My own little version of Speedgoat this morning. Wanted a long run today as this week has been, well, weak on miles. Parked a car at the top of N.O. Pass Friday night with the plan to end up there somehow. Got up and out the door by 5:25 headed for the BST and south to Beus Canyon and the "trail" to Mt Ogden. Ran the 5 miles to from home to Beus very casual, amazing how easy and fast that section of trail goes by when you're taking it casual. Usually when I run through there I'm racing some stupid imaginary split time from like 2 years ago. Hit Beus and started the very long climb to Mt Ogden. The first mile or two of the Mt Ogden trail are great single track next to the creek and deep in the woods but it deteriorates quickly from there. Lots of overgrown trail, lots of roots and bushes across the trail, made for a pretty slow go. No big deal, I had along way to go and wasn't trying to push the pace and the climb is tough, 5.5 miles and 4150 vert from the BST/Beus junction. I passed a group of about 10 or so in the first mile on the way up and chatted for a few minutes with Doc R on his way down, other than that I was out there alone.
I really enjoyed the top part of the climb, the trail opens up to some beautiful meadows and the grade backs off so I was able to run cool trail up high with an awesome view of the valley below and peaks above. Eventually I was on the hike/scramble section to the top of Mt Ogden. I hit the top in an easy paced 2:48 from my front door, ended up being 11.2 miles and 5120 vertical. I love this peak, other than the huge radio towers, its a small, craggy summit with an 800ft or so drop directly to the East. I have made a habbit when I get to Mt Ogden to also traverse the exposed saddle to the north to summit Mt Allen at the same time. Mt Allen is the twin peak north of Mt Ogden proper. I always forget how exposed that section can be, if you stay on the ridge you end up doing a little easy 5th class with about 500 feet of air behind your rear end.
I sent my wife a pic from the top of Mt Allen, hung out for a few minutes remebering all the great days I have had skiing from this same spot in the winter, and headed down to the top of the Snowbasin tram at about the 3:05 mark. One of the tram cars was parked at the top, so I walked out on the platform and opened the door and sat inside for a minute or two, I've spent hours on this thing in the winter, its so different in the summer up there, no snow, no cold, no people. I headed out for the descent to the base of Snowbasin running the service road for a while, using the mtn bike single track and eventually running down the ski runs at about the half way point. I hit he base area at 3:40 at about 15 miles.
I filled up with water at the base of the Needles gondola, talked with a few friends who had road biked up and hung out with a buddy running the lift. It was fun to tell them that I had started from home and was planning to run to down to South Skyline and over to the top of North Ogden divide. I was feeling great and put my pack back on to head out, went to grab my phone to send my wife another pic, and . . . .no phone! I had it in my front "vest" pocket on my shoulder strap, and it was GONE! Knuckle head me has my entire business on my phone so losing it would be reeallly bad.
Well, I knew it was somewhere between where I was and the top of Mt Allen. Only problem was my descent route was all over the place, service road, trail, off trail. I had slid out about a 1/2 mile from the bottom and thought that was most likely where it was, but wasn't sure. I knew I would most likely not beable to see it as i was all over the mountian. I knew I could roughly follow my descent back up . . . .if only I could hear it ring?? I Called my wife from the lift op's phone and asked her to call my phone over and over again for the next hour, poor thing, but she was a sport and agreed. I turned around and started climbing. Phone wasn't where I fell, not where I stopped to rise my face in the creek about half way up, arrrr! Started thinking I may have left it on top of Mt Allen. I made it all the way back up to ajust below the top of the John Paul lift (basically the top of the resort about 800 ft below the peak) and was resigned to going all the way up if nessesary, when . . .I heard it ring, my trooper wife, I had 96 missed calls! Phone tucked away safely I started the long haul back down. The detour added 4.5 miles and over 2400 vert. I still felt ok energy wise, my legs were a little hammerd when I got back to the base at a little over 20 miles and 7600 vert but the detour had used up all my gel on the climb and had a little over 5 miles to run down the Maples/Icebox trail to get to the bottom of Wheeler Creek where I had more gel and some water stashed. I called my ever patient wife and gave her a heads up that she may have to pick up a very bonky husband in about 45 minutes.
I thought if I get to Wheeler and feel good I will continue, if not I'll get a ride. Well, I got a ride. I was pretty trashed at that point. 25.4 miles, 7700 vertical, 6:31 including all stops and some slow, phone looking hiking. Great run, need to complete the whole thing soon. Nothing like getting a killer big mountain run from my front door. | 