Joined Fan and Mike today for a sweet hike/run up Rattlesnake Gulch through the nasty bushes that are bloodthirsty and up to first Box Elder Peak (9372') then over to Wellsville Cone (9356'). Called it a day and headed back down through the corridor of death. Good times. Feeling closer to 100%. Every day it gets a bit better!
Highest peak in Bear River range. Today it was attacked by a different approach. I have not run that far up Smithfield Canyon before so today was the day. Pretty cool trail. Lots of steep stuff and rocky stuff. Not terribly runnable. The bit from the 7 sisters ridge along the Naomi Ridge was pretty rough. Pretty slow sidehilling over to the peak. Great view of the smoke filled valley below. Got back in the dark. Brought my head torch though so I was fine. Good stuff!
Millville Peak Loop + Tag of Millville Peak (9282')
Route was a mix of old and new trails. Prov canyon to quarry. Hike up short but brutal road to link up with trail that wraps around Big Baldy. Lost the trail here in a few spots due to cattle. Followed the trail until it meets with the top of Millville Canyon Road and Leatham Hollow TH. Follow the road to the saddle, tag peak, head back down via Providence canyon. Try not to fall on the rocks on the steep upper section. Somehow all the dirt in the trail dissapeared and all that is left is rocks the size of a fist up to a bowling ball. Tough to run on.
My body told me I was done at Millville peak but I still had 8 miles of downhill left. Super slow place and I got it done. Cool run, but man am I spent now!
High Creek Trail up to High Creek Lake. Had the place to myself. Awesome. My leg strain thing was bugging me on the downhill again. Kept the pace chill and it helped. I am thinking all the vertical messed it up. Not sure.
One of my all time favorites - Leaves were changing! Awesome course, fun run with Mike and Fan. Mike took off on the downhill and I was maxed out with him pulling away. Still far from 100% but he was moving! He is primed and ready for the Bear next week!
Ty Draney is planning a "Double Bear". He plans to start at the finish line at Bear Lake and run the Bear 100 course in reverse to the starting line starting 36 hours before the actual race. Take a nap then run the race with everyone else. Today's mission was to scout out some of the trickier sections that he will run in the dark. We marked a bunch of it since it wasn't marked yet. Hopefully now that is one less thing for him to worry about. He's got enough other things that can go wrong. At least he has this section of the course down pat.
I was feeling pretty decent until the final 3 miles. My body decided it was done so we did a lot of walking around towards the end.
18 miles in 3 hours - 2100' vert (3500' descent) 148 ave hr
We started at the Girls Camp and ran up the dirt road to Cowley Canyon Aid Station and then marked the Bear Course from there to RHF (miles 30-37). Colors are popping out there and the course is in great shape. Weather looks way better than last year. Excited for Mike to Kill It! Gonna be a long day Friday Crewing and then Pacing. Gonna be sweet!
Crewed Mike all day then paced from Franklin Basin to the Finish (39 miles). He had some serious highs and lows. Mostly lows from Beaver Mtn on. Finished in 26:20 (just under) for his first go at this distance! So proud of him to stick it out, even when things "fell apart".
T-12 hours 18 mins counting stops and such. 7375' vert
