Wanted to bag Grandeur Peak today... did it but learned a few things. Started out in the West ascent parking lot and went out at a brisk walk...I really cant run any of this ascent route as it is so straight up steep. 3000 vertical up in the first 2.2 miles or so. If I do run part of it I pay dearly higher up the mountain. Went up the ridge and felt good just sucking down the fluids and taking a few gu chomps... snow pretty deep and wet the last half to 3/4 mile. Things I learned... 3 embarrassing ways to die out on a trail run. 1. Aspirating a pretzel at 8500 feet. I was trying to eat one near the snowy, post holing summit push, sucked it into my lung farther than I wanted it to go and luckily got it out before perishing or falling off the mountains backside (was windy as all get out at this point). 2. Getting trapped waist high in snow and not being able to get out until wolves devour you. After the peak I was going down the Church Fork side and near the top it was deep, sun exposed snow. Was trying to leapfrog/jump down the steep snowy slope and all of a sudden one leg was buried up to my crotch and the momentum nearly dislocated me. I still hadn't hit ground by the way. Managed to escape and only repeated this two more times. 3. Knock self out while watching trail instead of what was going to impale my head (overhanging large tree branch...narrowly avoided, but was very close.) Ran down to Pipeline then to Rattlesnake then down road to Wasatch then back to parking lot at trailhead. This is a fun loop with 3000 up and 3000 down. Took 1:15 to summit and 2:45 for the loop. Was pretty wasted by the end I must say and think I seriously need to increase miles before Squaw if I want to finish...but what the heck.
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