bear

Echo Summit Trail Challenge

Published August 5, 2017

After a weekend off from marathoning, back on the trail – literally.

Friday a.m. flight to Reno, scenic hour-half drive to South Lake Tahoe. Running on 2 historic trail systems tomorrow – the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) & XP (Pony Express) trails in California’s Sierra Nevadas.

Easy laid-back drive, radio set to classic 70’s – never turned the dial, all weekend.

Hotel check-in, then a rural 45 minutes on US 50 West to Kyburz (bib pickup). Located tomorrow’s trail Start at Echo Summit (1968 US Olympic high-altitude training center). Quick hello/goodbye. Back in the morning California redwood, Ponderosa pine ❤

First year event – read & re-read the course description PLUS snapped a shot of the map itself (nothing left to chance). More concerned being lost in the high Sierras than any wildlife encounters (only bear I saw/stuffed at Strawberry Lodge).

RACE DAY, SATURDAY: Cool & overcast. Mix of HIGH CLOUDS & MASSIVE TREES. Super thankful, appreciated the cover.

Most of the day, focused/eyes alert for PINK ribbons. 13.8 miles in, started the climb UP. Two HUGE hikes, over 4000ft vertical gain. Lovers Leap Trail: let’s just say, I know why they leaped. Crazy difficult hike.

but…the Panorama? (like being) Wrapped inside an Ansel Adams photograph. Just WOW! Every north-facing tree blanketed in vibrant green moss. Yellow-green: closest colour match in my Crayola box. That’s the memory I’ll take home to Colorado.

Only negative? Course went long. I know, I know, it’s trail. Folks: this course went long. My watch (& Strava app) died somewhere after 30.5 miles – my first ultra finish of 2017. (I say first ‘cause I haven’t yet given up on running a 50-miler this year.)

#94 in the books. 2^nd longest [amount of time] I’ve been on my feet (behind 2013’s Barr Trail hike UP Pike’s Peak).

TROY’S CALIFORNIA TRAIL RUNS

Echo Summit Trail Challenge – August 5, 2017

Trail Marathon Jude Archie M 06:40:28 1

Trail Marathon HAGA K R M 07:51:36 2

HIKE DAY tomorrow ‘round tourist-friendly paradiso, Lake Tahoe. Living well, lucky in life 🙂

: road-trippin’: Reno to Tahoe

: tomorrow’s trail Start

: Ponderosa pine

: marathon bib pickup: Strawberry Lodge, Kyburz CA

: bucket-list hike, California to Canada

: like an Ansel Adams photograph

: focused/eyes alert for PINK ribbons

: every north-facing tree covered in vibrant green moss

: yellow-green: closest colour match in my Crayola box

: FAAANNNNTASTIC!

: crazy difficult climb: let’s just say, I know why they leaped

: watch died somewhere after 30.5 miles – my first ultra of 2017

: marathon #94

: over 4000ft vertical gain

: 30.5 miles of TRAIL

: 2nd longest I’ve been on my feet

road-trippin’: Reno to Tahoe

Posted in Marathons/Ultras, Pacific/Desert | Tagged bear, hiking, trail-running | Leave a comment

waterfalls, geysers & bears – oh my

Published July 23, 2016

I am in love with Montana. For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition, and even some affection. But with Montana, it is love. — John Steinbeck

Original plan was to run not one – but TWO marathons back-to-back in Montana. Roped Ash & Tom into helping with the long drive north & scheduled a family vacation ’round Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks. Unfortunately an unexpected health issue caused me to drop from both events – but didn’t deter us from enjoying a couple days in the Rockies. LOVE LOVE this place!

After yesterday’s late check-in, slept ‘til 8 before heading west to Virginia City — Montana’s first territorial capital. Grabbed breakfast & toured a few historical Old West landmarks – but oddly, no Bonanza memorabilia…wrong state. Who knew?

Bonanza was a NBC television western series that ran from 1959 to 1973. The show is set around the 1860s and it centers on the wealthy Cartwright family, who live in the area of Virginia City, Nevada.

Boot Hill — fave day stop. Hilltop cemetery where 4 guys hung in Jan 1864. Not a vacation without a local cemetery stroll. LOL>

last Montana tourist destination before Day 2 park hopping? the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone. Safest way to see a bear, a wolf, a couple of bald eagles too 🙂 LOVED watching these massive lumbering giants scavenge under rocks & trees for food hidden by rangers. Whenever in Yellowstone, gotta add this [stop] to your itinerary. Highly recommended.

Quick lunch, second day of geyser trekking – then headed to the falls, Yellowstone Falls.

Lower Yellowstone Falls is the largest volume waterfall in the Rocky Mountains of the United States…308 feet (94 m) high, or nearly twice as high as Niagara Falls.

Hiked both upper & lower falls – a true butt buster, so pace yourself. Jogged back from Lower Yellowstone to retrieve our car (parked at Upper, a mile away), then drive-returned to our digs in Ennis. Watched a family of deer ford a local river. FAAANNNTASTIC!

Gorgeous pink sunset, followed by late nite nachos & live music at the Gravel Bar. Livin’ B-I-G in Big Sky Country 🙂

Day 3 plans? Grand Teton Nat’l Park – seeing these peaks on horseback. #noregretlife

: a little Old West history

: fave stop of the morning

: these boys swung in Jan 1864

: bald eagles too!

: Gibbons Falls

: Artist Paint Pots

: Emerald Spring (stinkiest geyser in the Park)

: Steamboat Geyser

: Upper Yellowstone Falls

: the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

: Lower Yellowstone Falls

: ‘Big Sky’ Montana sunset — SPECTACULAR!

Yellowstone: Part 2 – Yellowstone Falls

Posted in Rocky Mtn West | Tagged bear, buffalo, cemeteries, geysers, nat'l-park, waterfalls, zoo | Leave a comment

Yellowstone National Park

Published August 21, 2014

Left work early Wednesday & boarded a plane to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Not only running a marathon this weekend – my 10^th– but also celebrating a birthday. Chose to spend this year in Yellowstone & Grand Tetons National Park 🙂

Short one hour flight from Colorado (vs 8+ hours drive), set up camp at the Flat Creek Inn & hit the road early Thursday – destination Old Faithful, 2 hours away in Yellowstone National Park.

The day’s weather was notably different from Colorado, misty rain & cool sub-60 temps. Unfortunately, Grand Tetons’ iconic peaks were completely obscured by cloud cover (would have to wait ’til Sunday). Another hour further, Old Faithful. Took a quick walkabout the Visitors Center, only 20 minutes ‘til this mighty geyser was scheduled to blow. Secured a premium spot & waited for geyser magic.

A thin white plume seeped from the ground, followed by larger puffs of white gas, then all diminished. The act re-commenced, this time water gurgled within the large gaseous plume. Another brief break & the show known as Old Faithful began. Approximately every 91 minutes, this geyser blows – spewing boiling water from Earth. AMAZING! What a birthday show!

Next stop: Grand Prismatic Spring

Listed #2 on gaperguide.com’s Top 5 Stops in Yellowstone – I was not disappointed. Because of the day’s cool weather, dense sulfuric fog formed from vapors pouring off colourful geysers in Midway Geyser Basin. The misty weather & geyser littered landscape was reminiscent of last year’s Icelandic adventure. SPECTACULAR orange & blues – crazy vivid hues. LOVED it!

Located in the Midway Geyser Basin is the brightly colored Grand Prismatic Spring. It is the largest hot spring in the U.S. and the 3^rd largest in the world!

Weather report for the weekend – rain, rain & more rain. Sounded like today might be my best chance to see Yellowstone – so stayed on the road & headed another hour west to Lower Yellowstone Falls.

The lower falls are 308 feet high, almost twice as high as Niagara Falls!

Parked a pull-off early & trail ran Red Rock & North Rim 2 miles to get a closer view of the Falls (& help altitude acclimate for Saturday’s Mesa Falls marathon). STUNNING VIEW of the Falls! The 2 mile return run UP however – now that was challenging 🙂

Didn’t see Yellowstone’s famous buffalo but did up my bear tally to 3 for the summer. A black bear crossed in front of my car – super exciting to see these huge predators when you’re not hiking (remembering last month’s 2 grizzlies in Glacier).

Finished at Mud Volcano before returning to Jackson via Yellowstone Lake & West Thumb.

Full 12 hour day – mountains, geysers, waterfalls & a bear! Happy Happy Birthday to me!