Yesterday I ran from my house to the top of Mt. Elden. Burly! They hadn't finished plowing the Elden Lookout Road so I had to post hole about 3 miles of road! Most of it wasn't bad because of cross country ski tracks but the higher I got the harder it was. In a couple spots I went knee deep. Double burly!
The run ended up being a cruel 16-18 miles and about 4 hours long. I GOT WORKED!
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Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Bouldering in Red Rocks, Nevada
Strange but fun trip this last weekend... It was Valentines Day Saturday (happy birthday Melissa!) so the ladies (Susan, Ashley and Andrea) were going to have a girls weekend. The plan was that Andrea was going to fly into Las Vegas from Santa Fe and get picked up by Ashley, who drove from Flagstaff on Thursday. Susan couldn't make it until Friday so I was going to drive her to Las Vegas and drop her off with the ladies. After dropping her off, I would disappear and have my own bouldering adventure somewhere near Vegas while they climbed and such.
Well...while we were driving to Las Vegas on Friday night we found out that Ashley became very sick and she was probably going home on Saturday (she did indeed go home on Saturday). This changed some plans because now I was to be the only one with a car. Susan and Andrea had no vehicle after Ashley left so I became apart of the girls big Valentines Day weekend. This was definitely not in the plan for anyone, but we made it work and had a great time bouldering in Calico Basin (near Red Rocks) for the weekend. We even got a little sunshine when the weather called for a wet weekend.
Wish I took a few more photos of the great problems we climbed...here are a few. First shot is Susan working the moves on a V4 and the rest are of me climbing a silly dyno problem.
Well...while we were driving to Las Vegas on Friday night we found out that Ashley became very sick and she was probably going home on Saturday (she did indeed go home on Saturday). This changed some plans because now I was to be the only one with a car. Susan and Andrea had no vehicle after Ashley left so I became apart of the girls big Valentines Day weekend. This was definitely not in the plan for anyone, but we made it work and had a great time bouldering in Calico Basin (near Red Rocks) for the weekend. We even got a little sunshine when the weather called for a wet weekend.
Wish I took a few more photos of the great problems we climbed...here are a few. First shot is Susan working the moves on a V4 and the rest are of me climbing a silly dyno problem.
Poor Ashley...get better soon!
Hole to Hump Ultra Run
Last week I only got in one run of about 12 miles. There was a lot of bad weather around Northern Arizona making it hard to get outside. In fact, the day I did the 12 mile run I was in Sedona and there was snow there too. That only happens a few times every Winter.
Oak Creek Canyon
Sedona Spires with snow!
It was probably o.k. for my training to have an easier week for recovery but I need to keep tackin on the miles. This week I am getting back on track with already about 20 miles logged. I will try to add another 10-15 miles before the weeks over. I need to be running between 30-40 miles each week for the next little while and then keep adding miles...
I'm not sure I mentioned why I am training... Last Fall, I attempted to run the Hole to Hump and didnt finish. I made it 75 miles in 16 hours but had to admit defeat because of mental and physical exhaustion and looming bad weather. I was only about 18 miles from the peak of Humphreys but still had at least 3,500 to 4,000 feet of elevation yet to gain. It was a very difficult decision to stop and tough emotionally. To run for 16 hours and then quit before reaching the finish is a very difficult choice to make. I learned a ton from that effort and ever since then I have wanted to go back and finish what I had started. I am convinced I can do it.
Hiking down into the Grand Canyon the morning of the Hole to Hump with Jason Boyd (he helped support part of the run) and Susan.
What is Hole to Hump you ask? It is an "off the radar" ultra run that starts at Phantom Ranch elevation 2,550' (at the bottom of the Grand Canyon) and finishes on the summit of Humphrey's Peak elevation 12,637' (near Flagstaff, AZ). The run is about 92 miles (give or take a few) and gains about 11,000' in elevation (accounting for ups and downs along the way). The goal of a run like this is to not only finish but break the 24 hour mark along the way. That is my goal.
Very few people do the run. It is not very well known and has complex routefinding on trails and dirt roads which you follow mostly at night. This adds alot of spice to the adventure. You have to do alot of planning and check out all the sections of the course so that you feel comfortable and don't loose your way. This run is way out there and there are no crowds cheering you on. In fact, there are usually only a couple people crazy enought to help with support for an event like this (THANK YOU SUSAN FOR BEING THERE LAST YEAR. I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT AS FAR AS I DID WITHOUT YOU! Boydo too). They are the only people you will see, except for hikers in the first 15 miles (S. Kaibab Trail and on the road in the Grand Canyon) and the last 5 miles (Humphrey's Peak Trail). This is definitely something you have to do for yourself-to see what your made of. You can't care what other people thing because they mostly think your crazy.
Gotta keep training...
Maybe sometime I will post the blow by blow of the last Hole to Hump and note what I learned and will change for this attempt in June (if weather permits).
Mathieu Brown did the Hole to Hump last year. Read about his adventure here.
Oak Creek Canyon
Sedona Spires with snow!
It was probably o.k. for my training to have an easier week for recovery but I need to keep tackin on the miles. This week I am getting back on track with already about 20 miles logged. I will try to add another 10-15 miles before the weeks over. I need to be running between 30-40 miles each week for the next little while and then keep adding miles...
I'm not sure I mentioned why I am training... Last Fall, I attempted to run the Hole to Hump and didnt finish. I made it 75 miles in 16 hours but had to admit defeat because of mental and physical exhaustion and looming bad weather. I was only about 18 miles from the peak of Humphreys but still had at least 3,500 to 4,000 feet of elevation yet to gain. It was a very difficult decision to stop and tough emotionally. To run for 16 hours and then quit before reaching the finish is a very difficult choice to make. I learned a ton from that effort and ever since then I have wanted to go back and finish what I had started. I am convinced I can do it.
Hiking down into the Grand Canyon the morning of the Hole to Hump with Jason Boyd (he helped support part of the run) and Susan.What is Hole to Hump you ask? It is an "off the radar" ultra run that starts at Phantom Ranch elevation 2,550' (at the bottom of the Grand Canyon) and finishes on the summit of Humphrey's Peak elevation 12,637' (near Flagstaff, AZ). The run is about 92 miles (give or take a few) and gains about 11,000' in elevation (accounting for ups and downs along the way). The goal of a run like this is to not only finish but break the 24 hour mark along the way. That is my goal.
Very few people do the run. It is not very well known and has complex routefinding on trails and dirt roads which you follow mostly at night. This adds alot of spice to the adventure. You have to do alot of planning and check out all the sections of the course so that you feel comfortable and don't loose your way. This run is way out there and there are no crowds cheering you on. In fact, there are usually only a couple people crazy enought to help with support for an event like this (THANK YOU SUSAN FOR BEING THERE LAST YEAR. I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT AS FAR AS I DID WITHOUT YOU! Boydo too). They are the only people you will see, except for hikers in the first 15 miles (S. Kaibab Trail and on the road in the Grand Canyon) and the last 5 miles (Humphrey's Peak Trail). This is definitely something you have to do for yourself-to see what your made of. You can't care what other people thing because they mostly think your crazy.
Gotta keep training...
Maybe sometime I will post the blow by blow of the last Hole to Hump and note what I learned and will change for this attempt in June (if weather permits).
Mathieu Brown did the Hole to Hump last year. Read about his adventure here.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Cave Creek, Arizona
As I said in a recent post, Susan and I bailed on going to Red Rocks last weekend because of weather. The weather was tricky here too. By Sunday, snow was falling big time. We probably got 2-3 feet of snow by Tuesday morning. Crazy.
On Sunday we snuck away to the desert to catch a little good weather and go for a hike. Our choice was to go to Cave Creek Trail located northeast of the town of Cave Creek (near Phoenix). Suprise, there was some nasty weather in Cave Creek too. Thundershowers, although hit and miss, threatened the whole time we were there.
Cave Creek Trail is located way back on dirt roads so we ended up bailing on it for fear of getting stuck in a wash (flash floods are not something to mess with). We opted for another trail that was closer to the town of Cave Creek called Spur Cross Trail. This trail ended up being quite a pleasant suprise. It is located in the Tonto National Forest and the landscape was hilly desert with Sagauros and all the other classic cacti of the Arizona desert. The creek near the trail was flowing because of the rains offering a nice addition to the dry desert. Beautiful.
Here are some shots from the hike...
Spur Cross Trailhead.
Crossing Cave Creek. We had to cross it quite a few times.
Near the creek there was thick green grass, something we don't see alot of around here. Really cool. I'll give you a penny if you can spot Susan.
Crazy Sagauro!
How often do you see a cactus, thick green grass and ivy in one spot?
Nice spot along Cave Creek.
Shiloh getting to play...and then spray us with water.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Boynton Canyon Run in Sedona
I didn't get a chance to post about a nice run Susan and I went on last week in Sedona. The trail we followed into Boynton Canyon follows the bottom of an amazing sandstone canyon and is a "vortex site" in Sedona.
The run was funny because I forgot my running shoes and had to run part barefoot, part flip flop. Luckily, we picked the perfect trail because it was sandy throughout and the run was still very nice.
Here are some photos of the run.
Trailhead
View from near the trailhead.
One of my favorite spires in Sedona.
Susan running low on the trail. Nice and sunny here.
Another cool spire.
Higher on the trail it got shady and there was even some snow!
End of the canyon. A spectacular place. One of my favorite places to hang out anywhere.
Another view of the end of the canyon. Huge walls!
Susan and I enjoying the last bits of light in the canyon.More Grasshopper Point bouldering
Susan and I were supposed to go to Red Rocks, near Las Vegas, to climb with friends for the weekend. Weather ended up being forcasted to be crappy so we stayed in Flagstaff. Too bad but we found things to do.
On Friday Susan stayed home to work and do school work and I went down to to Grasshopper Point again to boulder. We have been ticking away at the projects there and a few more went down. Here are a few photos of our day at grasshopper.
Ken on Viva La Revolution Sit V8.
Tony C. climbing Viva La Revolution Stand V5
Tony D. on a problem that just got it's First Ascent on Friday, Berlin V8.
Tony C. on Berlin.
On Friday Susan stayed home to work and do school work and I went down to to Grasshopper Point again to boulder. We have been ticking away at the projects there and a few more went down. Here are a few photos of our day at grasshopper.
Ken on Viva La Revolution Sit V8.Tony C. climbing Viva La Revolution Stand V5
Tony D. on a problem that just got it's First Ascent on Friday, Berlin V8.
Tony C. on Berlin.Oh yeah...bad came with the good that day. A few days before, we were down there and saw a family of Javalinas (kinda like wild boars or pigs and about the size of a big dog). It was really cool because they went right through the bouldering area but a baby (new born) was left behind when they ran away. Luckily the baby ran away when we approached and I had my dog on a leash.
On Friday the Javalinas went throught the bouldering area again and we didn't see the baby with them but it must have been around somewhere because hours later my dog came back with it in her mouth. It was dead, very sad. In the end we decided that the baby may have died earlier because it wasn't warm. Still not exactly what you want to see. Poor baby Javalina.
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