Kendall

Grove Creek.

Up back Grove Creek canyon. No snow except at meadow on south slopes. Great to be on trail. I've got aome work to do. 2, 500 ft elevation gain.

Zion Ponderosa. Running on trails around the ranch.

4 miles hiking. 4.25 mi run.

Run from East Zion National Park entrance up East Rim trail to Jolley Gulch overlook and to rental home. Short run but got a taste of running on the rim and a feel for what the traverse might be like. The scene in Zion's is up on the rim--not down in the canyon with the hords of tourists. 

Cold and raining this evening. Brought it back indoors for 7 on the treadmill.

WINDY! JRPT up through the narrows and back. Snakes are out!

Grove Creek. 2, 500 ft elev.

8 on the JRPT

Had hoped for a longer run today but work kept me late. Went back to Grove Creek again for a quick six--three up and back.. Headed up at dusk, 48 min to the spring, took a quick drink and headed back (good time for me on this one, ran all of it). Somewhat slowed going down in the dark but cruised at a good speed. 

8 miles on the JRPT--hot! (for May 90's)

Sadly only 3 miles this evening. Met with the Running with Angels (5K) group and didn't get my run done in time.

Out marking course (mile markers) for Running with Angels race on Saturday. Love these people and great cause.

9 miles on the new Murdock Canal trail. They've done a really nice job on this. Glad to see us invest tax dollars into a great trail system--our grandkids will thank us one day.

TIMP TRAIL MARATHON

Fun day in the rain, hail, and mud--epic mud! Lousy first half, just couldn't get it going. Climbing up the Green Monster and Grove Creek I found my hiking gear and just kept it going. Fast downhill into Battle Creek making up some good time to the Curly Springs turn-off. The climb out of there, wrapping around the front of Timp was a mess. Not as bad as the snow year but comparable. I believe the soil has a high clay content as it's sticky and super slick. Flying down into Dry Creek Canyon aid station nearly went down a couple of times in more of a free-fall than a run.

Moved nicely over the ridge into the meadow/rock pile and zipped down (knowing it was within reach and going to be close) just under the 5 hour mark (4:59:02). Course PR for me in spite of nasty conditions--very pleased considering I decided to do the run this morning. Couldn't miss out on the rain and mud.

A bit sore from Saturday's race but after a couple of miles things loosened up and I felt pretty good--legs feel strong.

Battle Creek -> Grove Creek Loop:

Parked the truck at Grove Creek, ran on the BST(?) to mouth of Battle Creek (1m). Headed up Battle Creek, much steeper than that of the Grove Creek side, about 2,500 ft elevation gain in just over 2 miles. Lots of scouts and young ones on the lower section. Some sections too steep to run. Hit junction and meadow and headed over to Grove Creek Canyon and spring. 

I would put the meadow and trail section at the base of Timpanogos between Battle Creek and Grove Creek among the most scenic anywhere in world. It's incredible!

Stopped to take a drink out of the spring and headed down for a fast descent back to the parking lot.

Beautiful evening run, 3/4 moon, amazing color with the recent snow up on Timp and the green of the meadow...blue-blue sky--wow! Good run.

1mi. = Grove Creek Parking Lot to Mouth of Battle Creek Canyon

2.19mi = Bottom of Battle Creek to Trail 151 Junction (Grove Creek-Big Baldy-Battle Creek).

1.48mi. = Junction to Grove Creek Spring (top of Grove Creek)

2.96mi. = Grove Creek Spring to Down to Parking Lot

A friend told me about the Wasatch Trail Run Series 5K/10K which started up this past week. The races are held Wednesday evenings at 6:30 initially at Corner Canyon April 24th-Sept 11th, then the series moves to Solitude and Snowbird on Thursday evenings in the weeks between the Corner Canyon races starting in mid July 2013.

I zipped up to Draper after work to check it out and treat it as my run for the day. $15 registration included a well-marked and creative, well thought-out course and a good raffle after the race. It's clear the RD (name?) is passionate about course marking with the runner in mind mixing it up with a different course each week.

1 mile warm-up. Got the pre-race instructions and we were off. Mildly steep start heading up the single track. After about a mile started passing some that just started out way too fast. The lead guys were gone--fast bunch of guys. Nice climb (1,100ft.) in the first 3 miles, very runnable but couldn't manage much better than a 10mm pace. Passed a couple more on the way up as well as a bunch of mtn bikers--is there anything more fun than passing a mountain bike heading up trail? Nearly got caught by 2 guys near the top of the climb and immediately dropped them when the trail headed down--"downhill is kind of my thang"--say it in cool Dad voice of Phil Dunphy (Modern Family).

Next 4.4 miles, most downhill, with some undulating sections (wish I knew the names of the trails--first time in Corner Canyon). Loved the downhill section from the top down behind the temple into the valley. Single track seems to be created with the mtn bike in mind as the trail has perfectly formed burms and smooth as glass. I managed a 6:20 mm avg for the next 4.4 dropping into the mid to low 5 range in some sections.

Pushed hard to the finish, finishing in exactly 1 hour (8:06 avg pace). I think I came in around 9th? A bit disappointing as I really ran it hard but up against some very talented roadies.

Looking forward to doing more of these if I can get comfortable finishing mid-pack with such a group. Fun day on the trail and highly recommend.

Grove Creek Canyon from parking lot to spring and back. 

Group of scouts set up camp right on the trail. Literally, two tents set up across from each other (facing each other) with only the span of the trail between them--12"...and their crap ON the trail. I could smack their leaders. What are we teaching these kids.

PR: 1:08 (47 up, 21 down) 2,300' vert.

Tibble Fork to Alpine via Dry Creek-Deer Creek Trail and Box Elder Summit

Left the truck at the Alpine trailhead and got dropped off at Tibble Fork reservoir. Spent a few minutes in the parking lot with the forest service reps asking some questions about the trails and options. Ran up the road to the Granite Flats campground and jumped on trail #44.

Nice climb gaining approx 2,000 ft in the first two miles. Hit snow at about 8,000 ft. Continued climbing until trails drops down into a ravine and crosses a stream from the above slide area and snow field. The trail from this point as described by the ranger heads down canyon and southeast. It was hard to pick out the trail through the snow field. I found and lost it several times before losing it for good and had no idea where the trail headed up to the ridge. I retraced my steps back to the ravine where I had seen a track from someone sliding down the couloir and decided to head straight up. 

I was somewhat nervous about traveling on the snowpack this time of year, coupled by the water which could be heard running underneath. I was careful and stayed to the more solid sections. About halfway up at a rocky ledge I stumbled on an exposed large buck mostly decomposed. Two of four large points on one side had broken off but the other side remained intact and attached to the bleached out skull. I carefully removed the skull from the spine and tied it to the back my Ultraspire backpack and continued on following a set of large cat tracks to the ridge.

From here the summit was only 1,000 ft up (11, 100) navigating around cornices and traveling up the skree slope. The summit offers spectacular views of Timpanogos, Lone Peak range , Pfifferhorn, etc., etc. From here I wasn't sure of the best way down but noticed a trail far below to the southwest that would eventually get me going the right way.

I choose to ski (on my shoes) down what some of the locals call the "sleigh run." The Sleigh Run is a field of snow about half a mile long right down the face. Its super steep and a lot of fun screaming down.

Box Elder Bug on Box Elder Peak at 10,500 ft. Ironic...I don't think so.

After hitting dirt again, the trail travels north and east around Box Elder Peak before heading down canyon. Surprisngly, there's still a ton of snow at the 8-9,000 ft level and traveling along the traverse was fun but difficult with the mud and snow.

Finally, the trail hits beautiful Community Meadow (?) and connects up with and heads down the Dry Creek-Deer Creek trail. I got some strange looks as I worked my way down to the more popular Horsetail Falls sections with my deer skull tied to my back. After a couple miles of good running I hit the trailhead and my truck.

Great day on the trail and first time on Box Elder. Est. 5,000 + vert. Only 11 miles but great climbs and a little more than 5 hours. Highly recommend.  

Schoolhouse Springs Trailhead (Alpine) to Lake Hardy Round Trip

Familiar hike up to First and Second Hamongog, continuing up to ridge line before trail heads east toward Lake Hardy.

Surprising amount of snow (I'm not sure why I was surprised based upon Saturday's Box Elder Peak outing--reoccurring theme with me) at 8,500 ft level.

Navigating trail to Hardy difficult and then impossible as it climbed up to 9,000 ft levels where snow depths dramatically increased. Traversed several snow fields carefully going off-piste up the ridge (as opposed to heading up the little valley to Lake Hardy) which allowed some climbing on rock as opposed to navigating through deep snow. Punched/fell in waist deep pockets many times--thankfully never into water.

Incredible amounts of water coming down cliff faces and underneath snow. Very careful with footing and climbing. Hardy still frozen with several feet of snow still on the ground.

Quick trip back knowing best route back through snow section.

10.8 with some short side excursions. 4,900 vert.

Six on the treadmill. Rough first mile then things loosened up and felt pretty good by the end. Body tired, legs feel okay beyond some slight hip pain during warm-up.

8 negative miles indoors.