Well trail runner boys and girls...its confirmed...micro spikes are a critical piece of winter gear to enjoy full maximization of the beauty of the season. I gave the micro spikes their inaugural break-in run this morning on a beautiful piece of wintery single track in Layton UT and they WAY out did my expectations of them. I was quite simply amazed at how awesome those things are for running on snow and ice. I found myself charging up super steep 30-40 degree+ inclines some of which were hardened ice only, with ZERO slippage. I felt I had more traction than if it were dry dirt in some instances. I cannot say enough good about that piece of equipment at this point. It made it an absolute joy to be out running in the winter beauty. Previously, I have enjoyed it, but the enjoyment was always accompanied by some annoyance with slipping/sliding/feeling like I'm going to pull a muscle/etc. Not today. Today I charged up a super steep, icy canyon along a flowing river of ice without slipping once that I can remember. It was awesome. Here are some pics I couldn't help stopping to take along the way of some of the winter wonderland beauty: 
The Waterfall marking the end of the trail in the canyon I was running 
A couple shots of the gorgeous sunny morning from the Bonneville Shoreline Trail...great views all along that trail. 
Stats for the day: 8.1 Miles - 1:30 - 11:07/mile avg - 2450' ascent - Avg HR 140 
Looks like about 1500' of the climbing was in the first 1.75 miles...pretty steep little canyon. The flatter rollier stuff was along the BST | 