Old Man Still running

I backpacked all week in the Uintas with my brother Bob and other friends who I have backpacked with for the past 15 years.  I really looked forward to getting in some serious training this week above 9,400 feet.  I put together the route this year and convinced the group to do more than usual, around 50 miles.  My pack started out at 39 pounds and ended up at 32 pounds (minus food and fuel along the way).   We had a wonderful time, one of our best trips and only saw a handful of people in the high wilderness.

Day 1: We got to the West Fork Blacks Fork trailhead later than planned, so we only put in a little over four miles.  We camped in a nice location north of Bucks Pasture.

I got up early to do a run.  Went out of the tent around 3:30 a.m.   I ended up running up the West Fork just one mile short of Deadhorse Lake.  It was rather slow going in spots because of all the marshes and mud bogs to cross.  I then ran back, timing my run to finish at 6:30 a.m. when everyone got up, so I didn't cause any delay.  It was a beautiful early morning run.  I ran in a big herd of sheep sleeping near the trail.  They made a racket and ran away from me.  I then woke up the shepherds dogs going up and coming back.

Day 2:  We backpacked up to Deadhorse Lake (nearly 11,000 feet).  Pretty funny that I nearly covered the route three times today.   It was nice that I knew the route and could help everyone know what to expect.   We hoped to do more miles today, but Carl from Virgina was having difficulty with the altitude and really slowing down, so we decided to just stop for the afternoon.  

We did fishing (caught many trout and kept six for dinner).   Bob, David and I did a run up to Deadhorse pass  (a 600 foot climb to 11,530 ) and really enjoyed the views there.  When we got back to camp, I discovered that my camera was no longer in my pocket.   I dropped it somewhere while blasting down the trail.  Well, why not go back up?  So I did.  I searched and searched but no luck.  Oh well, it was old.  Time to buy another one.

Day 3:  No early morning run because I knew it would be a tough day.  We first climbed up to Red Knob Pass (nearly 1,000 foot climb).  I was surprised the Brad's 18-year-old son kept up with me as I pushed it hard up the trail.   We then all dropped out packs there and all but Carl (still slow because of altitude) went and summited Mount Lovenia (13,219).  This is one of the toughest high peak in Utah and rarely summitted.  We saw no evidence of recent visitors.   It was lots of steep boulder climbing and loose scree.  When we were aproaching it, I had fears that it would be too tough, but once we were at the base, I could see it was doable. 

As we approached, far down below in the basin we could see over 1,000 sheep.  We could hear them and at times it sounded like they were cheering us on.  They were about 700 feet below us.  We ran into a loan backpacker who had come up from the East Fork Blacks Fork.

The guys did great, we learned that the best route is right up the steep ridge where the boulders are bigger and more stable. At the top the views were spectacular.  We could see all the way to Timp and Mount Nebo.  We could see views of Kings Peak and Gilbert and many other peaks I could name.  It was an amazing view totally worth it, but it really wore out everyone.   I led the group down very fast and Carl recorded a funny video of my arrival back to Red Knob.

We retrieved our packs and then decended down into the Lake Fork basin.  The weather looked threatening, so I pushed the group to make it down into the forest.  A couple were worn out and wanted to stop very soon, but I pushed them to do at least another mile.   We found a beautiful camp next to the Lake Fork River.  After we had our tents set up it rained for about an hour or so.

I got up early again today for a run.  I was out of the tent at 4:30 a.m. and made my way up to the spectacular Crater Lake, two miles away from our campsite.  I didn't use and trail, just used my GPS and went through some thick forest.   I eventually did link up with a trail in the dark for about a mile until I lost it.  That was helpful.   I saw the lake at early dawn and then headed back to camp, arriving just as the group was cooking breakfast.

Day 4: The weather was cool today, mostly overcast.   Our goal was to make it to a lake below Squaw Pass, 12 miles away.  We made very good time along the Highline trail.  I really enjoyed the trail, because the last two times I was in this area, it was dark.  I finally could figure out sections of the trail include the trail up Red Knob Pass and across many meadows.

We reached the lake around 12:30 p.m.  Perfect timing because we saw a big rain strorm coming.  We franticly put up our tents as we watch a thick cloud come down from Squaw Pass racing toward us.  It turned out to be perfect timing because for the next three hours or so it rained and even snowed!

Once the rain stopped, I got out of my tent and explored the area.  David and I climbed up to Squaw Pass (400 foot climb to 11,760).  At camp for the rest of the day, we were cold and our feet were wet.  We all ended up going to bed early to stay warm.  Near dusk, all the clouds raced out of the sky and we now had clear skies and a spectacular high mountain sunset.

Day 5:  I didn't do an early morning run because it was just too cold.  It was below freezing and I had a rough night sleeping.  Bob's water pump even froze.  But once the sun came up in the clear blue sky we finally felt warm again.

We climbed up and over Squaw Pass and decended down Little East Fork Blacks Fork all the way to the trailhead and campground.  The lower sections of the trail were very rough and not pleasant.  Lots of trail boulders and mud bogs.  At one point I could hear Carl scream from 100 yards back, "Boulders, I want more boulders."   Cracked us up.

Once we got to camp, Bob and I hoped to do 20 more miles to summit another 13er, Mount Tokewanna, but we arrived too late and were worn out.   Instead, after a couple hours rest,we did a trail run on the Bear River - Smith Fork trail that runs east-west on the North slope of the Uintas. 

I pushed it very hard on the 1,000-foot climb,  arriving at the top in only 49 minutes where I waited for Bob.  We then ran across the ridge in the forest to the point it starts decending into the Middle Fork.  We then turned around and ran back.  I really pushed the downhill hard and at one point ran a 6:30 mile on a great section of trail.  I was very pleased with my strength and speed, even with the long backpack today.

The weather was perfect today, no rain and nice and warm in the evening.   Many people arrived at the trailhead because the bowhunting season starts Saturday.  We were glad to finish before the hunters came.

Da7 5: Bob, David, and I left camp at 7:15 to do a trail run to retrieve the cars parked back at the West Fork (we were camped in the East Fork).   We did a nice tough run with 1,800 feet of climb along the way.  I really love that trail, it is in good shape and doesn't have the millions of boulders in the trail like others that go up by the rivers.  This trail (Bear River - Smith Fork) trail runs cross-wise up and down into the valleys.  We ran up and over into Middle Fork and then up and over into West Fork.  The descent into West Fork was long and fast on wonderful switchbacks.  It was a blast.   I ran the stretch fast, at my pace, but stopped several times to wait for Bob and make sure he didn't take wrong turns.  David did great and pressed on ahead.  He completed the run in about 3 hours.  My "running time" was 2:16.

We then drove the cars back to the East Fork, picked up the rest of the guys and headed back to civilization after a wonderful week in the wilderness.  We pigged out on pizza in Kamas.   Funny how this week I ate far more than I usually do, but still I lost about five pounds or so.  This was a great training week for Wasatch, high altitude and dragging a pack around for about 40 miles or so.

I put in 95 miles this week.  I had hoped to do 100, but the poor weather Thursday shut down doing more runs.