Winter Adventure Run - What started out as a 16-17 mile run ended up as a 22 mile run/hike. We started at Sink Hollow Trailhead and headed up the snowmobile trail to Beaver Creek Campground. The temperature was -5F at the house, 0 at the mouth of the canyon, 7 once above the inversion, 0 at the turnoff to the Beav and -7 at the trailhead. Things improved once we made it up the mountain a ways. Temps rose with the sun. Joe and I took the right fork at Pat Hollow and climbed up over the hill to nearly where the road joins the Old Logan Road before heading back and then over to Gibson Basin. The plan was to cross Gibson Basin and head down Sink Hollow. Once we hopped off the Snowmobile highway and onto the trail to Gibson, things got ugly. We were post-holing up to mid shin. Crossing the 1 mile basin was an exercise in patience. If we walked, we wouldn't sink in too far. Running was impossible. We were only 5 miles from the car if we continued, but 7 if we turned around. So we wandered around for 2 as we tried to figure out a solution. We figured that the trail down Sink Hollow would have a decent snowmobile trail and we would be fine. We got to the trail and there was nothing. Just a few tracks heading off in random directions. We followed a few to see if they would work out but it didn't. We decided rather than post hole 5 miles in mid shin to knee deep snow we would wander back the way we came. Made for a really long day. On the return across the basin some snowmobilers stopped and chatted. We asked for a ride across back to the main trail. It was sweet. 3 mins later we were 3/4 mile down the trail and back on firm snow. That saved us 20-30 mins and lots of effort. 6 miles down the snowmobile highway and we were back to the car. I was absolutely exhausted. Nothing like a 22 miler in the snow to wear you out. On the plus side, the temperature had warmed up to the 20's but the place was a mad-house. Snowmobiles and cross-country skiiers all over the place. Sure beats the smog back home, can't blame them. T-3:55 (10:41) 2000' vert The Mile Long Gibson Basin - Pick a snowmobile track and follow....
|