The most remarkable thing about this year's Mt. Disappointment Endurance run is that there was a 2010 race. The Station Fire and heavy Winter rains decimated the San Gabriel Mountains. Without the hard work and dedication of Gary & Pam Hilliard and a host of volunteers the 6th edition of the race never would have happened.

There were some changes in the course. After descending from Mt. Wilson to Red Box, the 50K course normally goes down to Clear Creek Station, circuits Strawberry Peak, and then returns to Red Box. Not this year. The Colby Canyon and Strawberry Trails were particularly hard hit by rock slides and washouts, and could not be used. Instead, after running down to Red Box, we hung a right and continued down Red Box Road to the West Fork aid station. Usually done after mile 20, it was great to run this segment while it was still cool, and I had some life left in my legs.

At West Fork, after ten miles of downhill and losing 2600' in elevation, the infamous 16 mile Shortcut loop begins. Usually part of the Mt. Dis 50 mile course, the Shortcut loop is best known for it's scorching 5.6 mile, 2000' climb up Edison Road to Shortcut Saddle. It's one of those climbs that doesn't look that bad on paper, but a topo map doesn't show the sun beating down on your head mile, after mile, after mile. Fortunately, the weather was kind. The high on Mt. Wilson only reached 73 degrees -- several degrees cooler than the usual temperature for this race.

Wow, the Edison climb and the Kenyon Devore climb all in one 50K! But what are two classic climbs without a tough descent in between? The Silver Moccasin Trail between Shortcut and West Fork was obliterated by slides, debris flows and flash flooding. Hours and hours of work were done on the trail to make it passable. In the lower half of the canyon, flooding and debris flows widened the streambed, making it difficult to connect the remnants of old trail into a recognizable path. The challenge wasn't staying on the course, it was very well marked, but trying to pick the best route through a maze of sand, stream, cobble, and bits and pieces of the old trail.

Then came the Kenyon Devore climb. After doing 10 miles of fast-paced downhill, the Edison climb, and the Silver Moccasin rock dance, the ascent of Kenyon Devore was not easy! But it never is! There were a couple of newly fallen trees to clamber over, and some other challenges, but all-in-all it was the same classic climb.

To borrow an old rock climbing quip, an endurance run "ain't no weenie roast," and this year the Mt. Disappointment 50K was just a bit more of a challenge. Here's an elevation profile, and a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of the course. In SportTracks my trace of the course worked out to about 31.6 miles. This is a mile or so shorter than the web site mileage because Mueller Tunnel was closed and we skipped the Mt. Disappointment section. The mileages in the Google Earth view are from my trace of the course, and may not be accurate.

Congrats to the overall Men's and Women's winners Patrick Sweeny (4:40:46) and Sada Crawford (5:28:17). Patrick ran the race in Vibram Five Finger KSO Trek's. Check out all the results on the Mt. Disappointment web site!

Here are a few photos. Click for a larger image and description:

Wow -- what a great ride! That was my impression the first time I used the Salomon XT Wings trail running shoe, and seven pairs and a couple thousand miles later, the XT Wings is still my shoe of choice for longer trail runs. Now the shoe has been upgraded to the XT Wings 2, and the good news is Salomon listened to the feedback from runners, and made a very good shoe even better.

One of the most obvious changes in the XT Wings 2 is the change from an asymmetric speed-lacing system that would sometimes fray, to a symmetric speed-lacing system with lower friction eyelets. None of my Salomon trail shoes with symmetric lacing have had lace-fraying issues, and these new laces look bombproof!

Update 07/05/10. I now have about 190 miles on each of three pairs of Salomons with the the new eyelets (XT Wings, XT Wings 2 & XT Hawk 2), and I've had no problems with the laces fraying.

Not so obvious until you run in the shoe is the redesign of the toe cap to increase flexibility. I thought the gait transition was smooth in the original XT Wings, and it is even better now. I was also happy to find that my new pair of XT Wings 2 (US Size 9.0) weigh 26 oz., which is a bit less than my first pair of XT Wings.

The shoes felt great on Sunday's Trippet Ranch loop; they had that familiar XT Wings' combination of comfort, smooth ride, cushioning, traction and support.

Related posts: Salomon XT Hawk 2, Salomon XT Wings

It's funny the things you think about during a race. Running down the Chumash Trail in the Bandit 30K on Saturday, one of my thoughts was, "Wow, these may be the most comfortable trail shoes I've ever run in."

I purchased my XT Hawk 2's from Zappos a couple of weeks ago. Right out of the box there were several things I liked about the shoes:

• They are light. My pair of US size 9's tipped the scale at a light 22.3 oz. This is about the same as the Salomon SpeedComp.
• The shoes fit well. No weird seams, pressure points or other problems.
• The updated speed-lacing system is symmetric. It has no offset lace anchor across the toe, and uses a new eyelet design. I've never had Salomon speed-lacing fray on shoes with symmetric lacing, and the new eyelet should make the laces even more bombproof.
• The outsole looks nearly identical to the sole on the XT Wings, which in my experience provides a good balance of traction versus predictability.

Out on the trail, the first thing that stood out was the shoe's cushioning. It feels like the shoe has more cushioning than either the original XT Wings or SpeedComp. The heel is particularly well cushioned, but for mid-foot strikers like me, there is also plenty of forefoot cushioning.

What I didn't notice until I was running down the irregular surfaces of the Chumash Trail is how the XT Hawk 2's combination of flexibility, support and cushioning combine to produce a really comfortable ride. Based on the shoe's performance on the Bandit's tough 19.5 mile course, I'm looking forward to trying the shoe on some longer mountain runs or races.

This is one of my favorite medium length trail runs in the Santa Monica Mountains. It starts at the Ray Miller trailhead and explores the scenic grasslands of the Serrano and La Jolla Valleys. Along the way there are spectacular ocean and mountain vistas from the Ray Miller Trail and the summit of Mugu Peak.

Most of the route is on single track trail, and except for a short out & back segment to "The Ranch" in Serrano Valley, it is a complete loop of about 20 miles. Many variations are possible.

One of the better online maps I've found of the area is an Interagency Trail Management Map produced by the NPS Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area GIS Lab. It shows the status of trails and public lands in the Santa Monica Mountains and is broken into three parts: West - Central - East. Additional NPS SMMNRA trail management plan maps include Proposed Backbone Trail Facilities and Trails and Proposed Regional Trails.

Here is a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of our route from the Ray Miller trailhead and through Serrano and La Jolla Valleys.

Related post: Serrano Valley - La Jolla Valley Loop, Serrano Valley from the Chamberlain Trail

It was a little eerie. There wasn't so much as an animal track or old bootprint on the trail ahead. The path was perfectly smooth, and I felt a bit guilty as my running shoes left their patterned tracks under foot. Lynn, Frank, and I were working up the Pacific Crest Trail on the west side of Mt. Williamson in the San Gabriel Mountains, near Los Angeles. As we switchbacked up the trail, the mountain seemed to sigh, happy to have enjoyed at least a few days of solitude.

Closed in early September by the Station Fire, this part of Angeles National Forest did not burn. It reopened in October, but is difficult to access because of the continuing closure of Angeles Crest Highway. To get to this point, we had run from the Antelope Valley side of the mountains. First up the South Fork Trail to Islip Saddle, and then along Angeles Crest Highway, through the tunnels, to the PCT near Kratka Ridge. A steep climb up the PCT put us where we were now -- nearing the summit of the usually busy peak.

Of course that was part of the fun of trail running. By the time we reached the summit of Mt. Williamson, we would have gained about 3600' of elevation, and would be a little more than half way through our 21 mile run. From Williamson's summit we would head west along Pleasant View Ridge, and then descend the Burkhart Trail to Devil's Punchbowl. The ups and downs along Pleasant View Ridge, and the "minor" climb out from Cruthers Creek, would add another 1500' or so of elevation gain.

The run up the rugged South Fork trail had been interesting. Low on the trail we had picked up the blocky hoof prints of what was probably a large bighorn sheep. Intent on the tracks, and telling stories of Tom Brown and the Pine Barrens, we almost didn't notice two deer hunters hiking up the trail ahead of us. Another mile or two up the trail we heard something large moving through the brush, and were surprised to see a sizable black bear bounding down a slope. I wondered if it might be the sire of the cubs we had seen on this trail earlier in the year. A little higher still, we found a beautifully colored California mountain kingsnake, warming itself in a patch of morning sun.

Those encounters had been a couple of hours before. Now we were just below Williamson's summit ridge. Reaching the crest, we ran the few remaining yards to its eastern summit. The visibility was stunning. To the south, we could see the thin ribbons of Catalina Island and San Clemente Island, more than 75 miles distant. To the east, Mt. San Jacinto loomed above the shoulder of Mt. Islip. To the north an indistinct line of white floated above the horizon. Was it the Sierra?

The 3 mile traverse of Pleasant View Ridge between Mt. Williamson and Burkhart Saddle was strenuous, but spectacular. The path along the ridge was also untrodden, and it wasn't until Pallett Mountain that we noticed the first footprints. From Pallett Mountain the route dropped more than 3000' -- much of it excellent running on the Burkhart Trail. It wasn't until mile 20, when we turned off the High Desert National Recreation Trail and started the mile descent to the Devil's Punchbowl parking lot, that we finally encountered another person -- a runner, jogging up the hill.

Here's a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace (yellow) of the point to point route, and an elevation profile generated by SportTracks. Using the High Desert Recreation Trail as a connector (red trace in the Google Earth view), the route could be extended to a loop.

Some related posts: Peaks Along Pleasant View Ridge, Pleasant View Ridge Snow

Spectacular Autumn trail running along Wellman Cienega in the San Jacinto Wilderness.

Lush with ferns and corn lilies in the summer, Wellman Cienega is a mountain seep high on the eastern slopes of Marion Mountain. It's a couple of miles into an excellent 5 mile downhill segment from the top of San Jacinto to Saddle Junction.

From today's trail run to San Jacinto Peak (10,834') and Tahquitz Peak (8828') from the top of the Palm Springs Tram at Long Valley.

Here's a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of the route, and an elevation profile generated in SportTracks. The total elevation gain/loss on the 20 mile run was about 4000'.

Related post: Room with a View

Runners Descending the Devil's Backbone on Mt. Baldy

It's a lot more fun working with gravity, than against it! For many runners, the run down from the summit of Mt. Baldy is as much a part of the Run to the Top experience as the race up.

Grueling sections of trail are effortlessly retraced, and there is more of an opportunity to enjoy the Devil's Backbone, and other spectacular sections of trail. Those needing more mileage skip the chair lift ride down from the Notch, and continue down the service road, following the route of the race.

Related post: Mt. Baldy Run to the Top 2009

"What's the elevation gain?" is a common question when talking about a trail run, because it makes such a huge difference in the difficulty of the run. All the technology we have for recording and analyzing trail runs is remarkable, but it can sometimes produce misleading and wildly inaccurate results. This is particularly the case when using a GPS track to calculate elevation gain and loss.

Last Sunday's trail run in the San Gabriel Mountains is a good example. The course started at Islip Saddle, dropped down to South Fork Campground, climbed to the summit of Mt. Baden-Powell by way of Vincent Gap, and then returned on the PCT to Islip Saddle. The GPS track was recorded on a Garmin Forerunner 205. So what was the elevation gain on the loop?

According to Garmin Training Center, the gain was about 10,500'. The same track in TOPO! calculated the gain at about 6,100'. SportTracks, using corrected SRTM-based elevations and moderate smoothing, came up with 5800'. When uploaded to Garmin Connect, the track produced a fanciful elevation gain of about 13,600'!

Last year I used a Polar 625X on this course. It measures elevation gain/loss based on changes in barometric pressure, and came up with a gain of 5400'. So which of these values is the closest to reality?

Fortunately, in the case of elevation gain/loss it's fairly easy to do a low tech sanity check of these high tech results. All that is required is to get out a topo map, either electronically or on paper, and do a little arithmetic.

In the case of Sunday's loop, the gain from South Fork Campground to the summit of Baden-Powell is about 4830'. The gain on the PCT up and over the shoulder of Throop Peak is about 375'. A couple of other minor climbs total 240'. This gives a total of 5445'. Adding in a fudge factor of 200' for very small climbs that were not included in the total, the result is a reality checked gain of about 5645'.

The title photograph is from a run on the Hummingbird Trail yesterday.

Note: A long-standing rule of thumb, Naismiths Rule, says that the additional time required to gain 1000 ft. on a run/hike, will be the same as the the time to run/hike 1.5 miles on the flat. See "Short and hilly or long and flat?" in the Mountaineering Council of Scotland's The SCOTTISH MOUNTAINEER (Issue 7, March 2001).

The out and back trail run from the Chula Vista parking lot on Mt. Pinos to the top of Mt. Abel is one of the best "short" mountain runs in Southern California. Most of the run is on the Vincent Tumamait Trail -- a technical single track trail in the Chumash Wilderness in Los Padres National Forest.

Ranging in elevation from about 7700' to 8800', the run packs a lot into its 15 mile length, combining great scenery with demanding uphills and superb downhills through old growth pine and fir forest. The summit area of Mt. Pinos is open and alpine with views that can range from the ocean to the Sierra.

About 4 miles from the parking lot is the North Fork Trail junction. A short side trip on this trail leads to the seeps, spring and wildflowers at Sheep Camp. The Vincent Tumamait Trail ends at Cerro Noroeste (Mt. Abel) road, but it is not difficult to work up through the pines about 1/3 of a mile to the campground on Mt. Abel's summit.

Usually about 20-30 degrees cooler than lowland hot spots such as the San Fernando Valley, the run is a great way to beat the heat on a hot summer day. See the post Vincent Tumamait Trail for more info and additional trail running options.

The title photo is of Lynn Longan, running up the switchbacks near the Condor Observation Site on Mt. Pinos.

Maybe because we're involved in outdoor sports, we're more aware of basic human anatomy than some other segments of the population, but I am still stupefied to read the results of a recent study in which less than one-third (31.4%) of the participants correctly identified the location of the lungs on a diagram of the human body.

The study, published in BMC Family Practice (2009, 10:43), was intended to evaluate the anatomical knowledge of different patient groups and the general public, and compare the results to a similar study done in 1970.

In the 2009 study, less than half (46.5%) of the participants correctly identified the location of the heart, and a little more than one-third (38.4%) could identify the location of the stomach.

The percentage correct for each item of the anatomy tested (heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, bladder, thyroid, liver and kidneys) averaged 51.4% in 1970 and 52.5% in the 2009 study.

Exactly as I found it on my run at Ahmanson today. Looked like a fairly new running shoe.

Last year on this date, Southern California was in the middle of a heatwave. On June 20, 2008, Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills reached a record-setting high of 111°F, and on June 21 the temp reached 108°F!

Not so this June! So far this month, Downtown Los Angeles has not had a day when the average temperature was above normal. And it's not only the low elevation stations that have been cool. Several times this month the overnight low at the Big Pines RAWS, near Wrightwood in the San Gabriel Mountains, has dropped into the thirties, and daytime temps have averaged more than 10 degrees below normal.

This translates to great running weather in Southern California, and near perfect weather for trail running in the San Gabriel Mountains. Today, did the Three Points - Buckhorn loop, along with a short detour up to the summit of Waterman Mountain. The route worked out to about 23 miles with a reality-checked elevation gain/loss of about 3800'. Here's a Google Earth browser view of a GPS trace of the run.

The title photo is of Dave Burke, cruising down a nice section of the PCT between Cloudburst Summit and Cooper Canyon.

Related post: Three Points Loop Plus Mt. Waterman

Tom Sloan Trail in Bear Canyon

Update August 9, 2009. A section of trail necessary to complete this loop has been closed by the Forest Service, and there is no workaround. According to the Angeles National Forest web site "The Mount Lowe Truck Trail (Forest Trail No. 2N50) has been closed from its intersection with Eaton Saddle, west ½ mile to its intersection with Markham Saddle." See Forest Order #01-09-02 (PDF).

The creek burbled a gentle song of Spring, and downstream a Canyon Wren replied. Standing near the bottom of the narrow gorge, my eyes followed the soaring trunks of a grove of alders to their canopy of new leaves -- backlit and bright green in the sun.

Bright green in the sun... In my run-altered state it was one of those aha! moments. The alders are just tall enough to reach from the shadows of the canyon into the sun - and - without the water in the stream that cut the canyon, the alders could not grow to the necessary height. The pieces fit -- or was it the endorphins talking?

We were in Bear Canyon, west of Mt. Wilson, about 10 miles and 15 stream crossings into a 20 mile loop. An idyllic hike along Arroyo Seco a couple of weeks before had reminded me of this wonderfully wild trail.

Our adventure had started at Red Box, on Angeles Crest Highway. Working east down the Gabrielino Trail to the West Fork San Gabriel River, snow could be seen glistening in the morning sun on Mt. Baldy's summit slopes. There was no snow on our trail, just warm sun, buzzing bees and blooming manzanita. Continuing down the forested river canyon, we followed the Gabrielino Trail to Valley Forge, and then ascended the winding Valley Forge Trail to Eaton Saddle on the Mt. Wilson Road.

At the Mt. Lowe fire road gate at Eaton Saddle we were greeted by yellow warning tape and an "Unsafe for Travel" sign. What had happened? Did Mueller Tunnel collapse or something? Not inclined to turn back, we continued along the road, promising ourselves that we wouldn't do anything reckless.

Other than the tracks of heavy equipment, nothing seemed out of the ordinary as we approached the tunnel. I had forgotten that the tunnel is curved, and for a moment was concerned when I couldn't see the exit. But a couple of strides later the arched exit burst into view. The danger was an old one -- an ongoing rock slide just beyond the western exit of the tunnel. There must have been a big slide recently. At the moment it was passable, and we figured as long as we didn't stop under the slide, we'd probably be OK.

From Markham Saddle we followed the Mt. Lowe fire road out Mt Lowe's elongated west ridge to a single track trail that leads down to Tom Sloan Saddle. From here, the old Tom Sloan Trail descends into Bear Canyon.

Down in the canyon, I was glad to see that the neo-orange plastic tape that had marked the trail in 2007 was now tattered and faded, and not easily seen. Part of the enjoyment of a remote trail is its wildness. The trail descends the canyon -- it has nowhere else to go. When progress is blocked on one side of the stream, it crosses to the other side. Plastic tape isn't needed to show the way.

After many such stream crossings, we eventually worked our way down to the confluence of Bear Creek and Arroyo Seco. Along this reach there is a fantastic series of falls, pools and cascades. Gary Gunder and I were blown away by these drops when we kayaked Arroyo Seco down to JPL in 1998.

Following the Bear Creek trail upstream, we were careful not to miss the turn where the trail climbs steeply to the Gabrielino Trail and traverses above Switzer Falls. At Switzers Picnic area we parted ways -- Miklos and Krisztina headed back to their car at Clear Creek, and I continued up Arroyo Seco to Red Box. It was a incredibly scenic and enjoyable trail run.

Here's a Google Earth image and live Google Earth Browser View of a GPS trace of the Red Box - Bear Canyon - Switzers Loop. According to SportTracks the length of the loop was 19.5 miles with an elevation gain/loss of around 4000 ft.

Related posts: Falls Leaves on Bear Creek, Strawberry - Bear Canyon Loop

Steep climb on the Bandit 30K and 14K Courses.

Low clouds cling to the slopes of Rocky Peak, and a cool downslope breeze stirs through the runners gathered at the start line in Corriganville Park. Three... A race organizer holding a "turn on your Garmin" sign is counting us down. Two... Runners anxious to get on the course collectively take a deep breath. One... Go! The first steep climb is just minutes away...

You never know what you're going to get in the first edition of a race, but in this case the Bandit 30K/14K organizers appeared to have considered every detail. Check-in went smoothly, the race started precisely at 8:00 a.m., the course was challenging and well-marked, aid & water was where it was needed, volunteers were great, and the finish line had an assortment of tasty treats!

Overall, elite mountain runner Jon Clark edged Kevin Gillotti and Jason Perez, winning the 30K in 2:22:29 -- averaging 8 minute miles over the demanding course. Among the women, Lisa Fink placed first, finishing in a time of 3:08:28. In the 14K, women took two out of the top three places, finishing first and third. Jen Todd was first in 1:15:22, followed by Karl Bowers and Meredith Davidson. Results and photos are available on the Bandit 30K/14K web site.

Many thanks to the Bandit Race Committee -- Randy & Sarita Shoemaker, Larry Lee, and Todd Baker -- and all the volunteers and sponsors for a great race! Also, thanks to Tommi Diaz for her photos of the 30K.

Here's a Google Earth image, Google Earth KMZ file, and Google Earth browser view (Chrome, IE7, IE6, Firefox) of my GPS trace of the course.

The photo of runners on Rocky Peak Road is from a run in November 2007.

Some related posts: Bandit 30K Course Preview, Las Llajas Hill 2484, Running Rocky Peak Road, Chumash Trail Rocks & Snow

There are still a few rogue mud puddles out at Ahmanson ranch, but the Goldfields are blooming, the meadowlarks singing, and it feels like Spring!

Last week it looked like our rain season might not be over. Now I'm beginning to wonder. This week the GFS and ECMWF forecasts have been much drier in Southern California, with most of the activity focused on the Pacific Northwest. No significant rain is forecast here over the next week, and both the 6-10 and 8-14 day forecasts project below average precipitation in Southern California.

If these medium range forecasts are on the mark, March rainfall for Downtown Los Angeles (USC) will fall well below the 3.14 inch norm. Normal April rainfall is 0.83 inches, and May only 0.31 inches. Beyond March it becomes increasingly unlikely that a big rain event will significantly boost our rainfall total.

Since November 1, Downtown Los Angeles has recorded 8.80 inches of precipitation. This is about what would be expected during a La Nina, and within the range indicated in the composite precipitation map included in the post Southern California 2008-2009 Winter Precipitation Outlook, back in October.

In his March 6 post, Ed Berry suggested the possibility of "more energetic progressive troughs" in the western U.S in the week 2-3 timeframe. That wouldn't necessarily result in rain in Southern California, but might improve our chances. Numerical weather model performance generally suffers during seasonal transitions, so maybe there are still some surprises lurking in the Pacific. We'll see!

A view of the Conejo Valley from the crags west of the Danielson cabin site. The grassland area in the valley is Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in Newbury Park, California.

From Sunday's adventure hike and run to Sandstone Peak in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Related post: Satwiwa Loop Trail

I was surprised how good my legs felt on the steeps on Rocky Peak. Apparently skiing San Jacinto was a great way to knock my legs out of the doldrums -- and make them happy to be using shoes that weigh only 22 ounces/pair!

This stretch of Rocky Peak Road is about 1.5 miles from the trailhead at the 118 freeway. It is also about 2.7 miles into the Bandit 30K and 14K courses.

Related posts: Bandit 30K Course Preview, Rainy Morning on Rocky Peak Road

Not the green of shamrocks or jade, or an emerald sea,
but of new growth along a trail, softly seen.

From a run of the Trailer Canyon - Trippet Ranch loop, described in Garapito Trail Runs.

Here is a Live Browser View of the run using the Google Earth browser plug-in (Chrome, IE7, IE6, Firefox).

Related post: Ferns Along the Garapito Trail

My legs were still pretty worked from the Boney Mountain Half Marathon. Instead of backing off of the pace on my weekday workouts, I had continued to experiment with a change in running technique that was resulting in faster paced runs. I was excited about the increase in speed, but logging fast times on oft-run courses after a strenuous race doesn't equal recovery. Neither does blasting up a peak in the San Gabriel Mountains.

But it was one of those impossible to ignore, blue sky, short-sleeved Southern California Winter weekends. This would be an unprecedented eighth straight January day that the high temperature in Los Angeles exceeded eighty degrees. In the yin yang of weather, the western half of the U.S. has been enjoying unusually warm temps, while the eastern half of the country shivered.

Taking maximum advantage of the good weather, yesterday I had done a little kayaking on the Kern River, this morning some rock climbing at Stoney Point, and now we were huffing and puffing up Strawberry Peak (6164') -- and doing it "for time."

We had started at Red Box, the shortest and technically most moderate way to climb the peak. By this route it's about 3.4 miles to the summit, with an elevation gain of roughly 1600 ft. About two-thirds of that distance is well-graded trail, the rest is steep use trail up a broad, brush covered ridge.

About halfway between Lawlor Saddle and the summit of Strawberry it became plainly and painfully evident that my legs had given their all. I complain. Miklos -- always sympathetic -- asks why I can't go any faster.

On the final steep push to the summit ridge I try a different tactic to slow the pace, and tell a story about an unbelievably angry and aggressive raccoon I once encountered near here. But like President Jimmy Carter's rabbit incident, it loses something in the telling. Redlined, we crest the summit ridge and sprint (relatively speaking) toward the summit.

On the summit, there is not a breath of wind. The view is exceptional. To the southwest, sunlight gleams on the waters of the Pacific near Palos Verdes, and to the west snow gleams white on Mt. Baldy. Some 90 miles distant, near Palm Springs, is the asymmetric silhouette of Mt. San Jacinto.

Soon we're headed down. As I drop below the summit ridge, a snowball whizzes past my ear, crashing on the trail ahead. It has been warm and dry for weeks, but remarkably, there are a few patches of snow. It is a reminder that Winter is not over, and like the snow, is lurking in the shadows.

Scruffy clouds clung to the mountain ridges and summits, confirmation that a weak cold front was moving through the area, cooling temperatures and stirring up the wind. The forecast for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area had mentioned 25 to 35 mph winds with gusts to 60 mph. So far the weather in Pt. Mugu State Park had been nearly perfect -- breezy and little chilly, but without the impenetrable winds that can take all the joy out of running.

Earlier we had climbed the Fossil Trail, a steep mile-long trail that connects the Upper Sycamore Trail, near its junction with Sycamore Canyon Road, to the Old Boney Trail. With only a few weeks remaining to the Solstice, shadows in the canyon were long and the light wintery. I thought we might have missed the fossils, but we happened on a nice exposure about a tenth of a mile below the Old Boney Trail junction.

About 5.5 miles later, we turned off the Old Boney Trail and descended to the rolling grasslands of Serrano Valley, another "must see" area of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Located on the east side of Big Sycamore Canyon, Serrano Valley is a more rugged counterpart to La Jolla Valley, just three miles to the west. Overseen by the castle-like summits of Boney Mountain, its vistas have a roughhewn edge, reminiscent of the most wild areas of the western U.S.

Here is a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of our approximately 19 mile route to Serrano Valley and back to Wendy Drive.

Related posts: La Jolla Valley & Mugu Peak from Wendy Drive, Fossil Trail - Pt. Mugu State Park

Lowland blues got you down? Are you beginning to think faux pine tree cell towers aren't that ugly? Do you gaze longingly at distant mountains and then realize you're looking at a billboard?

When I feel that way, one of the close-to-home hikes/runs that satiates the alpine craving is the Falls Creek loop on Mt. San Gorgonio. The 'Falls Creek up, Vivian Creek down' route has been a high mountain favorite of mine for a number of years. It is as rigorous as it is beautiful. About 24.5 miles long, it gains approximately 6600' on the way to the 11,499' summit of San Gorgonio.

Even at 7:30 in the morning, the climb out from the Momyer trailhead on the steep, south-facing slope of Mill Creek canyon had been warm, but in about an hour we were in the firs and pines, and contouring into the shaded drainage of Alger Creek. Another 30 minutes and the trail has joined the route of the original Falls Creek trail -- climbing to the eastern side of the divide between Alger Creek and Falls Creek and turning north as it entered the Falls Creek drainage. (A spur trail descends to Dobbs Camp.)

The trail up the Falls Creek drainage has few switchbacks and is deceivingly steep, but the segment is one I always enjoy. Near Saxton Camp its course works back into a lush side canyon, where it crosses an idyllic stream in a pastoral mountain setting. Above Saxton Camp, the area has an isolated, big sky, big mountain feel. Bright green slopes of manzanita extend upward for miles, and stale flatland sights, smells and sounds are displaced in favor of deep blue skies, the minty fragrance of pennyroyal, and the raucous shouts of Stellar's jays.

Just get me to Dollar Lake Saddle... Please! I don't know what it is about this section of trail, but the short 1000' climb from Plummer Meadows to Dollar Lake Saddle is always tougher than I expect. Maybe it's the altitude, maybe it's the miles I've run during the week, or maybe it's a gravity anomaly -- whatever, it's a relief to get to the saddle.

Above the saddle, the trail becomes more airy and alpine, and at times there are views of the summit area of Gorgonio and down Gorgonio's north face. Adrenalin flows and the effort required seems to ease. Sometimes running, sometimes hiking, we continue up the rocky path.

About an hour above Dollar Lake Saddle, we jog across a nice flat stretch of trail just below Gorgonio's summit. It's around noon when Andrew and I weave our way through a final few boulders to the summit. Relaxing on the summit, we chat with others about their routes, and talk about running and the mountains.

In February, Andrew caught the trail running bug. In May he completed his first ultra -- a fifty miler. Now he's training to run the Angeles Crest 100 mile endurance run in September. Today's ascent of San Gorgonio is the first of two long mountain trail runs he will do this weekend.

After about 15-20 minutes on the summit, we jog back to the Vivian Creek trail, jump on the escalator and head down. There are the usual stops to get water at Upper Vivian Creek (the last water was at Plummer Meadows), and to take a few photographs. There's also a quick stop to have our wilderness permit checked.

Around 2:50 we're off the mountain and crossing Mill Creek, and in a few minutes we're running down the blacktop and back to Momyer.

Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of the loop. Surprisingly, it is only about 1.5 miles shorter than the "high line" loop that ascends East San Bernardino Peak before traversing to Mt. San Gorgonio.

Related post: San Gorgonio High Line

It isn't unusual for snow to persist on New Army Pass (12,300') well into July. Strong northwest winds, following in the wake of blustery Winter storms, blow freshly fallen snow over the crest and into this cirque, forming cornices along its lip, and dense slabs of wind-ground snow in it's lee.

That's why the July 1 Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park Trail Conditions report for New Army Pass seemed plausible. It read, "The top of the pass has an 30 foot snow wall - ice axe recommended."

The reported trail conditions are a compilation of reports from the field, and are not always up-to-date. Having been over the pass a number of times, and in a variety of conditions, I thought that we would probably be able to bypass any remaining patches of snow without needing an ice axe. Worst case, if the pass looked dicey, we could use Cirque Peak or some other alternative route to attain the crest.

We need not have worried. While there was snow in the cirque, and in a couple of places along the trail near the top of the pass, the trail was completely clear. Even so, it was a good excuse to do the 21 mile Cottonwood loop counterclockwise -- the reverse of my usual circuit -- climbing up New Army Pass from the Cottonwood Lakes side, and then running down into Rock Creek basin.

Now that I've done the loop in both directions, I think I prefer the clockwise circuit. The 9 miles of running from New Army Pass down through the Cottonwood Lakes basin is generally better than the running down from Chicken Spring Lake and Cottonwood Pass. Also, there's more downhill on some sandy sections of trail between Chicken Spring Lake and Rock Creek. The tradeoff is you give up the nice downhill into Rock Creek basin, and near the end of the loop have a mile or so of annoying uphill.

Here's a Google Earth image, Google Earth KMZ file, and an elevation profile of a GPS trace of the route. (The elevation profile was generated using SportTracks.)

Related posts: Cottonwood - New Army Pass Loop, Mt. Langley in a Day from L.A.

Southern California can have inclement Winter weather. This January downtown Los Angeles experienced a streak with 8 days of measurable rain, and last year temperatures in the suburbs plunged to a frigid 20°F. Maybe this doesn't compare to Seattle's 2005-2006 rain streak of 27 days, or International Falls' recent record low of 40° below zero, but it qualifies as rainy and cold none the less.

Today it was not rainy and cold. It was just about as pleasant as a day could be. Skies were blue, winds were light, and the temperature was in the mid-seventies. Starting at the Wendy Dr. trailhead on Potrero Rd., we enjoyed the perfect weather by doing a 14.5 mile variant of the Boney Mountain Half Marathon Course.

The photograph above is of the Hidden Pond Trail near Hidden Pond -- recently restored by Winter rains.

Related posts: Boney Mountain Half Marathon, Big Sycamore Canyon Circuit, Boney Mountain - Big Sycamore Canyon Circuit

The temp was in the 30's and it took a couple of minutes for my car's engine to warm enough to thaw the coating of ice on the windshield. I was headed for a run in the San Gabriel Mountains and was wondering how cold it might be.

In a November in which 29 days had been bone dry, it had rained on the 30th, and temps had cooled dramatically. That was day before yesterday. This morning the sky was still a storm-cleansed blue, and except for a few passing high clouds, promised to stay that way. If the winds were not too brisk, it could be one of those invigoratingly crisp late Autumn days -- cold in the shadows, but warm and pleasant in the sun.

About an hour later Miklos and I were working our way up the Condor Peak Trail (13W05), not far from the trailhead on Big Tujunga Canyon Road. At the parking area I had shed some extra layers and was now running in shorts and a light long-sleeve top. In the pack were an ultralight shell, gloves, and a headband.

About a 1/4 mile from the parking area we caught up to some hikers and their dogs. They asked us if we were headed "to the top." I replied that we were doing Fox Mountain and Condor Peak, and would continue on to the Trail Canyon Trail.

"Do you have a car at the Trail Canyon trailhead?"

"Yep..."

"You know it's 17 miles, right?"

"Yep..."

Twenty minutes into the run, we reached the point where the old trail jumps up from Big T and joins the main trail. From here we turned north, away from the highway, and began a long, winding, uphill course that would eventually reach the divide between Fox Mountain (5033') and Condor Peak (5440'+). This meandering approach resulted in a very runnable section of trail that gains about 2500' in 5.5 miles -- an average 8.6% grade.

As the trail wound in and out of canyons, and from shadowed to sunny slopes, the temperature contrasts were startling. Within a few feet, we would stride from balmy, solar heated granite alcoves into frosty, refrigerated nooks near freezing. We estimated the difference in temperature to be 30-40 degrees.

Gradually we gained elevation, and in about an hour and a half we crested the broad divide at the base of Fox Mountain. From this point a short -- but steep -- path leads directly to Fox's summit.

Deep in morning shadow, the east side of the peak was cold! The ground was frozen, and heavy frost covered fallen leaves of chaparral. A few strenuous minutes and we were atop the peak, relishing the warmth of the sun and the panoramic view. Mt. Lukens, Josephine Peak, Strawberry Peak and Mt. Wilson loomed nearby. Further to the east, beyond Mt. Waterman and Twin Peaks, Mt. Baldy glistened white with a new coat of snow. Dressed for running, and damp from the climb, chill breezes hurried us from the summit.

Peak to peak the distance from Fox to Condor is over two miles. That's what the map says, but on the ground Condor looks deceptively close. Several false summits amplify the deception, and many a hiker has been deceived. Even having viewed the route from Fox and climbed the peak before, I still did not fully appreciate the distance.

The scramble up Condor was a little longer than the hike up Fox. The peak has twin summits at very nearly the same elevation. We were curious which summit would have the register and found it on the more westerly summit. To do both Fox and Condor only added about an hour to our run.

Once down from Condor Peak it took about twenty minutes to hoof it over to the Trail Canyon Trail (13W03) junction. From here the trail drops about 3110 ft. in six miles. The grade of the trail is steeper than the Condor Peak trail, and a little more rocky and technical. Where the Condor Peak trail seeks the high lines, the Trail Canyon trail follows a creek and plunges into a deep riparian canyon.

Back at the car we marveled at what an enjoyable run it had been. The perfect weather and nearly ideal grade of the trails seemed to make the run almost effortless. It isn't always that way.

Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of the route.

Note: Although the Trail Canyon drainage is relatively small, it appears to have generated some sizable flash floods and debris flows. The canyon forms a huge southwest facing "rain catcher." During Winter storms, the canyon wrings water from moisture laden wind as it is funneled into and up its slopes.

From a run at Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch).

Due to fire concerns, Los Padres, Angeles, Cleveland and San Bernardino National Forests remained closed this weekend, so I headed back up to Kernville to meet some friends and run the Whiskey Flat Trail -- a sizzling trail in the summertime that has been on my running to-do list for years.

Tucked away in a corner of the Southern Sierra on the banks of the Kern River, and only about a 3 hour drive from Los Angeles, Kernville usually brings to mind images of rafts, kayaks and exciting whitewater, but more than great paddling adventures can be had here.

Sequoia National Forest and the Golden Trout Wilderness afford an extensive array of hiking, mountain biking, climbing, fishing, trail running, and other recreational opportunities. Lower elevation adventures are generally within about a 30 minute drive of Kernville, and higher elevation adventures about an hour's drive.

We did the approximately 15 mile Whiskey Flat Trail north to south, starting at McNally's Restaurant and Resort, about 15-20 minutes north of Kernville on highway Mountain 99. The trail is accessed using the Fairview footbridge and is on the opposite side of the river from the highway. It is a gnarly up and down trail, best done in cool weather, with pleasant views of the river and the surrounding mountains.

On it's way downstream to Burlando Road in Kernville, the trail crosses several creeks and canyons, gaining about 1000 ft. and losing about 1500 ft. Sometimes the trail is yards from the river and at other times so distant as to be taunting. As is the case when paddling this part of the river, the triangular form of peak 6047, near Corral Creek, is a distinctive landmark, that soberly marks progress down the river.

It is a trail that is long for its length and modest elevation gain. There are sandy stretches, rocky sections, stretches with V-ruts, steep uphill sections, and long stretches of perfectly graded downhill. About 8.5 miles into the run a striking section of trail traverses a cliff above Sock'em Dog, a class V rapid on a reach of the river named the Thunder Run.

All in all it was a enjoyable run that would be brutal in hot weather and a high sun. Even with the temperature topping out at only about 80 degrees, I was glad I took extra water!

Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of our route. Near the end of the run, after crossing Bull Run Creek, various use trails have evolved. The main trail forks right and does not cross private property. The various routes can be checked out on Google Earth.

Update 08/17/10. About half of the Whiskey Flat Trail appears to have been within the area burned by the Bull Fire. Here's a Google Earth interactive browser view of a GPS trace of the Whiskey Flat Trail (from last year's Burger Run), and the area burned by the Bull Fire based on the most recent GEOMAC fire perimeter (dated 08/01/10). Also included is a GPS trace of the Cannell Plunge route from MountainbikeBill.com.

Despite an ongoing heat wave and excessive heat warnings, temps were surprisingly moderate for the 42nd running of the Mt. Baldy Run to the Top race. This year the men's overall winner was Eric Martin in a time of 1:10:04, and the women's overall winner was Brigid Freyne in a time of 1:30:41. For all of the results see the Run to the Top web site. Many thanks to the race organizers, volunteers, USFS, Mt Baldy Ski Lifts and the Mt. Baldy Fire Department for a great race!

Here are a few images from the race (Flash 8 required), a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file (updated) of a GPS trace of the route.

Related post: Mt. Baldy Runner

The plan had been to do a 2-3 hour run from the Chula Vista parking lot west over Mt. Pinos into the Chumash Wilderness, but due to the Zaca Fire, the trail/road to the summit of Mt. Pinos, the Vincent Tummawait trail, and all of the Chumash Wilderness were closed.

Improvising the best we could, we linked together some cross-country ski trails, use trails, a fallen tree, and the Mt. Pinos road, and were able to get in a good trail run.

Update Friday, August 31, 2007. In a press release dated August 29, 2007, the Forest Service announced that some areas within Los Padres National Forest east of Highway 33 that were previously closed to public entry because of the Zaca Fire would be reopened on August 30.

For more information regarding the Zaca Fire and related closures, see the Los Padres National Forest web site.

Some related posts: Mt. Pinos - Mt. Abel Out & Back, Thunderstorm, Vincent Tumamait Trail

A grizzled guardian of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Wally Waldron Tree stands defiantly astride an airy, rock strewn ridge, just below the summit of 9399 ft. Mt. Baden-Powell.

Perched on the brink of the mountain's precipitous southeast face, the weather-sculpted Lodgepole Pine is at an elevation and in an environment similar to the 4000+ yr. old White Mountain Bristlecone Pines. Burnished and hardened, the tree's huge, gnarled roots anchor it firmly to the mountain, helping it to resist the whims of weather and time. The tree is estimated to be 1500 years old.

We had stopped to visit the tree part way through an approximately 23.5 mile loop from Islip Saddle. Our route had descended to South Fork Campground (4560'), before climbing back up to Vincent Gap and Mt. Baden-Powell. In a few minutes we would continue to Baden-Powell's summit, and from there follow the PCT along the crest back to Islip Saddle. Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of the loop.

Water Notes: The little stream on the Manzanita Trail about 1.5 miles from Vincent Gap was still running. The flow from Little Jimmy Spring was lower than normal, but still very reasonable. We did not detour to Lamil Spring.

Related posts: Vincent Gap - Little Jimmy Spring Out & Back, Complications, Heat Wave

With Southern California in the throes of a record dry year, and temps in the valleys topping 100°F, this San Gabriel Mountains course was a good way to get in a long trail run at a cooler, higher elevation and enjoy some mountain scenery. A big plus was that there would be a source of ice cold spring water at the turnaround point.

Concerned that another usually dependable water source might already be dry, we started our run from Vincent Gap in the wrong direction, headed downhill on the Mazanita Trail. A couple of drainages and about a mile and a half later we were happy to hear -- and then see -- a diminished, but still gurgling ribbon of water.

In a couple of weeks, I might do the Islip - South Fork - Vincent Gap - Baden-Powell - Islip loop as part of my training for the Mt. Disappointment 50K. With Lamil Spring likely very low, and the connecting segment of Highway 2 closed, the loop would be difficult to do without this key water source.

Soon we were back at Vincent Gap and switch-backing up Mt. Baden-Powell. Even though mountain temps had recently been in the 90's, today the temperature was comfortably cool. That would be the surprise of the day. Ocean-cooled breezes would keep the mercury in check and make the running along the ridge between Baden-Powell and Little Jimmy almost Spring-like.

Including the extra bit at the start, the run worked out to be about 22 miles, with an elevation gain/loss of over 5000 ft.

Related posts: Snowless San Gabriels, Complications, Heat Wave

This was my first time back to Mt. Pinos since being caught in a fierce thunderstorm last July. No thunderstorms this time -- just wonderful running on the air-conditioned ridge between Mt. Pinos and Mt. Abel.

My route was the same as that described in the post Vincent Tumamait Trail. Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of the route.

Related posts: Thunderstorm, Vincent Tumamait Trail

Cirque Peak from Cottonwood Lakes Basin

The sky was brightening in the east, and sunrise was approaching when I met Miklos and Krisztina at the Denny's in Sylmar. We were already wasting light. The plan was to drive from near sea level up to Horseshoe Meadows, at about 10,000' on the Sierra east side. The hike/run we had in mind was a keyhole loop from the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead up (old) Army Pass and then down New Army Pass. If we felt OK at the top of Army Pass, we would also do Mt. Langley (14,026').

The weather forecast looked good. There was a chance of some gusty southwest winds in the afternoon, but temps were warm and there was virtually no chance of T-storms. With a record low Southern Sierra snowpack, there was almost no chance that an ice axe would be required on Army Pass. I was familiar with the route on Langley and down from New Army Pass, and expected to be back to the car well before sunset. But, just in case, the moon was about half full.

In fact, there had been very little snow on Army Pass, or anywhere else. We reached the pass relatively quickly, and decided to continue to Langley. Now, after another hour of hiking, we were above a prominent rock band that extends across Langley's south face, and making good progress.

I've been convinced for some time that pursed-lip breathing helps me at higher altitudes, particularly when I'm not well acclimated. There's a skill to it. There seems to me an optimum blend of heart rate, respiratory rate, and the amount of resistance created on exhalation. When all these factors are in balance, the breathing technique is almost automatic and effortless, and it really does seem to help. It certainly seemed to be helping me now.

I topped out a few hundred yards west of the summit, and ambled over to the high point of the peak. On a scale of 1 to 10, I felt pretty good -- maybe a 7. Making an effort to stay hydrated, consume plenty of calories, and not push the pace too hard seemed to have worked -- at least this time.

The view along the crest to Mt. Whitney and the peaks of the Kings-Kern Divide was telling. It was remarkable just how little snow there was at the highest elevations of the Sierra. A week before I had been paddling the Kern River. Now I could see why the flow on the upper Kern was dropping so fast.

This wide-angle photograph of Mt. Whitney and the Sierra crest from the summit of Mt. Langley is from a high resolution composite of 8 individual images. It was created using the improved photo-merge tools in Photoshop CS3.

Miklos and Krisztina joined me on the summit, and after taking a few summit photos, we headed down. Screeing down the slopes below the rock band, we were startled when a herd of perhaps 20 big horn sheep rumbled across the slopes below us. They flowed across the rough landscape like quicksilver. Graceful and robust, they moved effortlessly between the rocks and up a small slope. In the moments it took me to react, grab my camera, and turn it on, all but two large rams trailing the group, had disappeared.

Energized by the sight of these fleet-footed animals, we continued down to the saddle at Army Pass, and then up and over New Army Pass. Before sunset we would be back to the car, and before dark, eating dinner at Lone Pine. Before midnight we would be back in L.A. Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of a GPS trace of our route.

Note: Going to higher altitudes without properly acclimating can result in very serious, life-threatening illnesses. There is much information available on the Internet regarding altitude sickness and acclimatization. As a starting point see International Society for Mountain Medicine: An Altitude Tutorial and Wikipedia: Altitude sickness.

Related post: Cottonwood - New Army Pass Loop

Technorati Tags: Mt. Langley, mountain sheep, Mt. Whitney

Runner on a track that connects Rocky Peak fire road to Las Llajas Canyon in Rocky Peak Park. From the top of this hill there is approximately 4 miles of fast downhill through a scenic canyon garnished with out of service oil wells and a gurgling creek.

Related post: Chumash - Las Llajas Loop.

Runner in Mueller Tunnel, near Mt. Wilson, in the San Gabriel Mountains. From Sunday's Strawberry - Bear Canyon Loop run.

The Strawberry - Bear Canyon loop trail run is a longer, more adventurous variation of the circuit around Strawberry Peak described in the post Spring Growth.

The photograph Fall Leaves On Bear Creek was taken on this loop in November 2005. As described in that post, instead of descending directly to Switzer's from Red Box, this route descends the West Fork to Valley Forge Campground and then climbs up and over the shoulder of Mt. Wilson, and down into Bear Canyon, eventually working its way back to Switzer's and Clear Creek.

Without any wrong turns or other route finding issues the loop works out to about 25.5 miles with an elevation gain and loss of about 5500-6000 ft. The running (and hiking) is extremely varied, including fire roads, old road beds, easy trail, technical trail, and lots of up and down. Bear Creek's lush canyon is gorgeous, but 20 miles into the run, it's winding course and many creek crossings can prove demanding.

I attempted to obtain a GPS trace of this route in 2005, but the steep, narrow canyons defeated my Foretrex 201. Not so with my Forerunner 205. I continue to be amazed at the 205's performance. Here's a Google Earth image and Google Earth KMZ file of the GPS trace of my route.

Related posts: Spring Growth, Fall Leaves On Bear Creek, Forerunner 205.

Two runners climb up the last yards of a hill before descending into Las Virgenes Canyon in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve.

The trail is a connector that joins East Las Virgenes Canyon with upper Las Virgenes Canyon. Our 15 mile loop started at the Victory trailhead, following the El Scorpion Trail to another long-used trail that climbs up to the ridge along the northern boundary of the preserve. From here we descended to Las Virgenes Canyon and worked over to Shepherd's Flat and down Cheeseboro Canyon, eventually returning to the Victory trailhead by way of the main drag.

The area seen in the photograph is a small portion of the 24,000 acres that was burned in the Topanga Fire in late September 2005.

Although an undercoat of green is apparent, the drought in Southern California continues. According to NWS climate data, as of today, Downtown Los Angeles (USC) has recorded only 2.42 inches of rain since the water year began on July 1, 2006. This total is nearly 9 inches less than normal.

A friend cruises down Calabasas Peak Motorway on the way to the Stunt High Trail, Backbone Trail, Saddle Peak, and Tapia Park – a run of about 14 miles with an elevation gain of about 2600 ft., and loss of about 3600 ft.

Several excellent trail runs in the 11-15 mile range (or longer) can be done from the intersection of Malibu Canyon and Piuma Rd., near Tapia Park. These include an out and back to Saddle Peak (~13 mi), the Bulldog Loop (~14.5 mi), and point to point runs starting at the Secret Trail (~11 mi), or Tunnel #1 on Kanan Rd. (~12.5 mi).

Related posts: Saddle Peak, Rock Formations Along the Backbone Trail

It's mid-August, which means that Labor Day, and the Mt. Baldy Run to the Top, are only a couple of weeks away. There's nothing quite like the experience of racing to the top of a 10,000 ft. peak en masse with 500+ other runners.

The nearly 8 mile course, with 4000' of elevation gain, has been done in 1:00:49 by Matt Ebiner (1987), and in 1:15:32 by Carrie Garritson (1988). She was age 11 at the time! According to an article in the February / March 2002 Issue of TrailRunner Magazine "wild" Bill Lombardo has done the run barefoot!

More about the runner in this photo, the Mt. Baldy Run to the Top, and a race that climbs Mt. Baldy twice can be found in my SierraPhotography.com page Mt. Baldy, Runner Leaving the Summit. The photograph is from August 1991.

Related post: Mt. Baldy Run to the Top 2007

We did this acclimatization run early in our running adventure in Peru. The grain field is on a plateau at about 11,000', and parallels the Sacred Valley of the Incas, and Urubamba River.

The run took us across the plateau, down to the Maras salt mines, and then down into the Sacred Valley at a little over 9000'. Excited about the trip, we ran most of the way back to the hotel in Yucay. That evening we enjoyed Pisco Sours and an excellent dinner, and then drifted off to sleep dreaming of big mountains and expansive views.

The high peaks beyond the valley are part of the Cordilla Urubamba and are over 5000m (16,400'). The highest point on the Inca Trail, the "pass of the dead woman," is at about 13,800'. Later in the trip we would cross two 5000m passes while running a circuit of Mt. Ausangate.

The photograph is from July 15, 2003. The trip organizer, Devy Reinstein of Andes Adventures, is a accomplished runner, and a genius at travel logistics and organization.

A runner descends the trail below Palomani Pass (16,600 ft.) on a Circuit of Mt. Ausangate (20,905 ft.) in the Peruvian Andes. Once acclimated, running at that altitude wasn't as bad as I thought it might be, and when you return home, those 10,000 ft. trails feel like you're running at sea level. The trip was arranged by my good friend Devy Reinstein of Andes Adventures and was unforgettable. (Photo taken July 23, 2003.)