It was about 9:30pm on Friday, 6/29 and I had no clue where I was going to run the next day. I wanted to go long, but being one week post-SJS, I was worried about biting off more than I could chew. I started to think staying close to home would be wise.
But then I had the overwhelming thought of how precious these summer weekends are for trail running in the high country and didn't want to miss an opportunity for an adventure. That's when the idea for a Buchanan-Pawnee Pass Loop was born. I've had this run on my list for several years. I scrambled to get my gear together and hit the sack for a 2:40am wake up!
I was parked at the Long Lake trailhead by 4:45am and began my run at 5am. The first half mile was on the road over to the Mitchell Lake trailhead. I decided to run the loop in the counter-clockwise direction as to avoid the long traverse across Mt. Audobon as the temps rose. I don't think it would have mattered much.
Prior to stepping on the trail, I read a sign that indicated mountain lions have been spotted in the area. If that doesn't get your blood pumping when there's barely enough light to see the trail, I'm not sure anything would.
Sunrise cutting through the smoke. Taken from the eastern flank of Mt. Audobon.
And again.
Sawtooth Mountain
A first glimpse at Buchanan Pass.
This part was steep, but non-technical.
1 of 2 passes complete. Time to move on to my favorite side of the Indian Peaks.
Good morning! Smack dab in the center of the trail.
Time for about six miles of downhill running. Simply stunning scenery on this side of the Divide.
Once I made it down to the intersection with the Cascade Creek trail, I began running southeast and the Tour de Waterfalls began. It really is an impressive stretch of trail to run.
After the waterfalls, things open up a bit and glimpses of the jagged and toothy mountain ridges return.
One of my favorite peaks in the Rockies. Lone Eagle!
I took my first extended break once I arrived at Pawnee Lake. There was a slight breeze that caused ripples on the water. Every few minutes, I'd catch a break and all would be still. I refilled my empty bottles and enjoyed two Honey Stinger Waffles. Quite honesty, if it wasn't for a few pesky mosquitos, I might still be there now.
A pleasant start to a grueling climb to Pawnee Pass.
Pawnee Lake is surrounded by towering walls of rock.
I'm not kidding. I had no idea where the actual pass was and was starting to plan for three point climbing at some point.
When you look up, you can only see about 20 feet of trail in front of you.
The wildflowers on this run were everywhere. Start to finish.
Still can't figure out where the pass is.
The trail was all switchbacks, but once again, looking up gave you no clue to the future direction you'd be heading.
It was only when you got high enough that you could see how the trail carved through the rock.
Whoever blazed this trail did a masterful job. It's not an easy climb, but there was no scrambling necessary.
Sure was nice to look OVER at and not UP at the jagged ridge line.
Success! Pass 2 of 2 complete.
From the Pass, you only have about five miles of downhill before you 're done.
Lake Isabelle
I would have enjoyed the final stretch more if it wasn't for the masses of people I encountered. Prior to reaching Pawnee Pass, I met ONE backpacker in the first 21 miles. I probably passed by no less than 75 people in the final five miles. It was a beautiful day for a hike, so I think it's great so many were out enjoying the Peaks. It just made for a difficult time getting into a rhythm.
Not much else to say that the pictures haven't captured. This was the most scenic run I've ever been on. I felt great most of the day and was so glad I got out there versus staying close to home. I'll have all winter to do that.
Better late than never on posting this race report from Lake City. I could easily break it up into two parts that are equally as satisfying - the race, and then everything else about a trip to Lake City including hanging out with great friends.
This year the snowpack behaved and allowed us to run the standard course. Not that it was any easier than what we ran last year. I was woefully unprepared for almost 13K feet of climbing then, and was hoping that the same amount would somehow be a little easier this year.
My big concern for the race was going to be the heat. It was pushing the mid-80's in Lake City prior to the race and I don't run so well when it gets that hot. Thankfully, much of the race is way up high, so the temps were more manageable where the air was thin.
Nearing the top of monster climb #1 - Alpine Gulch
Our first taste of running above treeline. A taste we got to experience all day long.
Looking back from the high point before we started running a ridge.
This was fun!
Simply loving this race - for now.
One last climb through some loose rock and the downhill fun began.
Yahoo! Six miles of downhill. Looking back from where I just came from.
Back in the trees.
A mile or so before hitting the Williams aid station.
After refilling my supplies at Williams, we had a couple miles to run up a road before the climb to Carson began. I was following two runners about 1/4 mile ahead of me. All was good until they disappeared. I was certain they didn't pull away, so the only other explanation was they took a turn that I missed. With fresh memories of getting off course last year, I stopped and began to backtrack. There was a runner behind me when I started up the road, but he too was nowhere to be seen. After about a 1/3 mile of backtracking, I saw the other runner still coming towards me. I turned back around and continued running until I found the Carson turn off.
Oh the climb to Carson was cruel. The sun was relentless, not to mention the miles of steep grades.
After passing through the aid station, I finally found the ghost town.
I had been warned about the continued climb after the aid station. No breaks whatsoever.
Even after reaching the end of the road, the course still goes up and up. They warn you to be prepared for a 9 mile stretch along the Divide. What caught me a bit off guard was that it's actually a 15 mile stretch all between 11,500-13,000'.
The stretch along the Divide lived up to all the hype. While I was beat up from the two huge climbs, I kept reminding myself, this is what the race is all about. I got about halfway through and the effects of being up high for so long really started to wear me down.
It was hard not to stop and take in the sights.
This scene doesn't change much.
Because the Divide stretch is pretty much a straight shot, it appears to go on forever.
The only patch of snow we had to cross all day. Of course I totally wiped out in the middle of it.
This is my last shot before the camera went away so I could focus through a rough patch.
I came into the aid station at mile 31 feeling like crud. I had no doubt pushed it too hard in the beginning, and now was left to deal with low energy and probably significant catch up on nutrition. The bright spot was seeing Jaime come flying up to the aid station as I was about to leave. He looked really strong! I started shuffling along, but it was a matter of minutes before he came up from behind and passed me. I couldn't have been happier about how his race was unfolding since he dealt with quad issues in the days leading up to the race. Unfortunately, those issues resurfaced in a big way, and shortly thereafter, Jaime had to walk it in to the Slumgullion aid station and call it a day.
It was during these miles to the Slum AS, that our beautiful blue skies disappeared and were replaced by a gray haze. While I normally welcome any and all cloud cover, the haze was from smoke, not clouds. I'm not exactly sure where the fire was, but the radical transformation in the air quality was wild. I made it to Slumgullion (mile 40) and the sun was casting a weird orange glow on everything as it was filtered by the smoke.
I was not in good shape. I hadn't managed my race well, and now the smoke was compounding my issues. I began the trek towards the final climb up Vickers Ranch and really struggled to breath well. I wanted to drop right then, but knew I had missed my opportunity. I got about halfway up the climb and Leila D. came up behind me. I was really happy to see a familiar face, but was met with an angry Leila. The smoke was burning up her lungs too, but unlike me, she took it and turned it into a fire that drove her up the hill and to a very strong 2nd place female finish. I needed to see that side of her because I understand now how she is so successful. When the chips are down, you can either wallow in pity (which I did), or get ticked off and allow it to drive you.
The Vickers AS was awesome. I downed about 5 cups of Coke before the volunteers kicked me out and told me to get to the finish. I ran (albeit slowly) the whole way down.
A few days before the race, I asked my girls if they would meet me at the edge of Town Park and run with me to the finish (a SJS tradition). They said no. I was told it would be too "embarassing." Well, after a bribe or two, I had willing participants. Knowing they were waiting for me was a surprisingly motivating factor in the final miles.
They heard my name announced as I was about a 1/2 mile away and got into position.
I crossed the finish line in 11:06:05 which was good for 24th place. I'm happy with the result, but know that I can still do better. After a few good races, I took some steps backwards. It came down to managing the race poorly and not being mentally tough enough to get back on track. I've thought a lot about what happened out there and look forward to my next chance to race....Leadville!
Later that night we enjoyed dinner with Leila and then hung out with Jaime and his family. Such great times that made this year's Lake City weekend a memorable one.
A big thanks to all the volunteers and race organizers. I'm in awe of how you pull off such a challenging race. Everything was perfect.
Well, I didn't quite meet my goal of sub-10:45. I struggled in several areas and just didn't put things together to run well all day. I finished in 11:06.
With that said, I absolutely love this race, the town of Lake City, and the entire experience!
I'm late on posting these pictures from two weekends ago. Jaime & I got in one last run at altitude before the San Juan Solstice. We decided upon Grays & Torreys, but added the extra miles from I-70 and then the Kelso Ridge to make it a lollipop run.
It was an early start (5:10am), but I was glad we did as we beat the crowds and heat, while leaving plenty of time to enjoy the rest of our day at home with our fams. We got back to the car around 9:30am.
After making relatively quick work of the three miles to the trailhead, then began our climb up Stevens Gulch. The sun lit us up and it was crazy bright. My camera couldn't hack the light, so my early AM pics were all washed out. You need to head over to Jaime's site to see some stellar pics. My blog's new header pic is courtesy of his mad photography skills!
JY looking strong leading the way to Kelso.
A quick break before starting to climb all that rocky goodness straight ahead.
I have to take the blame for suggesting the Kelso Ridge as an option. I was looking for a different experience from when I climbed G&T a few years ago. While I'm glad we did it, I also told Jaime on the summit of Grays that I'd be okay never doing it again. The "trail" is difficult to follow and I'm sure we were on it about 20% of the time. While I often like the "choose your own adventure" approach, it's not the best during Class III climbing.
Can you guess which side of the ridge we came up?
Yup, as I said, following the trail was a bit of a challenge for us.
Oh Torreys - So close, yet so far away.
Wasn't much any running during this mile stretch. Class III at its finest.
By far the sketchiest part. We scooted across this on our butts with a leg on either side.
Success #1 - Torreys Peak
Success #2 - Grays Peak
Looking back at the Kelso Ridge from Grays summit
And he's off! JY led the charge down Grays - and I don't think we stopped until we got to the car.
This run was not long from a time or mileage standpoint, but it was one of the most confidence inducing runs I've had in some time. For one, I felt great after the effort at the Dirty Thirty the week before. But more importantly, this was the best run I've ever had at high altitude. I usually get winded easily and slight headaches once I get above 12K feet. Not so this day. I only wish I could feel like that all day this coming Saturday. Yes, it is the final stop on the 2012 Redemption Tour. I'm 1-2 with stops at Bandera and Moab. Now as I head to Lake City, I hope to get my average above .500.
When I signed up for three ultras in a span of six weeks, I wasn't sure how wise of a decision it was. I typically recover quickly after long runs/races, but I was looking at racing all three and not treating them just as training runs. Come to think of it, I've never run a race as a training run and I'm not sure I could.
With the second one now complete, I don't think I could be enjoying myself any more than I am! The Golden Gate Dirty Thirty was on Saturday and I've been wanting to run this one ever since I got out there last year as a spectator.
This course is incredibly beautiful and challenging. So much of the it meanders through pine and aspen forests. It's tough with almost 8000' of climbing over 31 miles, but it had everything I love about running trails, so I couldn't complain at all. I feel like the memory of training this winter in the cold wind with ice covered trails is still fresh in my mind and I appreciate the summer conditions all the more.
The forecast for Saturday was for warm temps, so I only had one goal: to go out as hard as I could during the first 18 miles while the temps were cool and then see what was left in the tank to grunt out the rest in the heat. My plan worked, although it began to get ugly as miles 19-25 were the hottest I've run all year. Thankfully, clouds poured in as I reached the summit of Windy Peak and provided much needed relief all the way to the finish.
I had no idea what place I was in at any point in the race. I did however get to pass a lot of runners. I remember when I first got into ultras, I was amazed at the people that could see a runner off in the distance and develop a "hunter" instinct to catch & pass them. I had so much going on in my head at that point, that I couldn't begin to think about how to catch someone without blowing up. I'm not totally there yet, but I get it now. It's a lot of fun to see someone ahead of you and know there's a good chance you're going to catch'em.
Coming up to the Gap Rd crossing (mile 10ish). Got to see my ladies here!
The day after the race, I took my wife & girls on a hike on the Raccoon trail which was mile 8-10 of the race. It gave me a good opportunity to snap some pics of that part of the course. I think it provides a nice glimpse into what the rest of the course looks like. I can't get enough of this stuff!
I followed the same plan this race of just running and not worrying about the time. Right around mile 21, I must have bumped a button on my watch and it stopped for somewhere around 20 minutes. That just sealed the deal so I wouldn't know how I was doing until I saw the clock at the finish.
Coming down Windy Peak, I did switch over to the screen that showed the time of day. 11:10am. Since the race started at 6:00am, that put me around 5:10. I had about three miles to go, so cracking 5:30 meant I had to fly. Note: these computations were about the most complex I could handle in a race! I cranked the speed up to high gear, but then met a nice hill after the final aid station and knew my chances were shot. Although it occurred to me that the race did start a little late. There was still hope!
With a mile to go, I got behind a guy running in the 12 mile race. He was cranking out a strong finish, so I latched on and let him pace me to the finish. I even shouted out to him to "take us home, man", which he rose to the call and we torched the trail over that last half mile. Haha! Below, you can watch the "man in black" leading me into the finish line chute! 5:30!
I've got a few weeks off before the San Juan Solstice. While I'm in a good place with my running, I know this race can't be underestimated. Huge climbs and high altitude will surely wreak havoc on my nice little rhythm I'm in right now. With that said, I couldn't be more excited about running & hiking in the San Juans!
With all the crud going on in the world and negative news about kids, this is one shining example that there is still so much good to be pulled from the weeds and celebrated.
Matt exemplifies the raw desire & determination to get to the finish line against all odds. His friends exemplify the power of community & encouragement. Wow.
We spent the holiday weekend camping at Sylvan Lake State Park just south of Eagle. What a cool spot! There wasn't much running on tap for the weekend as I'm taking it easy before the Dirty Thirty on 6/2.
I did slip out on Sunday morning for a jog up to Crooked Creek Pass. This run was just over 11 miles and all on forest service roads.
I didn't know much about the run, but it was all up for 5.5 miles and all down to get back. Total climb was about 2000'.
Despite not being on trails, the roads replicated the serenity of trails as I didn't see another person or car the entire run. Here are a few other pics:
Looks like a crooked creek to me!
Later that afternoon, I ventured out on a hike from the campground with my youngest. It had gotten overcast and windy, so we needed to get out and get the blood flowing a little.
We had a great time creating little adventures all along the way. At several points, she would blurt out, "let's do some trail running!" I don't ever push running on my girls, but I certainly won't suppress it when they want to run for a brief stretch. Here she is launching off a little bump in the trail.
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