewhat open, but I guess were just thick enough to hide in. I was flying through this section, feeling surprisingly quick and strong, hardly noticing that I had snowshoes on my feet, with a surge of adrenaline knowing the finish was near and that I might be closing in on my competitor.
In what seemed like a flash, yet an eternity at the same time, the trail ended and the finish line appeared. To my astonishment, I could see Greg just ~150-200 feet ahead, about the same distance or less to the finish line. Sprinting out of the woods, across the road and through the parking lot, I gave it all I had and ended up just seconds back. The results have me down as 11 seconds behind, but I think it was a bit closer. I was stoked to be so close, as I really thought the whole time that I was further back, yet being so close was a bit difficult, knowing that, well…. I was SOOO CLOSE!!!
We exchanged congrats, then I immediately dashed off to the aid station near the Brainard gate to give Kevin my snowshoes so he could use them to sweep the course (he loaned his nice ones to Allison for the race). I rallyed the snowy roads to get there in time, but missed him by 10-15 minutes. I was bummed to not get to hang out at the finish and talk with Greg more and cheer on the remaining finishers.
I did however make it back in time to cheer Allison across the line and though she was toward the back, she was not last and had a great time as well.
Though the race was small, it was well organized, close to home, inexpensive, had many great prizes (Vasque shoes for Male and Female winners in both distances) and some awesome raffle prizes handed out at the finish, including a super nice backpack that was really the grand prize. The course was awesome too and I heard from several who ran the entire 30k and they stated that it was very challenging, perhaps more so than the Turquoise Lake race.
Thanks to Kevin, Reid and Kristen for organizing/volunteering your time. Hopefully they are able to put on this race again next year, I will be there for sure and I will highly recommend it to others. What a great day!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Friday, 01/08/10 Green Mountain
Hiked Gregory/Ranger with Allison and Sierra. It was really cold in the shadows, but comfortable for the most part overall, especially in the sun. The trail is packed really well, about the best I have ever seen it, super easy going with the Microspikes.
Up in an easy 59:59
Down in ~45ish
Up in an easy 59:59
Down in ~45ish
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Thursday, 01/07/10 Bear/S. Boulder
48:34 Bear
1:00:59 S. Bo
1:13:02 Bear
1:44:18 Total
Despite the 3.8 and 7.3 degree F noontime temperature readings at the NCAR weather sites, I was enthused to go play in the new snow. I debated bringing Sierra, as I just wanted to get in a zone and not worry about her, but at the last minute decided to let her tag along, as there is nothing she loves more than romping in fresh snow (she was guilting me out majorly as I prepared).
Our start from Cragmoor was a bit slow, as Sierra decided that she wanted to instead wait for/play with a dog that was starting up the trail behind us. I was quickly moving ahead, but she had other plans and wanted to play. I waited and yelled and she finally caught up.
The trail was mostly packed as far as the Mesa Trail and conditions deteriorated beyond with unconsolidated snow and packed ice underneath. Microspikes were a blessing to the saddle, which I reached in a casual 32 minutes. Above the saddle, things got messy and although I would not have wanted to be without traction, I was still slipping and sliding a lot and progress was a bit tedious.
I reached the summit post in 48:34 and boogied around the back side to head over to S. Boulder. There was a somewhat packed track to the saddle, but I was forced to break trail beyond to the summit of S. Boulder Peak which I summited in 1:00:59. I changed into dry gloves and a hat and immidiately cruised back, making the true summit of Bear in 1:13.
I took the descent super casual as to not get hurt, as I was slipping and sliding a lot. From the saddle down, I was able to open things up a bit as conditions improved, then was forced to go slow again once the trail opened up as I was waiting for Sierra (she always "dogs it" on this section for some reason). When we finished, she had a major beardsickle, it was awesome, I'm sure rivaling anything Tony has going on similar days.
Though it was cold, I was dressed just right and stayed warm enough without overheating. The coldest part of the day was running errands afterwards soaked with sweat, I was frozen to the core and it took a long HOT shower to finally thaw.
1:00:59 S. Bo
1:13:02 Bear
1:44:18 Total
Despite the 3.8 and 7.3 degree F noontime temperature readings at the NCAR weather sites, I was enthused to go play in the new snow. I debated bringing Sierra, as I just wanted to get in a zone and not worry about her, but at the last minute decided to let her tag along, as there is nothing she loves more than romping in fresh snow (she was guilting me out majorly as I prepared).
Our start from Cragmoor was a bit slow, as Sierra decided that she wanted to instead wait for/play with a dog that was starting up the trail behind us. I was quickly moving ahead, but she had other plans and wanted to play. I waited and yelled and she finally caught up.
The trail was mostly packed as far as the Mesa Trail and conditions deteriorated beyond with unconsolidated snow and packed ice underneath. Microspikes were a blessing to the saddle, which I reached in a casual 32 minutes. Above the saddle, things got messy and although I would not have wanted to be without traction, I was still slipping and sliding a lot and progress was a bit tedious.
I reached the summit post in 48:34 and boogied around the back side to head over to S. Boulder. There was a somewhat packed track to the saddle, but I was forced to break trail beyond to the summit of S. Boulder Peak which I summited in 1:00:59. I changed into dry gloves and a hat and immidiately cruised back, making the true summit of Bear in 1:13.
I took the descent super casual as to not get hurt, as I was slipping and sliding a lot. From the saddle down, I was able to open things up a bit as conditions improved, then was forced to go slow again once the trail opened up as I was waiting for Sierra (she always "dogs it" on this section for some reason). When we finished, she had a major beardsickle, it was awesome, I'm sure rivaling anything Tony has going on similar days.
Though it was cold, I was dressed just right and stayed warm enough without overheating. The coldest part of the day was running errands afterwards soaked with sweat, I was frozen to the core and it took a long HOT shower to finally thaw.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Tuesday, 01/05/10 Sanitas
Started easy, bumped it up to moderate and the legs felt great. Made the summit in 18:55. Took it easy on the down, but still almost died on the ice (16 down).
Monday, January 4, 2010
Monday, 01/04/10 Sanitas
Easy lap on Sanitas with Sierra. Lot's of ice going up the S. Ridge, even more ice going down the East side. Carried Microspikes up and wore them for a bit on the way down, but there were some long sections of rock, so I soon took them off. Of course, not long after doing that, there was tons of ice, but I was too lazy to put them back on.
19:50 up
19 down
19:50 up
19 down
Saturday, 01/02/10 Green Mountain
Eager to get back into hilly terrain after a week in Virginia visiting family and 2 weeks of generally being sedentary, I coaxed Brandon and Homie into joining me for a trip up Green. I had low expectations, as I had been sick and spent so much time sitting around eating bad food, but figured I would push a little, just to see how all these factors affected me.
Brandon took it out hard on the approach. I was hoping for a casual warm up, but found myself huffing a bit when trying to make conversation. We started up Amphitheater trail with Brandon setting a strong pace, then me, then Homie trailing behind. A few minutes in, Brandon pulled off, saying something like he blew a lung or something. I went ahead, walking the steep sections, running when I could and debated for a while whether or not I should keep pushing ahead, or drop back and chat.
I felt decent and was mostly just happy to be back on home turf, so I continued to up the intensity as I went. Despite the snow, the Microspikes were providing great grip. On the upper 1/3 of the mountain, the footing became less solid in the drifted snow, enough to spin out some and lose efficiency, but still not that much of a problem.
Toward the top, I was sure I would sneak in under 40 and kind of rested on my laurels a bit, but then the watch started getting out of control, so I cranked the last 3 minutes or so, but my complacency bit me in the ass by 24 seconds as I topped out in 40:24. Dang.
My time was not what I had expected given the effort, but I was overall pleased given the conditions and my lack of discipline as of late. Homie rolled in soon after, then Brandon and we all cruised down Ranger/Gregory at a conversational pace.
Brandon took it out hard on the approach. I was hoping for a casual warm up, but found myself huffing a bit when trying to make conversation. We started up Amphitheater trail with Brandon setting a strong pace, then me, then Homie trailing behind. A few minutes in, Brandon pulled off, saying something like he blew a lung or something. I went ahead, walking the steep sections, running when I could and debated for a while whether or not I should keep pushing ahead, or drop back and chat.
I felt decent and was mostly just happy to be back on home turf, so I continued to up the intensity as I went. Despite the snow, the Microspikes were providing great grip. On the upper 1/3 of the mountain, the footing became less solid in the drifted snow, enough to spin out some and lose efficiency, but still not that much of a problem.
Toward the top, I was sure I would sneak in under 40 and kind of rested on my laurels a bit, but then the watch started getting out of control, so I cranked the last 3 minutes or so, but my complacency bit me in the ass by 24 seconds as I topped out in 40:24. Dang.
My time was not what I had expected given the effort, but I was overall pleased given the conditions and my lack of discipline as of late. Homie rolled in soon after, then Brandon and we all cruised down Ranger/Gregory at a conversational pace.
2009 Summary and Stats
Although I broke my foot and ended up being mostly out of action during a good part of the prime summer months (including Pikes Peak), I had a great year regardless.
The highlight of the year for me was certainly running the Grand Canyon RRR in April. I ran an 8:43, taking ~1:40 off my previous best from 2006 and was very happy with this. I did not train for it as well as I could have because of an IT band injury prior, but I was well prepared in every other way and had perfect conditions and mindset on the day. I am itching to go back and give it a go again this year, hopefully I can still improve upon my time with better training and more experience.
Other highlights this year include (in no particular order):
Winter 14er ascents with the Winter Warriors.
Winter Longs Peak climb with Tim.
Emperor Couloir on Torreys with Dave and Bob D’s CMC group.
Canyoneering trip to Utah with Allison, Dave, Emily and the dogs.
Informal TT series up the Boulder Peaks in May/June and setting a new PR up Green on the “standard” route.
Watching Lance win the Leadville 100 MTB race with my sister Darcie.
Trip to Alaska (despite a freshly broken foot, I had an awesome time).
Biking Mt. Evans in January.
Lot’s of road riding while I was off my feet.
Plus too many other great outings with Allison, Sierra and friends to bore everyone with here.
In 2010, my goals are to have as few injuries as possible, climb as many new peaks as I can fit in, spend lots of time doing this with Allison, Sierra and my great friends, do some more canyoneering, improve my time for the RRR, help Allison finish her final 5 14ers, improve at Pikes Peak, compete in a few more races (though I am not sure which ones yet) and most importantly, always enjoy myself to the fullest.
2009 by the numbers:
525,314 Vertical Feet
1,501 Miles
28 14ers
23 13ers
7 12ers
1 10er
53 Trips up Green Mountain
47 x Sanitas
43 x Bear
30 x S. Boulder
214 Days on my feet
50 Days on the bike
247 Total Summits
For kicks, I added up the numbers for the past 5 years (the only years I have kept detailed records):
2,823,889 Vertical Feet (equivalent to 535 vertical miles, or 361 Pikes Peak Ascents from Manitou, or 2,259 trips up the Empire State Building, or 97 trips up Everest from sea level).
7,551 Miles
114 14ers
At least 1,159 total Summits (including repeats)
The highlight of the year for me was certainly running the Grand Canyon RRR in April. I ran an 8:43, taking ~1:40 off my previous best from 2006 and was very happy with this. I did not train for it as well as I could have because of an IT band injury prior, but I was well prepared in every other way and had perfect conditions and mindset on the day. I am itching to go back and give it a go again this year, hopefully I can still improve upon my time with better training and more experience.
Other highlights this year include (in no particular order):
Winter 14er ascents with the Winter Warriors.
Winter Longs Peak climb with Tim.
Emperor Couloir on Torreys with Dave and Bob D’s CMC group.
Canyoneering trip to Utah with Allison, Dave, Emily and the dogs.
Informal TT series up the Boulder Peaks in May/June and setting a new PR up Green on the “standard” route.
Watching Lance win the Leadville 100 MTB race with my sister Darcie.
Trip to Alaska (despite a freshly broken foot, I had an awesome time).
Biking Mt. Evans in January.
Lot’s of road riding while I was off my feet.
Plus too many other great outings with Allison, Sierra and friends to bore everyone with here.
In 2010, my goals are to have as few injuries as possible, climb as many new peaks as I can fit in, spend lots of time doing this with Allison, Sierra and my great friends, do some more canyoneering, improve my time for the RRR, help Allison finish her final 5 14ers, improve at Pikes Peak, compete in a few more races (though I am not sure which ones yet) and most importantly, always enjoy myself to the fullest.
2009 by the numbers:
525,314 Vertical Feet
1,501 Miles
28 14ers
23 13ers
7 12ers
1 10er
53 Trips up Green Mountain
47 x Sanitas
43 x Bear
30 x S. Boulder
214 Days on my feet
50 Days on the bike
247 Total Summits
For kicks, I added up the numbers for the past 5 years (the only years I have kept detailed records):
2,823,889 Vertical Feet (equivalent to 535 vertical miles, or 361 Pikes Peak Ascents from Manitou, or 2,259 trips up the Empire State Building, or 97 trips up Everest from sea level).
7,551 Miles
114 14ers
At least 1,159 total Summits (including repeats)
Sunday, 12/27/09 Virginia
Sunday, 12/27/09
~8 miles
1:15ish (includes a stop at the grocery store)
Got out for a short easy run in Centreville, Va.. while visiting family for the holidays. I attempted to run trails, but the 2 feet of snow they had the week prior, coupled with fluctuating temperatures and rain created a real mess and I found it unpleasant at best to deal with. About 1/3 of the run was on trails, avoiding mud, puddles, patches of ice and loads of dog poop. The remainder of the run was on sidewalks.
This was the only run I managed to fit in during the entire weeklong trip. I would have run every day just to burn calories, but I also got sick, so I was lacking energy, combined with un-inspiring running terrain, it just was not going to happen. Just as well, the break was a good thing. On these trips, I wish I liked running for the sake of running.
~8 miles
1:15ish (includes a stop at the grocery store)
Got out for a short easy run in Centreville, Va.. while visiting family for the holidays. I attempted to run trails, but the 2 feet of snow they had the week prior, coupled with fluctuating temperatures and rain created a real mess and I found it unpleasant at best to deal with. About 1/3 of the run was on trails, avoiding mud, puddles, patches of ice and loads of dog poop. The remainder of the run was on sidewalks.
This was the only run I managed to fit in during the entire weeklong trip. I would have run every day just to burn calories, but I also got sick, so I was lacking energy, combined with un-inspiring running terrain, it just was not going to happen. Just as well, the break was a good thing. On these trips, I wish I liked running for the sake of running.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Tuesday, 12/22/09 South Boulder Creek Trail
Planned on meeting Dave M for Sanitas, since he is in town visiting for a few weeks, but plans changed last minute, so I met him in S. Boulder where he is staying and we ended up running the S. Boulder Creek Trail/Buffalo Ranch. Went super easy, just catching up on all kinds of things (plus the trails are a real mess).
~6 miles
~1 hr
~6 miles
~1 hr
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, 12/19/09 Mount Sherman (14,036), White Ridge (13,684)
Mount Sherman (14,036), White Ridge (13,684)
12/19/09
~9 miles RT
~3,350 vertical
TH ~1 mile below Leavick Townsite
Start: 7:45am
Finish: 2:00pm
Participants: ~15 Winter Warriors
Stevo proposed a trip up Sherman earlier in the week and the idea blossomed as the weather forecast looked great and a great group took shape. I needed Sherman for a December grid slot, but more importantly, I wanted to tag nearby White Ridge, one of the few peaks in that area I have not climbed.
Allison and I left Louisville at 5:21am on what seemed to be an especially dark morning. I was in a bit of a hurry, sure that I was way behind as many were planning to meet in Golden at 5am. We arrived at the TH in exactly 2 hours and only saw Steve Cassin. Thinking the others were certainly ahead of us and had chanced the snowy road ahead, I drove through ever deepening snow on fresh tracks (Steve’s from earlier), then stopped where he had, as it was evident nobody had gone further recently. After backing up for ¼ mile and parking, the remainder of the group all started rolling in.
Preparation was quick and the early morning temperatures were cold, many with thermometers in their cars reported temps well below 0 in South Park.
Everybody started up the road in groups of 3’s and 5’s, so I never got a true head count or even got to talk with everyone. Though we were split up along the road, numerous stops allowed the group to balloon periodically to near maximum size.
Near the Hilltop Mine, I was getting a bit cold in the wind, so I put on most of my layers in anticipation of colder conditions ahead. Ironically, minutes later, we stepped into a nice wind shadow and I felt as though I was in a sauna. Allison indicated that she was not too interested in Sherman and might just climb White Ridge. Since she was unsure and I did not want to miss out on either peak, I upped my pace a bit (trying to ride the line of going quick enough to make good progress, but not get too sweaty) to the saddle, where I ditched my pack. From there, it was only 10 minutes to the top of Sherman at a steady pace.
The wind was fortunately mostly at my back and I welcomed it, as I was a bit over dressed. I made the summit at 11:12am, took a round of pictures and started the 5 minute jog back down to the saddle, hoping to meet Allison there in time.
She was feeling a bit better and for sure wanted to go over White Ridge and make a nice loop back to the car. We casually strolled the wind scoured ridge, stopping often to track the progress of the remainder of the group. Soon, we noticed that Dave, Emily and Steve Cassin were catching up, so we took a long food break so we could re-connect.
Unfortunately, the remainder of the group were quite spread out and the wind made conditions cold just sitting for a period of time, so we decided to move on, just the 5 of us and 4 dogs. I hope we did not come across as anti-social, it was certainly not our intent, it just sort of panned out that way. I was regretful to not have had the opportunity to talk with everyone as much as I would have liked.
White Ridge summit was a lark, but the views were spectacular and the gentle ridge back to the car was a pleasurable stroll. A few short glissades were managed by Dave, Steve and the dogs. Back at tree line, we postholed without snowshoes a bit getting back to the road, but was no big deal, certainly not worth having carried them all day, so the choice to leave them behind was a good one (Microspikes were very helpful on the ascent, but not needed on the descent). We arrived at the road a few hundred feet West of the cars at 2pm.
Pictures
12/19/09
~9 miles RT
~3,350 vertical
TH ~1 mile below Leavick Townsite
Start: 7:45am
Finish: 2:00pm
Participants: ~15 Winter Warriors
Stevo proposed a trip up Sherman earlier in the week and the idea blossomed as the weather forecast looked great and a great group took shape. I needed Sherman for a December grid slot, but more importantly, I wanted to tag nearby White Ridge, one of the few peaks in that area I have not climbed.
Allison and I left Louisville at 5:21am on what seemed to be an especially dark morning. I was in a bit of a hurry, sure that I was way behind as many were planning to meet in Golden at 5am. We arrived at the TH in exactly 2 hours and only saw Steve Cassin. Thinking the others were certainly ahead of us and had chanced the snowy road ahead, I drove through ever deepening snow on fresh tracks (Steve’s from earlier), then stopped where he had, as it was evident nobody had gone further recently. After backing up for ¼ mile and parking, the remainder of the group all started rolling in.
Preparation was quick and the early morning temperatures were cold, many with thermometers in their cars reported temps well below 0 in South Park.
Everybody started up the road in groups of 3’s and 5’s, so I never got a true head count or even got to talk with everyone. Though we were split up along the road, numerous stops allowed the group to balloon periodically to near maximum size.
Near the Hilltop Mine, I was getting a bit cold in the wind, so I put on most of my layers in anticipation of colder conditions ahead. Ironically, minutes later, we stepped into a nice wind shadow and I felt as though I was in a sauna. Allison indicated that she was not too interested in Sherman and might just climb White Ridge. Since she was unsure and I did not want to miss out on either peak, I upped my pace a bit (trying to ride the line of going quick enough to make good progress, but not get too sweaty) to the saddle, where I ditched my pack. From there, it was only 10 minutes to the top of Sherman at a steady pace.
The wind was fortunately mostly at my back and I welcomed it, as I was a bit over dressed. I made the summit at 11:12am, took a round of pictures and started the 5 minute jog back down to the saddle, hoping to meet Allison there in time.
She was feeling a bit better and for sure wanted to go over White Ridge and make a nice loop back to the car. We casually strolled the wind scoured ridge, stopping often to track the progress of the remainder of the group. Soon, we noticed that Dave, Emily and Steve Cassin were catching up, so we took a long food break so we could re-connect.
Unfortunately, the remainder of the group were quite spread out and the wind made conditions cold just sitting for a period of time, so we decided to move on, just the 5 of us and 4 dogs. I hope we did not come across as anti-social, it was certainly not our intent, it just sort of panned out that way. I was regretful to not have had the opportunity to talk with everyone as much as I would have liked.
White Ridge summit was a lark, but the views were spectacular and the gentle ridge back to the car was a pleasurable stroll. A few short glissades were managed by Dave, Steve and the dogs. Back at tree line, we postholed without snowshoes a bit getting back to the road, but was no big deal, certainly not worth having carried them all day, so the choice to leave them behind was a good one (Microspikes were very helpful on the ascent, but not needed on the descent). We arrived at the road a few hundred feet West of the cars at 2pm.
Pictures
Friday, December 18, 2009
Friday, 12/18/09 Two Laps on Green
It was a nice day and I did not have a lot to do, so I figured I would take advantage and get out for a lap on Green before I was to meet Brandon and Aron at noon.
1st Lap:
40:54 up
21 down
Went up/down Amphi/Saddle/Greenman. The trail is extemely icy all the way to the
1st Flatiron turn, then nice packed snow above that. The Microspikes came in extremely handy and I got great traction the entire time. I felt surprisingly good, but went pretty easy for the most part, since I pushed a little yesterday and was going to do a second lap afterwards. Made the summit in 40:54, turned around and made very quick work of the nice packed upper section and really enjoyed just flying through the woods. I was a bit more cautious on the lower icy sections though, as it would be a bit easier to make a mistake. 21 minutes back to the Gregory lot.
I spent about ~20 minutes or so in my car, refueling, changing into a dry shirt/jacket and generally warming up with the heat on.
Brandon showed up a bit before noon, then Aron. I spent a few minutes setting up his shoes with a few screws so he could get traction on the ice.
Lap 2:
Up in ??:??
Down in ??:??
Headed up Gregory/Ranger to get a little sun/warmth (the first lap was shady/cold the entire time 10:30am-11:30am). We went really easy on this lap and I had forgotten that I had done a lap previously, which was a good thing.
On the upper section, I could tell Brandon was raring to haul ass and Aron was taking it a bit easier. I encouraged Brandon to go ahead while I hung back with Aron. Near the top, we bumped into Tony again and his girlfriend Jocelyn. We exchanged introductions and chatted with them for a bit, before heading to the top.
Spent 5+ on the summit, before heading back down the way we came. At times we went pretty fast just for kicks. Good stuff.
Topped the day off with Smashburger in Lafayette. Great day with great friends.
1st Lap:
40:54 up
21 down
Went up/down Amphi/Saddle/Greenman. The trail is extemely icy all the way to the
1st Flatiron turn, then nice packed snow above that. The Microspikes came in extremely handy and I got great traction the entire time. I felt surprisingly good, but went pretty easy for the most part, since I pushed a little yesterday and was going to do a second lap afterwards. Made the summit in 40:54, turned around and made very quick work of the nice packed upper section and really enjoyed just flying through the woods. I was a bit more cautious on the lower icy sections though, as it would be a bit easier to make a mistake. 21 minutes back to the Gregory lot.
I spent about ~20 minutes or so in my car, refueling, changing into a dry shirt/jacket and generally warming up with the heat on.
Brandon showed up a bit before noon, then Aron. I spent a few minutes setting up his shoes with a few screws so he could get traction on the ice.
Lap 2:
Up in ??:??
Down in ??:??
Headed up Gregory/Ranger to get a little sun/warmth (the first lap was shady/cold the entire time 10:30am-11:30am). We went really easy on this lap and I had forgotten that I had done a lap previously, which was a good thing.
On the upper section, I could tell Brandon was raring to haul ass and Aron was taking it a bit easier. I encouraged Brandon to go ahead while I hung back with Aron. Near the top, we bumped into Tony again and his girlfriend Jocelyn. We exchanged introductions and chatted with them for a bit, before heading to the top.
Spent 5+ on the summit, before heading back down the way we came. At times we went pretty fast just for kicks. Good stuff.
Topped the day off with Smashburger in Lafayette. Great day with great friends.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Thursday, 12/17/09 Green Mountain
We had limited time this morning, so Allison sent me ahead up Gregory/Ranger to tag the summit, then I would backtrack and she would turn when I met her.
There were a few dry patches on the initial sections of the Gregory Canyon Trail, but before long, the trail was continuous snow/ice packed. Even with the studded shoes, I slipped and slid a bit, but it was certainly better to have them than to not and I was impressed with how nicely packed the trail is right now. The sun was shining bright and warm and there was no wind, a perfect morning.
Effort was easy moderate to start, just getting into a groove and enjoying the morning completely. I felt particularly good today and movement seemed to be effortless and natural. I had it in my mind that I wanted to break 40, so I continually upped the effort, going hard, but never really digging too deep either, just cruising and made it to the top in 39:54.
Conditions were pretty good for a fast descent, so I cranked the upper 3/4 of a mile in about 6 minutes and met Allison and Sierra ~750 below the summit somewhere along the NW ridge. She decided that she wanted to go to the top as well, so I hiked up with her and Sierra and we all jogged down together. Bumped into Tony as we neared the trailhead and chatted with him for a while.
Almost went back out for another round this afternoon, it is so nice out and I feel so good, but figured I better get some stuff done at home, it is December afterall. Maybe tomorrow I'll go out for a few laps on Green or Bear.
There were a few dry patches on the initial sections of the Gregory Canyon Trail, but before long, the trail was continuous snow/ice packed. Even with the studded shoes, I slipped and slid a bit, but it was certainly better to have them than to not and I was impressed with how nicely packed the trail is right now. The sun was shining bright and warm and there was no wind, a perfect morning.
Effort was easy moderate to start, just getting into a groove and enjoying the morning completely. I felt particularly good today and movement seemed to be effortless and natural. I had it in my mind that I wanted to break 40, so I continually upped the effort, going hard, but never really digging too deep either, just cruising and made it to the top in 39:54.
Conditions were pretty good for a fast descent, so I cranked the upper 3/4 of a mile in about 6 minutes and met Allison and Sierra ~750 below the summit somewhere along the NW ridge. She decided that she wanted to go to the top as well, so I hiked up with her and Sierra and we all jogged down together. Bumped into Tony as we neared the trailhead and chatted with him for a while.
Almost went back out for another round this afternoon, it is so nice out and I feel so good, but figured I better get some stuff done at home, it is December afterall. Maybe tomorrow I'll go out for a few laps on Green or Bear.
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