Sage To Summit: Mountain Running and Fastpacking

Fastpacking and Gear Reviewing Around The Evolution Loop

2012-01-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

"Why is your pack so much bigger than everyone else's?"

I must have been asked that question a baker's dozen times on the way to McClure Meadow where Camp 1, which had been packed in courtesy of mule muscle by the Bishop Pack Outfitters, awaited, twenty-six miles from our starting point at North Lake. It was the first day, and by far the longest, of a 3-day fastpack trip of the 56-mile Evolution Loop with thirteen folks representing Sage To Summit (S2S), Sierra Mountain Guides (SMG) and CAMP USA. Our goals were simple: to thoroughly test and review shoes from New Balance, Brooks, Inov8 and Hoka One One and clothing and gear designed by CAMP, the 122 years-young company sprung out of the needs of pioneering mountaineers in the Old World (Premana, Italy to be crampon-point precise); to iron out some logistical wrinkles for future, multi-day, guided and supported fastpacking trip offerings by SMG on this iconic High Sierra route; and to have a Sierra-sized helping of fun along the way. That last goal was a given, or at least it would have been under normal circumstances. Mine were far from normal.

Four days earlier I had competed in the Pine To Palm 100 Mile in the Siskiyou Mountains west of Ashland, OR, and, as one might imagine, my legs and feet were fully cooked. I wanted nothing more stimulating than the walk from the beer in the fridge to "The Office" re-runs on the couch. In other words, the usual post-race recovery week modus operandi. However, as I mentioned to Neil Satterfield, co-owner of SMG, on the final day, there was no way I could possibly have passed this trip up. I didn't want to have to live that down. I had the rest of the fall to recover.

And so it was that I found myself physically present at the SMG offices at 5:45am on Friday September 23rd, looking around at the almost non-existent minimalist running packs of my cohorts, realizing quietly to myself that I was indeed, mentally and logistically, underprepared for this Evolution endeavor. The idea behind Day 1 was to experience mountain running at its lightest and fastest, thanks to a heaping pile of gear having already been packed in for us for the remainder of the journey. Problem was that in the 2 weeks leading up to the trip I was so absorbed with preparing for, racing and then recovering to some semblance of normalcy from Pine To Palm that, even when I was packing for the Evolution outing, my mind was elsewhere. This fact didn't go unnoticed.

"Yeah, it looked as though your gear and food were really hastily thrown together," remarked Howie Schwartz, co-owner of SMG, who was in charge of getting the group's gear packed up properly for the mule trip in. Understatement! I was more than a little fuzzy on just what exactly I had sent in with the mules which resulted in several extra pounds of "compensatory" gear and food weight, just in case I had truly blown my trip preparation. By the end of the day I was definitely tired, tired of explaining my pack size and feeling like "that guy," as in the one who obviously didn't carefully read the trip itinerary.

Heading up the Piute Pass trail in the early morning light, I quickly settled into the caboose position, finding it ironic that I simply hoped to survive the trip with my body intact. Afterall, three days to "do the evolution" should have felt luxurious seeing as how I had never done it as anything other than a 14-18 hour single-push outing. By the time we reached Piute Pass where Davey McCoy and Tracy Bahr waited with high tech camera equipment at the ready, I knew it was going to be a very long day.

At the pass we transformed ourselves into models, running back and forth along sections of trail, attempting to look fast and natural, our brightly-colored CAMP gear (the Magic Jacket comes in black AND a flashy pumpkin-orange)providing sharp contrast to the still-green meadows and 360 degrees of granite that define the alpine Sierra. These photo shoots would occur frequently and randomly throughout the trip as the Range of Light lived up to its name on its own schedule.

The long descent off the pass, down through Hutchinson Meadow, still displaying an impressive abundance and variety of wildflowers for late-September, and finally to the bomber bridge crossing Piute Creek just above it's confluence with the South Fork of the San Joaquin River all passed by uneventfully as we separated into groups organically, each one finding its own rhythm and topic of discussion. At the bridge we ate lunch and re-grouped for the push up into Evolution Valley. The weather was pleasantly calm and warm, the perfect invitation for a mid-day nap, which is exactly what the lead group of Jed Porter, Chris Gaggia and Ryan Spaulding did while waiting for the laggards.

At the often anxiety-producing Evolution Creek crossing, now barely knee deep and fully-tamed by fall dryness, we re-convened once more for the final leg past McClure Meadow to our camp at the base of the switch-backing ascent to Evolution Lake. Once again I drifted quickly to the back of the pack, this time for good, as my body in general and my feet in particular quickly lost all desire to keep moving forward. By the time I reached camp I felt like I had been transported back to the final ten miserable miles of the hundred the previous weekend. All I could think about was getting off my feet and going to sleep.

The camp was a beehive of activity with everyone scrambling to change into warmer clothing (the CAMP ED Microjacket, with its 680-fill white goose down and hood was the showcase piece of the evening!), set-up shelters, and get meals cooking (Mountain House freeze-dried to the rescue!) in the remaining few hours of daylight. Not long after dark, with conversations about gear, wilderness ethics and the like still permeating the sounds of backcountry silence, I crawled into my sleeping bag and almost immediately drifted off as a final thought about just how I was going to manage the next day tugged at my consciousness.

Less than an hour later I awoke to a near-continuous flickering of light against my eyelids. My first thought was headlamp beams darting about camp but upon opening my eyes I quickly realized the southwestern horizon was the scene of an impressive light show...lightning! The sky above was littered with stars but what would tomorrow bring? Or tonight? I drifted off again wondering if the waterproofness of my bivy sack would get it's first real test.

I awoke to the sound of pine cones landing around my sleeping zone, a backcountry alarm clock of sorts improvised by my trip mates. It was fully light out and I was the last one up. As I hobbled stiffly around, separating gear out into one pile for the final 2 self-supported fastpacking days and a pile for the packers to haul back out, it was immediately apparent that my feet were in no condition for 15 rocky miles of the John Muir Trail. No blisters or injuries, they simply hurt and screamed to be weight-bearing-free, just as they had for the final 10 at Pine To Palm. I had packed in the Hoka One One Stinson B to wear test and unhesitatingly decided it was now or never for the shoes I had summarily dismissed as akin to strapping a couple of Stay Puft marshmallow bags to your feet.

As we headed up the trail to Evolution Lake I couldn't believe how much better my feet felt. I was no longer hobbling and could run without discomfort. The only difference was the shoes. Although my feet were again tired and a bit sore by the end of the day I absolutely had to give the Hokas credit for taking a day that was bound to be filled with locomotive misery and turning it into an enjoyable backcountry experience in which I could focus on the breath-taking Sierra high country instead of my painfully pressure-sensitive dogs.

Popping out of the tree cover at timberline in the lower Evolution Basin, although it was only mid-morning, we were greeted by a dark mass of clouds already assembled along the Black Divide near Muir Pass heading our direction. By the time we reached Sapphire Lake the clouds had closed in from all directions, drawing a curtain of steel-gray over the surrounding peaks. As the wind intensified and the sky filled with horizontal sleet and snow we stopped to empty our packs of every piece of clothing we could find. Adorned in our CAMP-armor (just about everyone was wearing their Magic Pants and Jacket, ED Microjacket and Windmittens) we soldiered on toward Muir Pass at 12000'. Running along the shoreline of Wanda Lake as rumbles of thunder pierced the sound of the howling wind, my feet could feel nothing of the rocky terrain, encased securely in the thick-bed of ultralight foam making up the Hoka midsole, and despite the rapidly plummenting temps I felt toasty warm.

By the time we reached the pass the storm had already been displaced by warming sunshine but it was to be short-lived. As we ate lunch and took turns getting in front of the camera for video gear reviews the storm clouds rolled back in with heightened intensity and we took shelter in the Muir Pass Hut. Jed spent the entire time entertaining us with his attempts to transform his Mega-Mid shelter into a wearable storm suit. Soon enough the deer antlers were borrowed from the wall and, to the random backpackers that wandered in seeking shelter, it must have appeared as though they had stumbled upon an alpine pagan ceremony. These shenanigans were the result of an hour's worth of hunkering down. One can only speculate what truly prolonged, storm-bound cabin fever would have stirred up.

Fortunately, before behavior could deteriorate further, the skies cleared again, this time for good, and we headed over to a nearby snowfield for a mini-clinic in lightweight crampon(examples: the CAMP XLC 490, the Kahtoola KTS and the Kahtoola Microspikes) and ice-axe usage(example: the CAMP Corsa Axe) with Neil Satterfield. Then, it was the long descent down into LeConte Canyon where we set up camp near Big Pete Meadow. Everyone retired early as the plan was a daybreak start on the trail to get up into Dusy Basin during the best morning light for more photo ops. In keeping with the spirit of testing as much gear as possible I found myself trying to get comfortable on an exceptionally-minimalized 3/4 length sleeping pad. It would work great if you got into the proper position and never shifted; an impossibility, at least for me. I didn't sleep nearly as soundly on this night.

After breaking camp in the dark, we steadily ascended the endless switchbacks out of LeConte Canyon and cruised over the lip of Dusy Basin's western edge past a few fall-color-tinged tarns to a mid-morning breakfast spot with a view of Bishop Pass, Mt. Agassiz and the Palisade Crest. Here we conducted extensive video gear reviews and soaked in the beauty of our surroundings.

At Bishop Pass the group divided. Several folks took the opportunity to summit Mt. Agassiz for the first time, while the rest of us continued on down to the trailhead at South Lake. It was a testament to how tired I was that I couldn't convince myself to head up Agassiz, one of my favorite peaks. It was a beautiful fall day in the Sierra and though I'm sure there was no place else any of us would rather have been, we all had various responsibilities to return to. I suppose the inevitable return to reality is what makes adventures like these in the mountains so memorable.

Thanks to everyone who had a hand in putting the trip together and/or who took part in 3 awesome days on the Evolution Loop...

Sierra Mountain Guides:
Howie Schwartz
Neil Satterfield
Jed Porter
Terri Fisher

Sage To Summit:
Karen Schwartz
Chris Gaggia
Tracy Bahr
Ryan Spaulding
Jeff Kozak

CAMP USA:
Jesse Matner
Justin Lichter
Blake Herrington

photogs:
Davey McCoy
Matt Irons

Winter Race Series 5K #2 Results

2012-01-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

We had sweet, very non-winter-like weather again for the second race of the 2011-12 Winter Race Series. After a crisp upper teens start to the morning it warmed up quickly after the sun rose above the Inyo Mountains. Many folks ran in shorts and a t-shirt.
As has been the tradition since the series' inception 3 years ago we had coffee and bagels provided by Black Sheep and Great Basin Bakery, respectively. For this race we also had Thermopolis product generously donated by Asics for race winner prizes and giveaways at registration. If you are unfamiliar with the Thermopolis line of apparel by Asics, stop by the store to check it out. Some of the highlights of the line include a brushed-on-both-sides polyester/spandex blend for a super-soft feel, flatlock seam stitching to minimize chafing/skin irritation possibilities and thumbloops on the tops/arm warmers to use the sleeves as hand coverings.Thanks Asics!
This year the series is a fundraiser for the Bishop High School cross country team. We had 37 for the first race in December and 29 for yesterday's event. Not bad...but we can do better! Tell you friends and family to come out for the next race, a 10K, on Saturday, February 25th. The bigger the turnout the more we can support the team!

Results:

1) Dan Yarborough 18:45
2) Phil Kiddoo 19:46
2) Ryan Spaulding 19:46
4) Marie Fitt 21:29, 1st female
5) Andy Selters, 21:55
6) Tom Hallenbeck 22:07
7) Colin Broadwater 22:32
7) David Grah 22:32
9) Tony Phillips 22:47
10) Sam Johnson 23:14
10) Dale Johnson 23:14
12) Michelle Orem 24:10
13) Arlene Stone 25:30
14) Carmela Rosas 26:05
15) Ron Saenz 26:15
16) Tom Schaniel 26:30
17) Jake Kiddoo 26:52
18) John Mair 27:05
19) Molly Broadwater 27:09, ran solo after the race!
20) Joe Lane 29:09
21) Floyd Redmon 30:48
22) Bobby Price 31:44
23) Gayle Woodruff 33:30
24) Leslie Chapman 33:55
25) Marie Boyd 38:04
26) Mark Matthews 38:51
27) Shannon Roberts 1:02:12
27) Gary Roberts 1:02:12
27) Resa Roberts 1:02:12

Winter Race Series 5K #1 Results

2011-12-11T12:52:00.000-08:00

It was a perfect day for running in the Owens Valley yesterday. After a very cold (mid-teens) start to the morning it warmed up nicely as the sun rose higher in the southern sky and the day remained calm. Thirty-seven folks came out to enjoy a 5K dirt road course starting at Millpond and heading out toward the base of the Tungsten Hills before returning back to the park. We are psyched on this turnout! Thanks for coming out; the greater the numbers we get the more money the series will be able to donate to the Bishop Union High School cross country team. Let's shoot for 40+ next month... help spread the word about the series to your friends.
This first race was sponsored by BUFF Headgear who generously donated prizes for the event. Check them out at http://www.buff.eu/en/USA/home or stop by the store to check out our selection. We've got a lot of styles in stock right now. They make great holiday gifts.
We also had coffee and bagels donated by Black Sheep and Great Basin Bakery, respectively. By the time everyone was done hanging out post-run, 3 dispensers of coffee and 2 dozen bagels had disappeared. The fine weather had everyone lingering for sure.
And, finally, it was great to have Jonathan Pierce show up to run and support the event. Jonathan is a Mammoth Track Club member and professional distance runner and has been teaching a "Learn To Run" clinic in conjunction with Crossfit Bishop. If you're interested the final session is on 12/17.
Thanks to EVERYONE for coming out!
Here are the race results:
1st Jonathan Pierce 16:12
2nd Dan Yarborough 17:50
3rd Jacob Nachel 18:53
4th Adam Behrendt 19:26
5th Voodoo Kiddoo 20:07
6th Jesse McLaughlin 21:23 (1st female)
7th Mike McDermott 21:48
8th Sam Johnson 22:05
9th April Mayhew 22:27 (2nd female)
10th Matt Nelson 22:35
11th Paul Elia 22:55
12th Tony Phillips 23:01
13th Dale Johnson 23:35
14th Philip Johnson 23:39
15th Joel Saenz 23:50
16th Ali Feinberg 23:52 (3rd female)
17th Grace Holder 24:55
18th Michelle Orem 25:39
19th Arlene Stone 25:52
20th Tom Schaniel 26:04
21st Jake Kiddoo 26:41
22nd Krista Cooper 27:27
23rd Cyndee Kiddoo 27:37
24th Ginger Perez 28:02
25th Tom Higley 28:11
26th Sally Gaines 28:12
27th Molly Broadwater 28:27
28th Rosanne Higley 29:05
29th Matthew Payne 32:05
30th Gayle Woodruff 32:34
31st Leslie Chapman 33:12
32nd Amanda Stryffeler 34:08
33rd Elena Eckland 35:15
34th Sarah Stewart 36:18
35th Donna Holland 37:55
36th Sue Weis 40:04

The Ultimate Gym Shoe: Vivobarefoot Lucy

2011-11-30T20:04:00.001-08:00

I own Sage To Summit, a specialty mountain runningstore. As the owner and buyer, it isimperative I wear test the shoes I sell, and as a result, I own a ridiculousamount of footwear. Despite the factthat I have a quiver to choose from, when it comes to my gym shoes, Ifrequently choose the Vivobarefoot Lucy. I pick a shoe to wear in this order:fit, function and fashion. Yes, fashion,I care about the way they look on my feet. This brings me to the ultimate gym shoe – The Vivobarefoot Lucy

The Lucy is perfect for the gym

I came across Vivobarefoot late one evening while sortingthrough mail. Vivobarefoot offered me theopportunity to wear test their shoes. Iordered the Lucy. It is different thanany other shoe I own. There is no cushion and has a cool European sportylook. I spend most of my time in runningand hiking footwear, and the Lucy has a casual sneaker feel, which adds nicevariety to my collection of footwear. I wearthe Lucy to our local Bishop Crossfit gym and constantly receive “cool shoe”comments.

The reason why the Lucy is the ultimate gym shoe is becauseof its fit, function, and fashion. Ashoe has to fit or you won’t wear it, at least I won’t, and the fit on the VivobarefootLucy is right on. I have a narrow footwith some volume. Fit can be a challengebecause typically there is sloppiness in my footwear. The upper is leather so there isn’t as much“give” compared to a synthetic mesh upper found on most athletic shoes. If you find a good fit with leatheruppers, the shoe is less likely to stretch out. When the fit is right, it means that a shoecan accommodate a variety of foot types and not be lumped into a category ofwide or narrow. The Lucy functions as a barefoot shoe, which means there is nostructure. It can be rolled up into a ball, has no arch support, and doesn’t doanything to correct your gait. Barefootshoes are ideal for the gym. Whenlifting weights or doing pushups, pull-ups, or any bodyweight exercise, youdon’t want a lot of cushion and support in a shoe. Heels should be flat not elevated. The fitand function of the Lucy are dialed, but it is especially nice that it is supercute and can crossover as a casual shoe. I can leave Crossfit and wear my Lucy’s for the remainder of the day,unlike others who are wearing some pretty funky looking footwear at the gym. Checkthe shoe out on our site www.sagetosummit.com,or better yet, come in and try it on. Ifyou like it and want to buy it, will give you 20% off – just mention this blogpost.

'Unbreakable' film screening at Sage To Summit

2011-11-20T13:02:00.000-08:00

On Friday, December 16th at 6:30pm we will be hosting a screening of 'Unbreakable,' JB Benna's Journeyfilm documentary about the 2010 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run and it's 4 top contenders that year. Check out the film trailer at www.ws100film.com for a sampling of how awesome and inspiring this film is going to be and then come join us!

Here are the details...

What: screening of 'Unbreakable'

Where: Sage To Summit, 312 N. Main St. Bishop, CA 93514

When: Friday, December 16th at 6:30pm (the film is approximately 1 hour 45 minutes)

Cost: $10 (stop by the store to purchase a ticket or pay at the door)

Why: To get inspired and hang out with a fun, like-minded, outdoor crowd!

Benefit: Any net proceeds will go to the Bishop High Sierra Ultras, a local first-class event with 4 race distance options held each May by RD Marie Boyd as a fundraiser for the Northern Inyo Hospital Foundation.

Stop by the store or give us a call at 760-872-1756 if you have any questions.

See you there!

The Skhoop Skirt

2011-11-11T14:45:00.001-08:00

The Skhoop Skirt

My good friend Kirsten lives in Alaska and told me for a fewyears ago that Sage To Summit should sell Skhoop Skirts. I didn’t “get it”. Skhoop skirts are insulated skirts designedto be an outwear piece. Hummm, aninsulated outerwear skirt? I thought tomyself, maybe it’s an Alaskan thing. Myopinion quickly changed when I went to the Outdoor Retailer show and saw thesecute girls walking around in insulated mini skirts. I tracked them down and asked if they werefrom Alaska. They promptly pointed me tothe Skhoop Booth, where I saw a tall blond Nordic goddess, Osa, surrounded bypeople placing orders for these unique insulated skirts. My opinion quickly changed when I saw themini skirts. Oh my, they are cute. There is a two-way zipper in the front, whichmakes them really easy to put on over jeans, long underwear, running pants, ortights. I am not comfortable walkingaround town in my winter running tights, it’s not my best look. Sometimes circumstances dictate that there isnot time to change after a workout. Thatis where the Skhoop is genius. Afterskiing, running, climbing, I put on this cute insulated mini. I’m psyched to be warm while wearing cuteclothes when there isn’t time to change. After wearing the Skhoop for a few years, I found there are many uses in addition to the post workout wear. Hereare some I’ve discovered:

Here I am bouldering in my Skhoop Mini

Teachers on yard duty who don’t want to wearlong underwear
Sport Moms. For any freezing outdoor sporting event where a jacket doesn’tcut it . . . it is jacket for your legs.
Après Ski. Ditch the ski pants but keep the long underwear and you’ve got a cuteoutfit.
If you’re into running skirts – this is a winterversion
Nordic Skiing
Belaying in the Owens River Gorge – BelayingAnywhere where it is cold

This is my son Cosmo and I had to share his cuteness. The only relationship this picture has with Skhoop Skirts is that it was taken when I was wearing my insulated mini.

Mountain Running and Fastpacking - Defined

2011-06-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

Supporting Mountain Running and Fastpacking is what Sage to Summit is all about. We decided we ought to be clear as an alpine stream regarding the terms that define our beloved mountain endeavors. There is not any one definitive source we could find to cite so, with the help of some local active mountain folk who have a way with words and the info available on the almighty internet, we took a stab at it. As it turns out, the lexicon for our activities is as diverse and complex as the people that participate in them... OK, maybe not quite that diverse or complex. We hope this is more interesting for you than reading a dictionary. - Howie

What is Mountain Running?

Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move swiftly on foot. Mountain Running is a discipline of long-distance running that takes place in mountain topography. Mountain Running can be defined by two philosophies: 1) the appreciation of the joy and benefits of moving rapidly on foot through natural mountain landscapes, and/or 2) the athletic pursuit of the fastest possible speed on foot over a given mountain route, given considerations of risk and safety.

As with normal running, two feet leave the ground at regular points in the gait, however mountain running may also employ techniques of walking, scrambling, climbing, hopping, jumping, skipping, leaping, sliding, glissading, wading, post-holing, bushwhacking, and swimming for short distances. Mountain runners strive to apply the most efficient technique to the terrain and conditions while also taking into account their own personal capabilities and preferences.

Although mountain running can be done on asphalt or dirt road surfaces, this activity is more often enjoyed on established mountain trails or in rugged terrain where such trails do not exist. Mountain Running activities typically start and finish from points in civilization such as a road, trailhead, lift station, basecamp, or lodging facility and do not require an overnight bivouac in the mountains. Mountain Running activities can be organized competitive athletic events, or casual personal outings. Navigation, routefinding, survival, self-sufficiency, and general mountain sense are important skills for long distance Mountain Running, especially outside of organized and supported race events.

Some Mountain Running itineraries may demand certain mountaineering skills and very lightweight mountaineering equipment. Mountain Runners may use specialized crampons that work on lightweight footwear or a small aluminum ice axe for short snowy sections. The following are generally considered to be outside the realm of Mountain Running: planned multiday journeys carrying bivouac or camping gear, use of a rope, harness, or other climbing security hardware; use of skis, snowshoes, watercraft, or other modes of travel not by foot; terrain that prevents one from achieving steady, rapid, forward progress, such as difficult rock climbing terrain, glacier obstacles/hazards, dense brush, etc.

Relatives of Mountain Running:

Trail Running – Specifically related to running on trails. Trail Running may or may not be done in mountain topography. Mountain Running outings usually involve a significant amount of Trail Running but travel may or may not be exclusively on trails. The term Trail Running typically refers to the running surface more than the topographic setting or context of the activity.

Ultrarunning – Also known as Ultramarathoning. Describes running distances longer than a marathon (26.2 miles). Organized ultrarunning race events known as ultra distance races or ultras, for short, are common and growing in popularity. These races are usually a minimum of 50 kilometers (31.07 miles). Ultrarunning may or may not be organized as a competitive event, and may or may not involve mountain topography. Most Ultrarunners train for and participate in competitive long-distance running events.

Skyrunning – Skyrunning is a racing discipline of Mountain Running that takes place above 2,000m where the incline exceeds 30% and the climbing difficulty does not exceed II° grade. Ski poles and hands may be used to aid progress. The International Skyrunning Federation was formed in 2008 in Italy and most Skyrunning race events are in Europe, but there are also major events held in the Americas and Asia.

Fell Running – Fell Running is an historical predecessor to Mountain Running. Fell running races started in the fells and hill country of Northern Britain’s Lake District, which first gained widespread popularity in the 19^th century. The tradition of these races continues today. These are generally adventurous competitions that, in addition to running in rugged, and sometimes boggy terrain, may demand skills in navigation, orienteering, and sometimes require carrying specified survival equipment. These events exclude any rock climbing or travel on loose, unstable slopes. Outside of these races and the United Kingdom, this term is rarely used for similar Mountain Running endeavors elsewhere.

Cross Country Running – Cross Country Running is an athletic racing event that has its origins in prehistoric times. It was first formalized into national competition in Britain in 1876 and International Championship competition in 1903. Running surfaces are generally earth (e.g. trail, dirt road) or ideally grass, and race courses are well marked. Courses are a standard of 5 meters wide to allow passing and are usually between 1.75 and 2km long, featuring rolling hills with smooth curves and short straights.

Adventure Racing – A descendant of Mountain Running racing, Adventure Racing combines at least 2 different endurance disciplines typically including: Trail or Mountain Running, Fastpacking, orienteering, navigation, mountain biking, paddling, climbing, and/or technical ropework. Sometimes races include such unconventional modes as: in-line skating, paragliding, horse/camel riding, caving, canyoneering, and more. Races are team events of various lengths, lasting from a few hours to several days.

Peak Bagging – Peak Bagging is a term for mountain climbing where the principal goal is to reach the summit or a specific set of summits. A difference between Peak Bagging and regular mountain climbing is that in Peak Bagging the summit is usually one of multiple high points of prominence on a list that one has made it a personal goal, or perhaps obsession to achieve. These lists may be published or self-generated, but either way, Peak Baggers tend to make “bagging” the summits on their lists the primary reason for going to the mountains. Routes and styles are secondary to the goal of simply standing on the top. Regional mountain clubs generate many of these peak lists. The “Seven Summits” a list of the highest peaks on each of the seven continents is among the most infamous examples, as is the “State Highpoints” list and the “14’ers” lists in the U.S., and the 4000m peak list in the Alps. The term Peak Bagging can also apply to lesser peaks that typical hikers and Mountain Runners can ascend to without technical skills and equipment. Mountain Runners sometimes take up Peak Bagging as a speed challenge with a summit highpoint, or in an effort to summit as many nearby peaks as possible in a single outing or ridge traverse.

Speed Climbing – Speed Climbing can be defined as climbing technical snow, ice, and/or rock routes as quickly as possible in a very lightweight style. Technical climbing terrain is loosely defined as 4^th class rock climbing / UIAA grade III / French PD or harder. Aid climbing is also considered technical. This activity poses significant risks due to critical dependence on personal skill and abilities, and generally little margin for error if anything goes wrong. Terrain is often highly exposed to mountain hazards such as falling, rockfall, icefall, avalanche, crevasses, and mountain weather. Speed climbers generally try to avoid standard safety systems to decrease weight and increase speed. Less time on a mountain route can reduce the overall exposure time to risk, which in many cases makes climbing slowly with increased safety systems more risky than climbing quickly and continuously without them. Successful Speed Climbing requires a very high level of skill and confidence to move efficiently in technical terrain, as well as a willingness to accept the risks of climbing without conventional safety systems.

Fastpacking – see What is Fastpacking? below

What is Fastpacking?

Fastpacking, also called Ultralight Backpacking, is a cross between Backpacking and Mountain Running. The defining characteristics of Fastpacking are: 1) Rapid, long-distance mountain travel, on foot, over multiple days, involving camps or bivouacs, and 2) Refined equipment choices and practiced skill sets that allow for both rapid movement and self-sufficiency in a remote mountain setting. Fastpackers share alpinists’ “light and fast” attitude for moving in the mountains. Fastpackers use gear selection, ingenuity, and a streamlined approach as primary tools for maximizing speed and minimizing overall effort, without overly compromising safety or comfort.

Fastpackers enjoy the increased freedom of movement that comes with a light and fast approach. A lightweight backpack allows fastpackers to also use lighter footwear and maintain a faster pace, including the ability to use a running gait at times. This can make a big difference in overall efficiency and enjoyment. Fastpackers trade the comforts of a well equipped camping setup for the ability to see more terrain in less time, travel in more rugged terrain, and burden their muscles and joints with less load. Competitve Fastpacking is not a recognized athletic event but is usually included in longer adventure races. There are fastest known recorded times for popular trail and mountain routes that are continually challenged by elite Fastpackers and Mountain Runners, but the vast majority of this activity is done strictly for pleasure.

There are three styles of Fastpacking: supported, self-supported, and unsupported. Supported means there is a support team that can supply or tend to the Fastpacker along the way at various checkpoints along the route. These are generally the fastest, lightest trips, and they offer increased safety in case of an emergency. Self-supported trips do not involve a dedicated support team but they allow for self-caching of supplies in advance along the route, and using stores, lodgings, and/or other facilities along the way. Unsupported trips do not make use of outside assistance or self-caching of any supplies. Other than water and endemic edibles that can be ingested or collected along the way, all supplies are carried from start to finish. Unsupported, also known to mountaineers as “alpine style,” is generally considered the least impactful and purest form of the sport. It is frowned upon for Fastpackers to beg supplies from other trail users, unless in an absolute emergency, and it is considered very important that Fastpackers, and all mountain travelers, adhere strictly to the seven ethical principles of Leave No Trace, and respect the laws of the land.

Resources and Further Reading

Leave No Trace - http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php

World Mountain Running Association - http://www.wmra.ch/

International Skyrunning Federation - http://www.skyrunning.com/

International Association of Athletics Federations on Mountain Running - http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/mountainrun/index.html

International Association of Athletics Foundations on Cross Country Running - http://www.iaaf.org/community/athletics/crosscountry/index.html

International Association of Ultrarunners - http://www.iau.org.tw/

ultraRUNNING Magazine - http://www.ultrarunning.com/

Fell Runners Association - http://www.fellrunner.org.uk/

Mountain Running, Salomon - http://www.salomonrunning.com/us/

Mountain Running, The North Face - http://www.thenorthface.com/en_US/brand/running

Mountain Running, La Sportiva - http://www.mountainrunning.com/

Trail Running and Ultras - http://www.irunfar.com/

United States Adventure Racing Association - http://www.usara.com/

Peak Bagging - http://www.peakbagger.com/

Speed Climbing - http://speedclimb.com/ & http://www.himalayaspeed.com/

Fastpacking - http://www.backpackinglight.com/ & http://www.backpacking.net/index.html

Speed Records - http://fastestknowntime.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=mountains

Guided Fastpacking and Mountain Running - http://www.sierramtnguides.com/

Trail Runner Magazine - http://www.trailrunnermag.com/index.php

Backpacker Magazine - http://www.backpacker.com/

Alpinist Magazine - http://www.alpinist.com/

Adventure World Magazine - http://www.adventureworldmagazine.com/

Musings from a Noob: Perspectives gained from the 2011 Bishop High Sierra Ultramarathons

2011-05-22T15:19:00.000-07:00

If you are reading this then one of two things: 1) the rapture prophecy for May 21, 2011 was a dud, or 2) we didn’t make the cut, see you in hell. I now picture hell to be similar to the BHS 100K ultramarathon. What I ran is kindly included in the “Ultramarathons” event, but they keep it real by calling it as they see it: a 20 mile “Fun Run”. I am now sitting on my living room sofa writing this because I lack the strength to stand. My leg muscles are tired and sore and my joints swollen. I have traveled more miles in a day before, over more elevation gain and loss, and through much more rugged terrain. But today represented the longest running race event I have done. I know now that ultramarathoners have a unique definition of the word “Fun.”

Ultra-trail racing is an amazing sport. Stripped down and raw, humans moving over terrain in the most primitive way imaginable, over long distances, in a competitive, supported event. Although the right shoes, tech layers, hydration systems, endurance fuel, supplements, and other gizmos and gadgets certainly affect performance and comfort, in the end, it comes down to just running fitness, running technique, race strategy, and stubborn resolve.

Let me tell you how I learned this. As co-owner of Sage to Summit (by marriage) I daresay, I have access to the greatest selection of running equipment on the planet. In addition, Sage to Summit’s staff is more than qualified to help me out. Jeff Kozak has won the event, set course records multiple times, and works in the shop. So I chatted it up with him 2 days prior to the event.

Me: “Jeff, what do I need to know about running the 20 mile?”

Jeff: “You’re running it?”

Me: “Yeah, Karen’s making me. I signed up yesterday.”

Jeff: “Have you been running much?”

Me: “Uh, no. About 5 times in the last 6 months. I went for a run last week though.”

The look on his face was a combination of “right on!” and “you idiot.” But he happily clued me in on the route, the hand bottles to carry, the clothing to wear, food to eat/not eat, race strategy, etc. Although everything he said made sense and proved invaluable, somehow the whole conversation just felt like one giant sandbagging at the time. I think it was that he knew well the pain I would be feeling, and that I apparently did not. He was perhaps amused by this, but at the same time dreading his own imminent pain as he ran the 100K. In retrospect, I think we were maybe having an ultra-runner’s bonding moment.

At 6am, on the morning of the supposed apocalypse, the foot race began. I felt really strong for about the first 40 minutes. Then I had a couple of moments where I wondered if maybe I would rather be skiing on the adjacent mountains. I was feeling fit from a season of active ski mountaineering and mountain guiding, but I was starting to wonder if my lack of running would be an issue at some point. My friend Arnie, a veteran ultrarunner, was egging me on with some competitive spirit and I could tell he was trying to get me to burn up early so he could pass me later. Let me explain that Arnie was one of at least four different people I knew of suffering through this “Fun Run” with some sort of debilitating injury or illness. They just could not bear to miss their annual event. This baffled me a bit. One of these people was the Mayor of Bishop. Is that why they call it running for office?

The race course has a total of 2380’ vertical gain, most of which is in the first half of the race. I got to around half way, the top of the hill, and was feeling surprisingly good. The downhill started easy, weather perfectly cool, and views stunning. I cruised down and made sure to stick to Jeff’s advice to eat a gel every 45 minutes. It was working! Then I hit the dirt road. The legs got heavier, and soon started to screech in protest. I quickly started to realize that I was no longer racing the other runners. I was now racing the burn in my legs. These trail races are set up as if they are for competing against your peers. I realized that this is just clever ruse to convince us to willingly go to battle with ourselves.

Arnie caught me in the last 1.5 miles, just as he had planned. As he passed, we discussed the pain we were in and I could tell he felt it too. There is a camaraderie built from a shared experience of pain that we inflict upon ourselves while attempting to maximize the feeling of being alive. Arnie practically hobbled past me, his back tweaked over in an unnatural angle. Still, as much as I coaxed, I could not get my feet to pump quickly enough to stay with him and the old guy dusted me. I managed to finish stronger than expected at around 3 hours and 42 minutes, 3^rd place in my age group. I dipped my burning quads in the cool Millpond, and thought about what it would be like to be still out there running the 50K, 50 mile, or 100K races for another 2 or 15 hours. My respect goes out to everyone I met who was taking on great personal challenge and uncertain of their abilities to accomplish the task.

Now, after my own challenge, I sit paying the painful price of ambition. It ain’t pretty. I never thought to enter races like this because I always reserved such hard physical efforts for the high mountain adventures that feed my soul. Running in the valley has always been good cross training for that. Surprisingly, this race was much more than just racing for its own sake, like an Olympic style event or other similarly controlled test of strength and speed. There appears to be an innate social connection to the landscape that these races, especially ultras, awaken and tap into. The environment is a healthy one. We should all enjoy these types of socio-physical, shared suffering interactions on a more regular basis. Looking forward to next year! -Howie

Rocking 10K, Millpond, Saturday January 8th

2011-01-09T13:25:00.000-08:00

You wouldn't know it from the fabulous running conditions that greeted us at Millpond yesterday morning that virtually all Eastern Sierra locations are reporting 2, 3, 400% of normal precip to date, most of which fell in the few weeks since the first winter race series run last month. Such is the beauty of the Owens Valley from a runner's perspective...it truly is primo year-round down here.
A crisp, clear and calm daybreak gave way rapidly to some high clouds and balmy conditions, at least by mid-winter standards. I caught another unbelievable sunrise while out marking the course prompting me to wonder yet again if we should maybe move the race starts to 7am so everyone can witness the sky magic while on the fly.
This month's course was well received by all. It has been a lot of fun to mix it up this year after offering the same standard dirt road fare in between Millpond and the Tungsten Hills the previous two winters. This course had the most single-track of any to date, none of it which I had been aware of in all of my years doing training runs in the Tungstens. How much more is out there begging to be discovered and incorporated into a race course? Only time and further exploration will tell.
Dan Yarborough was back to his winning ways so he must be fully recovered now from his 'W' and CR attempt at the High Desert 50K in Ridgecrest on Dec. 5th. Marie Fitt took top honors for the women. Times were a bit slower across the board than for our exclusively dirt road course offerings reflecting the fact that, although, single-track is usually more fun to run it is rarely, if ever, faster. But then, as runners, we've never been known for caring about the numbers, right? :)
Here are the full results:

Dan Yarborough :41.09
Christian Fuller :43.52
Heith Jones :44.01
Jeff Kozak :45.35
Chris Gaggia :49.08
Jeff Griffiths :49.11
Tony Phillips :49.42
Howie Schwartz :50.01
David Grah :50.04
Marie Fitt :51.26
Vic Lawson :52.19
Tom Meyers :53.31
Margo Lella :54.45
Arnie Kiddoo :55.05
Tom Schaniel :55.52
Mike French :57.27
Floyd Redmon 1:00.28
Jessica Rosen 1:00.32
Kelly Goodick 1:04.26
Tom Higley 1:06.37
Joe Lane 1:12.07
Rosanne Higley 1:12.48
Michelle Liske 1:21.47
Jennah Seaver 1:22.53

Tungsten Peak 10...ahhh...11K - Saturday December 11, 2010

2010-12-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

Local weather forecaster Howard Scheckter's most recent blog post referred to this winter's current pattern as "La Nina on Steroids" and then went on to state that Solar Cycle 24 is an "incipient maladroit." Now, as usual, I have no idea what he is talking about but I can tell you this: the current weather is making for some incredible mid-December running in the Sierra frontcountry. Which is exactly what 27 Eastsiders experienced yesterday, taking on the challenge of running up and over Tungsten Peak (just shy of 6000') from Millpond County Park (approximately 4200') on a 7 mile course consisting of a mix of dirt roads, steep single-track and a bit of cross country through leg-scratching sagebrush. Forget the ski wax and break out the sunscreen. Most everyone had dug out the shorts and t-shirt for this run; the weather couldn't have been better with bright sunshine, no wind and temps climbing towards 70.
In the weeks leading up to the race the Sage To Summit crew that had conjured up the course were a bit concerned that its difficulty might scare off some of our winter race series regulars. Not a chance. In fact, the comment I heard most after the run was something to the effect of "This was the best course yet!". I couldn't agree more.
On top of that, across the board, times were much faster than anticipated. I had predicted that maybe the winner would crack an hour and that there would be folks out on the course past 2 hours. I was way off. The first 4 arrived before the clock had ticked off 60 minutes and everyone was in and enjoying the post-run re-fueling table by 1 hour 45 minutes.
Congratulations to Jimmy Elam and Margo Lella who were the first across the line for the men and women, respectively, and to everyone who came out and supported the event. Looking forward to the next one!
Thanks to Chris Gaggia for posting photos from the day(they are on our FB page) and to Scott Justham with the BLM for coming out at the last minute to drive his truck up to the halfway point to provide aid.

RESULTS:
Jimmy Elam :52.29
Dan Yarborough :56.22
Andrew Kastor :57.44
Jeff Kozak :58.15
Christian Fuller 1:00.09
Tim Berrey 1:08.56
Wano Urbonas 1:09.05
Brandon Fitt 1:09.26
Tony Phillips 1:09.31
David Grah 1:09.39
Mike McDermott 1:11.53
Margo Lella 1:12.35
Arnie Kiddoo 1:13.51
Joe Lane 1:14.20
Tom Schaniel 1:14.48
Tom Meyers 1:16.11
Joel Saenz 1:20.17
Tom Higley 1:21.53
Danielle Kuhl 1:24.06
Brian Kuhl 1:24.07
Ron Saenz 1:25.22
Floyd Redmon 1:27.15
Sally Gaines 1:27.31
Chris Gaggia 1:30.55
Sarah Malloy 1:30.56
Arlene Stone 1:40.49
Rosanne Higley 1:42.09

Athletic Autumn Adventures in Arizona

2010-11-07T16:34:00.001-08:00

Eighteen Liters. That's the magic number. Yes, it's probably the volume of beer consumed on my recent Arizona vacation, but that's not the true significance. It's also probably my lung capacity, but who doesn't have that going for them? No, the importance of 18 liters this time around is pack capacity. even as a mountain guide, and long-time expedition fiend, I'm almost ready to write off "vacations" that require a pack any bigger than 18 liters. It's all the pack you need for multi-pitch trad routes, approaching bolted sport climbs, solo scrambling, and traversing the Grand Canyon. As me and my little Black Diamond pack learned the past two weeks, 18 liters and some internet research is all you need for an impromptu multi-sport vacation to our nearby neighbor.

I had always kind of written off Arizona. Too far to seem convenient, too close to seem exotic. When some other plans fell through at the last minute, Arizona was the perfect destination. First stop Cochise Stronghold in the far southeast with my buddy Josh. Basically Mexico. And exotic because of it, I'd learn. Border Patrol checkpoints, blimps perpetually scanning the desert, and the very real possibility of mid-night water theft brought an international, (yet still very 'Merican...) feel to it all. A bunch of warm-up climbs, at a relaxing pace, got me acquainted with the area. Cochise combines the best aspects of climbing in the Western US: Desert climate and camping plus bomber granitic rock. Hard to complain. Cochise was full of outdoor professionals unwinding in the off-season. Unwinding with PBR, campfires, and a couple of hours of climbing per day. Our final route there was "Abracadaver" on the seldom summited Rockfellow spire. It's wild up there. Researching info for Abracadaver turned up this discussion on the top 3 routes in Arizona. Like all internet discussion, there was no solid conclusion. However, reading between the lines and taking a liberal interpretation, I chose to believe that Abracadaver was one of the top 3. And the SE Ridge of Baboquivari and Candyland on Granite Mountain were the other 2. Heck, we've come this far, why not do the best routes in the whole state?

Josh had to work, so I went solo to Baboquivari. It's a remote peak, unique in Arizona for it's mandatory scrambling from all angles. "Babo" has its own lovely trailhead campground. I pulled in after dark the night before my climb. The campground was deserted, except for a single Border Patrol pickup. A standard cab (read, 3 seatbelts max...) pickup. Seemed strange, but I passed out. Around 4 am at least 6 people came out of the woods, got in the pickup and took off. Weird, huh? Otherwise, my trip on Babo was uneventful.

I reunited with Josh in Prescott. Prescott is a sweet town, and happens to be the autumn home of SMG coworkers Viren and Julie. Viren and Julie put us up and showed us Prescott's Whiskey Row. Whiskey Row, and our vacation mentality, would conspire against much high-end athletic achievement... But we only needed to tick one more of (my version of) Arizona's top 3 routes. And Candyland was worthy.

But the real point of all this, the part of the story that makes this worthy of association with Sage to Summit, was my impromptu run of the Grand Canyon's fabled "Rim to Rim to Rim." I'm still reeling from the experience. If I had taken any more time to think about it, much less plan, I probably wouldn't have gotten it together. But I rallied from the drink-up-late and sleep-til-nine schedule and committed before I could think about it too much. I did some cursory research, consulted a client's who's run this thing 5 times, and dove in with my 18 liter pack.

In short, the Rim to Rim to Rim is exactly what it sounds like. You start on the South Rim, descend to the Colorado River, climb to the North Rim, and then reverse your tracks.
Beta for RRR is plentiful. I'd do a disservice to try and improve on the information readily available. A blow-by-blow account is beyond my abilities and recollection. Profound words on the experience aren't real handy to me. But I do have a few pictures and a hearty recommendation for this run! Check it out:

I like bridges and tunnels (both on trails, and as a euphemism for suburban residents of the Bay and New York Metro Areas) so you can imagine my delight here at the River:Hikers on route give some perspective. Near the North Rim:
And near the South Rim:

And last light:
A few stats and notes, in case you're interested:
-I started in pitch dark at 4:45am on November 6. It's steep downhill to start. I was picking my way, feeling real clumsy and slow. All of a sudden a group blasted by me, apparently with fresh batteries in their lights. 'Cause I changed mine and moved much much more quickly.
-Do your research on which water faucets are on. It's always changing.
-Weather the day I did it was perfect. T-shirt conditions the entire time. Temperatures were moderated by a thin cloud layer all day. Even if there were no clouds, I would have been climbing in the sun for a maximum of about an hour. The canyon walls blocked the low November sun.
-It's not your typical Sierra wilderness trail run. I filled water from faucets and listened to Pandora for much of the way. The North Rim is a paved trailhead and some hikers driving a car shuttle totally bailed out another RRR aspirant that day. Drove him the 6 hours back around!
-I ran about a third of the mileage (total mileage about 42. Total vertical gain, over 11000)
-I finished in just about 13 and a half hours.
-Enjoy!

The Cognac Kid: Adventures of a Greenhorn American Trail Running Guide in the European Alps

2010-09-02T10:21:00.000-07:00

25000 words worth...

view from downtown Chamonix

alpenglow on the Aiguille du Midi

ascending the Col de Tricot

colorful signs of summer

looking toward the French Prealps

The "DC Six" ready for a soggy day two

ascending the Col du Bonhomme

the traverse from the Col du Bonhomme

the high point of the circuit, the Col des Fours

warming up at the Refuge des Mottets
with tea and blueberry tarts

crossing the Col de la Seigne into Italy in summer snow

the Italians know how to eat!
the breakfast spread at the Hotel Bouton D'Or in Courmayeur

Day 3 gets underway with the best weather yet

the climb out of Courmayeur is best done fully caffeinated

sweet singletrack heading up the Tete de la Tronche

absolutely THE trip money shot...

Mont Blanc...Italian flanks

Tete de la Tronche

Italian Val Ferret from the Grand Col Ferret

typical scene in the Swiss Val Ferret

Champex-Lac, Switzerland

ibex!!!

looking back toward Vallorcine while
climbing along the Aiguilles Rouges
as the weather closes in

the author finally gets his cognac
at the celebratory dinner

someday...someday...

...and 6500 more...

The Pre-ramble Preamble

On the detailed list of trip instructions I had been given, it said “feel free to enjoy an aperitif or other beverage with them (the clients) to break the ice.” Sitting uncomfortably at the head of the table in a restaurant perched on the banks of the Arve River in Chamonix I was still intensely studying the menu, with minimal comprehension, as the waitress approached. I ordered a pasta dish containing several recognizable ingredients.

“And to drink?”

“I’ll have a cognac,” I replied with all the conviction of a Hemingway protagonist.

“A cognac?”

“Yes.”

“That is a digestif, for after dinner.”

“Oh, right. Well, I’ll just have a beer then.”

The barely suppressed giggles bubbling around the table erupted into laughter. There is always more than one way to break the ice and owing to the fact that I don’t get out much it is usually my worldly façade exiting stage left that inadvertently does the trick.

There had been other signs that my brain was significantly more jet-lagged than my legs in the 48 hours since flying across the pond from California to Switzerland. At the airport in Geneva the sigh of relief was audible as my check-in bag swung battered but unbroken into view on the carousel. Walking out of customs I was immediately intercepted by the shuttle driver taking me to Chamonix.

“Hey mate. You must be Jeff. Let’s go,” he rapid-fired in an accent thick with the backbeat of Liverpool. Apparently the British Invasion of the Chamonix Valley included the transportation industry.

“Ahh, hey man, I’ve got a few things I need to take care of (I also had an unfamiliar European cell phone to get re-activated.) before we leave,” I responded, wondering why he was so early.

Making my way over to a currency exchange booth, he followed, launching into a story involving a sick driver, double-duty for him and a van full of restless customers whom had already been waiting, no longer patiently, a long time. Too tired to break out my violins I was barely listening as I stepped into line. Mumbling something
about going to check on the other folks he disappeared.

Exchanging the company cash for Euros and Swiss Francs another brief wave of relief washed over me. However, as I pulled out my own money for conversion the driver returned and, inconceivable as it was, his hyperactivity had increased. This guy was stressing me out and now, in addition to feeling nine time zones out of sync, I was fully distracted. Grabbing my Euros I chased him out the door doing the over-sized duffel bag shuffle in double-time. It wasn’t until that evening at my hotel that I realized my US dollars were now Swiss Francs, not Euros. We would only be among the Swiss for one day…

A few months earlier I got a call from Howie Schwartz, co-owner of Sierra Mountain Guides (SMG), and husband to my primary employer, Karen, the owner of Sage To Summit, a specialty running and outdoor shop in Bishop, CA where I work and dream with child-like excitement of my next grand adventure in the Sierra’s decomposed granite sandbox. My mountain playground horizons were about to expand dramatically.

“Would you be interested in being an assistant guide on our six day Tour du Mont Blanc (TMB) running trip in late July?,” he casually queried.

I had only been to Europe once as a 30-year old international travel virgin and, suffice it to say, although I did eventually find somewhat of a groove by the end of the trip, my ill-adjusted, out-of-my-element and way-out-of-my-comfort-zone behavior certainly qualified me for deportation, a set of adult diapers and a pacifier with the Stars and Stripes on it. My girlfriend at the time said there should be some kind of cultural adaptability test administered before passports were issued. Ouch. At least she didn’t dump me for a Spaniard.

This was all far from my mind, along with the fact that I had never been in the Alps, let alone a guide in Europe, or in the States for that matter, not to mention that my French and Italian more or less begin and end with “bonjour,” “bonjourno,” “merci,” and “grazie” when I blurted out, “I’m in. Sign me up.” Who could possibly say no?

As the departure date steadily approached, these, and other, concerns began poking at my paper-thin confidence like a trekking pole searching for stable ground. Howie briefed me on the trip itinerary and the clients, six friends from the Washington D.C. area (two couples and two women going spouseless), piling high the maps, instructions and responsibilities. I poured over everything rigorously but it accomplished little in the way of easing my anxiety. Watching a movie and reading the book it originated from is never the same experience. I expected this would be no different.

“Just be yourself,” Howie said encouragingly. Riiiiiight. That’s all fine and good until your self has you ordering drinks at the wrong time, leaving you wondering what the clients are thinking: This guy doesn’t even know when to order a cognac. He’s never run the circuit? Is this par for the guiding course? Whose idea was this?

Back in Chamonix my desire to explore was quickly overridden by a much-needed nap before meeting lead guide, Nina Silitch, who, as we walked through town to a restaurant she recommended for our “working dinner”, was everything I instantly wanted to be: a nine-year resident of Chamonix who was now fluent in French and Italian and culturally savvy; AND she had seen the TMB movie…twice. I had only read the script. By the time the plates were cleared, I felt reassured and ever so slightly more relaxed; not in the sense of having gained any clearer vision of what lay ahead around the next hundred bends of the trail, but because I instantly liked and felt comfortable around Nina. For the time being I could rest assured that at least the guides would get along.

Returning to my hotel for some last minute pack re-arranging the confirmations of my suspicion as to the quality of the accommodations that were aroused by the name “Hotel El Paso La Cantina” began piling up higher than the gear I was trying to shove in my running pack (The clients were going light; I was not.). This was France, not Mexico, and with a name like that it just couldn’t be ‘bon’… or ‘bueno.’

Most disturbing, or so I thought, was the outrageous loudness of the hardwood floors, groaning with the arthritis of arbolean age, every time someone had the audacity to actually walk around. The noise,combined with feelings of restlessness typical of the evening before a grand adventure, was setting the stage for a sleepless night. Lying there in the semi-dark (Light pollution from outside and a curtain cut to the dimensions of a much smaller window are a poor combination.) my mind wandered one more imaginary lap around the Mont Blanc Massif.

At 4,810 meters (15, 782’) Mont Blanc is the highest peak in the Alps, a snow covered dome surrounded by sweeping rivers of ice and a set of jagged spires known collectively as the Aiguilles. The Massif containing it is a mountain range unto itself shared by three countries (France, Italy, and Switzerland). It is famous for being considered by most to be the birthplace of modern mountaineering in the late 18th century. Nearly two centuries later it was also instrumental in the development of ski mountaineering. In recent decades Chamonix, nestled in its shadows in the depths of a glacially-carved valley, has exploded into an international mountaineering mecca.

Then came the trail runners. If it was inevitable that Mont Blanc would be climbed, skied, paraglided, tunneled (There is an 11 km long tunnel beneath the mountain connecting Chamonix with Courmayeur, Italy.) and teleferiqued (see footnote below), then it was also simply a matter of time before someone decided to run around it.
In 2003 the Ultra-Trail du Tour du Mont Blanc was born, a counter-clockwise 166 km (103 mile) loop around the Massif starting and finishing in Chamonix with a total elevation gain of 9,400 m (30, 775’).

To put this amount of climbing in perspective, if you started on the shores of the Indian Ocean and bagged Mt. Everest you’d still have well over a grand of vertical to go. Most people who undertake this challenge take 30 to 45 hours to reach the finish line. Endurance specimens such as two-time defending champion Killian Jornet of Spain have gone under 22 hours (In 2008 Killian cracked the 21 hour barrier with a course record time of 20:58.) Folks of average fitness take 10-12 days to hike the loop. Our itinerary called for 6 days, quick enough to necessitate some running but also allowing for plenty of time to relax and simmer in a three-country sampling of the diverse European cultural stew.

Each day would call for anywhere from 20 km (12.5 mi) to 43 km (26.5 mi) of trail time with options on most days to shorten the distance by catching a ride with our shuttle driver, Lyndsay, who would be leapfrogging ahead with our extra gear; or hopping on a teleferique to avoid a nasty climb or descent. Each night we would be staying in the luxurious comfort of either a hotel or refugio (hut).

This frequent road accessibility combined with bountiful hut options are distinctly European concepts (Of course if the U.S had a few hundred more years of history preceding the 1964 Wilderness Act they might very well be American concepts as well.) and they allow for the unique experience of disappearing into rugged mountain terrain without a kitchen sink’s worth of survival equipment in your pack and without ever really being that far from modern comforts. By contrast a similar trip on the John Muir Trail (specifically the southern half) would be completely roadless, with no shelter along the way except for what you’ve got on your back and re-supplies requiring a very strenuous effort courtesy of a porter, be it human or quadruped.

As my thoughts were slowly trailing off, I suddenly fixated on a tiny pinhole of light coming from the door connecting my room with the adjacent one. Unbelievably there was a peephole right next to my bed. I laughed out loud thinking back to dinner earlier that evening when one of the clients had asked, “So, are you staying in the same hotel as us?”

“Ahh, not exactly,” I replied, dodging requests for more detail. Six nights later I found myself back in the same room and noticed the hole had been sealed…with a piece of tissue paper.

Day 1: Chamonix to Les Contamines

Soon enough it was daylight and I was up before my alarm, a sure sign I hadn’t slept well, and heading to the nearest bakery to nurse my mixed excitement-and-anxiety cocktail hangover with a croissant (or two) and a cappuccino. At 8:30 Nina and I rendezvoused with our clients, the D.C. Six, and in short order we were ready to go. Well, almost. One member of the group was conspicuously absent and from the snippets of conversation I was picking up on this was highly unusual behavior. A few of the others went back inside to investigate and quickly produced a very tired and disoriented-looking individual. Jet lag plus a sleepless night can be a lethal buzz kill but at long last, with a quick group photo we were off.

As we headed out of town down valley along the Arve River the group immediately began to string out with Nina on point and myself pulling caboose duty, which was more than fine by me; I didn’t know where I was going, remember? The three points forming the Bermuda Triangle of stress and anxiety in my spring green guiding mind were, in no particular order, the following: getting the clients lost, group personality dynamics, and the language barrier. Two of the three would combine explosively before the day was through.

It wasn’t so much a fear of truly getting lost in the sense of having no idea where I was and needing to call in one of the helicopters frequently buzzing the Massif for assistance as it was a desire to not want the clients constantly standing around waiting for me to figure every trail junction out. Nor did I want to spend six days with the maps and cell phone glued to my hands burning through expensive airtime minutes while Nina vectored me in to the next group rendezvous.

I understood the route in a general sense. We were doing a counter-clockwise loop around a mountain with all the orienting landmark prominence of taking a walk around Mt. Rainier on the Wonderland Trail. If at any point the Massif was off my starboard side for any length of time we were most likely going the wrong way and as it turned out nearly every trail junction had more signs than an astrologer’s office and getting profoundly lost would truly require some misalignment of the stars.

Where the trail met civilization as we passed through the various villages and towns along the way was an altogether different animal. Although the trail was marked even as it temporarily transformed into pavement these situations were always a bit more tricky and I often felt my heart rate rising. Cruising into Les Houches several kilometers down valley from Chamonix I got my first taste of this test. The plan was to meet at the teleferique that would take us effortlessly up the first stiff climb of the tour, saving our legs for an endless number of additional ascents to come. As the minutes and buildings steadily passed by someone eventually threw out a feeler: “You still feeling good about this?”

“Ahh, yeah,” I replied quickly, my voice dancing between the keys of confidence and consternation as I willed the tram station into sight. Moments later it appeared.

The remainder of the day passed by pleasantly, climbing over the verdantly green Col de Tricot and descending sharply to the Chalet de Miage where I quickly found myself on the receiving end of a lunch that one of The Six thought sounded appetizing until its proportions cast a gastro-intestinally distressful shadow over the table: a massive bread and butter sandwich with a slab of cheese on it the size of the Mer de Glace. I indulged. My diet on this trip would be unlike any other multi-day running adventure of the past.

It was on the final descent of the day into Les Contamines that the first, and essentially only, truly stressful test of the group’s dynamics came to pass. Mere meters from our re-group point two of The Six stopped for a photo opp. I was slightly ahead talking with two of the others. Moments earlier I had looked back and they were in sight. Moments later I looked back again and they were gone. Retracing our steps to where I last saw them I received a solid jolt of adrenaline upon discovering they had disappeared. In retrospect I should have been behind everyone regardless of how close together we were, as the now-paved path was winding between buildings, bisecting roads and significantly less obvious than the trails we had been traversing earlier. At the time, however, I just simply could not believe how quickly we got separated.

When we finally all re-grouped a bit later on the main street through town, the tension was palpable. They were not pleased, to say the least. The fiery charge in the air eventually eased back toward neutral as we walked the final kilometer to our hotel for the night. After checking-in we all quietly dispersed to our respective rooms. We would re-convene at 7 for dinner.

A long hot shower later I took a walk outside, unable to keep from noticing the increasingly foreboding look to the clouds gathering above the peaks, then quickly retreated to the sanctuary of my room. Quicker than the Teleferique du Midi could transport you from the lush Chamonix Valley to a world of rock and ice I had hit, what turned out to be from my perspective, the low point of the trip.

Yes, perspective, of which I essentially had none from a guiding standpoint. Everything was new to me and therefore there was absolutely nothing to compare anything to. My internal compass was gyrating wildly without any reference point. Was today just another day at the guiding office? And, if so, could I do this for another five? Did I even want to? By the time we circled back to Chamonix, physically I would be operating on all cylinders, ready to churn out another lap given the time; but mentally I would be completely drained from constant sensory overload. Staring at the ceiling above my bed I turned the incident around and around in my head, inspecting it from all sides and angles and, just as the pioneering climbers of the past systematically explored every face and arête on Mont Blanc, transformed the daunting into the do-able.

Making my way downstairs to dinner I had simply come to the conclusion that although it was the end of day one we were still essentially at ground zero in terms of comfort zones. There was a lot of internal feeling out going on. Throw a group of random people into a foreign situation, in every sense of the word, and the greatest challenges will quickly shift from geographical to interpersonal navigation. At the moment though, as I rounded the corner into the hotel dining room I really had no idea what kind of atmosphere to expect.

Much to my relief the frustrations of earlier appeared to have already lost their sharp edges, softening in the corners of everyone’s conscious and dinner was a very pleasant affair. I didn’t order any drinks inappropriately, the food was magnifique and the wine flowed, well, like wine. The smoky shadows of slumber enveloped me in their silence effortlessly that night, until…

Day 2: Les Contamines to the Refuge des Mottets

Sometime significantly before dawn I bolted wide awake to the sound of rain falling in sheets and, with the blink of a bloodshot eye, my anxiety had returned. Today would present a different set of challenges. Standing in the hotel lobby a few hours later on the threshold of dry warmth and clammy cold I glanced up at the mountains towering above us and noticed several streaks of white streaming down the slope; sizeable creeks that had not been there the day before. The intensity of the rain had not been a dream after all.

For the first few hours of the day we climbed steadily in a rain that immediately lessened, then stopped altogether, to the Col du Bonhomme. Scattered patches of blue beckoned at teasingly short intervals from behind the steel gray curtain. Blue is often considered to be the “safest global color,” representing peace, tranquility and calm, and, to be sure, I was in a Bob Marley-like mellow mood.

Contouring along a rocky, sinuous ridge from the col my mellow mood disappeared abruptly in a swirling sea of near-zero visibility fog rising up from the valley below. We continued on, following the red-and-white lines painted on numerous rocks that represent the TMB course. Only problem was there were trails everywhere and they all had red-and-white markings. It wasn’t long before someone vocalized what I am sure everyone was thinking: “Hey Jeff, you sure about this?”

“Fairly sure.”

“We’d really like you to be ‘for sure.’” Yeah, me too, I thought to myself. I couldn’t tell what percentage of that comment was dead-pan serious versus one-line comedy.

Other than the signage at a critical trail junction not appearing out of the mists until we nearly walked straight into the pole, soon enough we were all safely out of the frigid wind that had materialized and in the refuge shivering our way back to internal baseline temps.

An hour later we were standing atop the only snowfield we would cross at 2665 m (8550’) on the Col des Fours, the geographical high point of our circuit. On the descent to the Refuge des Mottets our good fortune with the weather went by the wayside. I was out on point for the first time and we had stopped to take in a beautiful cascading stream. The rest of the group was visible higher up on the col.

“You guys want to wait here for the…,” I started to ask as a crack of thunder rudely interrupted.

“Ahh, that’s a no,” they responded in unison.

A few minutes later the skies opened dropping a deluge that accompanied us the remaining kilometers to the refuge. The accommodations were crowded and the least comfortable of the trip but any kind of roof over your head in water-logged conditions is a delight. This unassailable outdoors truism, combined with the fact that my only other hut experience was in the Southern Alps of New Zealand (The Kiwis have a decidedly different view on levels of hut quality.), and my personal rating of the Mottets automatically went up a few stars.
Besides, there was impromptu music. That evening, to the singing delight of a packed dining area, a girl from the hut staff regaled the refuge with an accordion. It was a boisterous, cheerful crowd.

Day 3: Refuge des Mottets to Courmayeur

The forecast for the day called for rapidly improving conditions. Except for the “rapid” part, it was spot on. Crossing over the Col de la Seigne mid-morning we scampered down into Italy with wet snowflakes dancing across the alpine landscape. This was the shortest trail day of the trip and by noon we were descending via tram into Courmayeur under warm, sunny skies.

Arriving at our hotel too early to check-in we dropped off our gear and headed straight to the nearest pizzeria for a fine Italian slice. The afternoon was spent soaking away three days accumulation of aches at a nearby spa. Sitting neck-deep in warm mineral water with a pair of jets simultaneously blasting the knots in my calves into oblivion while staring at the sexy Italian flanks of Mont Blanc I felt as those I was melting into a landscape of surrealism like a clock in a Dali painting. I was beginning to flow a bit more fluidly and confidently with the constantly-changing currents of this circuit.

Discussing the trip with Nina over dinner that night, it was then that I discovered something I suspected but did not really believe: guides, even mountaineering guides, routinely take clients up routes and peaks they have never been on themselves; a task made manageable because, at its heart, guiding is essentially the application of an acquired skill set to new terrain and/or varying conditions. Of course, at the moment, I was applying zero skills, at least in terms of official training, to new everything. Nevertheless, compared with on-sight guiding in the vertical world, leading a group around a trail circuit with a seemingly infinite number of signs suddenly seemed a lot more sensible.

However, there was one desire that this newly acquired knowledge did not fully curb: I still desperately wanted the experience of guiding in the Sierra, the granite range on which I cut my mountain teeth and in which I could navigate even with my contact lenses missing, for confidence comparison. The comparisons would have to come later; for now we had a lemon cello nightcap served up ‘gratuito’ to enjoy and I was feeling ‘magnifique.’

Day 4: Courmayeur to the Rifugio Elena

This section included a hat trick of pleasantries: the finest weather, the grandest views and one extremely filling, heavy midday meal at the Refuge Bonatti. A very steep climb out of Courmayeur allowed very little time to digest the breakfast buffet bonanza awaiting us that morning at the Hotel Bouton D’Or before precious blood flow was diverted away from the digestive tract to screaming muscles. The reward was well worth the effort though as we spent a glorious few hours traversing a broad rolling ridgeline carpeted in green punctuated with crisp colorful bursts of flowers in the peak of summer bloom. As we ascended toward the Tete de la Tronche the entire expanse of the Italian Val Ferret opened up beneath our feet while Mont Blanc, the Grandes Jorasses and the full Massif monty towered above.

Descending to the Refuge Bonatti (The hut is named after Walter Bonatti, an Italian pioneer in post-war alpine climbing.) a lunch of polenta with sausage had blood pooling in the belly once again and it was challenging to get motivated and moving for the final push to that night’s quarters, the Rifugio Elena. Trying to remain obscurely in the back without being too obvious about it I let Nina take the conductor position again.

In the continuum of accommodations ranging from hut to hotel the Rifugio Elena is a hybrid lying somewhere in between the two: a hut cut to the finest of specs or a basic hotel, depending on your “Is the cup half full or half empty?” semantic preferences. After a scrumptious spaghetti dinner that evening my glass was again half full (well, maybe a little more) of lemon cello. It was with providential timing that we were leaving Italy for the Swiss countryside the next day; this drink was dangerous but its prevalence would be left behind at the border.

Day 5: Rifugio Elena to Champex-Lac

As with most days this one began abruptly with an ascent that had us on our toes wondering just what precisely was the tipping point of your Achilles tendon’s elasticity. The Grand Col Ferret awaited us at the top along with Switzerland and a herd of welcoming cows.
With each border crossing there was an amazingly immediate and tangible shift in the feel of the landscape we were moving through, both topographically and culturally. Europe is a poignant reminder that, although we live in an information age of ‘globalization’ and a significant shrinking of the time and distance dimensions of our planet, it really wasn’t that long ago that short distances and even modestly challenging terrain were monumental barriers to movement that allowed very distinct populations to emerge in very small areas. Imagine that every time you crossed a state line in the U.S., from a cultural and language perspective, everything changed. It’s exciting and unsettling at the same time when you are not accustomed to it.

Running down a refreshingly lower angled descent into the Swiss Val Ferret we arrived in the quaint, tidy town of La Fouly. After four days of endless sandbagging about shortening each day’s mileage the shuttle was finally employed and the group split up, some opting for a ride with Nina and more time to relax in Champex while I remained behind with the two that wanted to go the distance.

The run down the valley was ten kilometers of pleasantly rolling terrain passing scene after scene seemingly lifted straight from The Sound of Music. It was impossible not to notice how clean and orderly the world had become, right down to the artfully stacked piles of wood. As we topped out on the final climb of the day the charming lakeside town of Champex-Lac appeared before us, beckoning weary legs with its cool waters. It was August 1st, which is Swiss National Day, and our brief stay included a lively fireworks celebration. For our final day Mother Nature would have some fireworks of her own.

Day 6: Champex-Lac to Chamonix

The forecast called for heavy rain at times with thunderstorms diminishing throughout the afternoon; however, we awoke to mostly clear skies and as we progressed up one of the steepest and definitely roughest, rocky and root-filled climbs of the loop toward the Bovine hut it was readily apparent there had been a role reversal regarding the rain between the morning and afternoon showings.

Cruising along in back on a gently inclined gravel road leading out of Champex, I was slightly behind the client who had been funning on me the most about my “cognac incident” when we came upon a metal gate barring our progress. Now, in our defense, I like to think that what followed was primed the previous day by the numerous wire cattle fences crossing the trail that we had to either go over or under. After we each took a befuddled turn at opening the gate by attempting to pull up or slide over various parts he grabbed the top rail confidently proclaiming, “Well, I guess we just climb over it like the rest of ‘em.” Planting his left foot firmly on the bottom rail, as he lifted his right leg over the gate swung open unhindered. As our laughter echoed across the valley he admonished, “Let’s just keep that one to ourselves.” For the remainder of the day I resisted the urge to refer to him as “The Gatekeeper.”

Dropping down to the Col de la Forclaz with the weather still all bark and no bite we met up with Lyndsay and the group once again splintered into two groups: those who wanted to skip the middle section from Trient to Vallorcine and jump ahead to the final climb of the day along the Aiguilles Rouges in hopes that the sweeping views of the French side of the Mont Blanc Massif would still be on display, and those who wanted every last meter of this 45 kilometer day, by far the longest of the trip. Once again, I was taking the long way home.

“We wouldn’t want you to leave any stones unturned for next time,” they explained.

By the time we had re-entered France, re-loaded the bloodstream with a sugar rush of crepe sucres and cokes in Vallorcine and climbed gently up to the Col des Montets at the head of the Chamonix Valley, the heavy weather we had been dodging all day began to close ranks. At this point though we were fully committed to finishing on foot, and although the nearly switchback-less and grueling final climb and traverse along the Aiguilles Rouges was mostly enveloped in a shroud of thick fog our viewless effort was rewarded with two separate ibex sightings. At close range this species of wild goat, common to the European Alps, and armed with a pair of monstrous backward-curving horns on a head attached to the body of a mule deer on steroids, will instantaneously erase any knowledge you might have about its being strictly herbivorous.

Turning right at a trail junction I came around a corner to see my two client comrades standing still about a hundred meters away and slightly below. One looked my direction waving his hand and seemingly pointing along the trail as if imploring, “Is this the right way?” Unhesitatingly I yelled out, “Yeah, we descend for awhile and…,” my voice trailed off as he began gesticulating wildly. They were watching two young ibex; nothing like bookending the trip with two asinine actions.

Moments after catching a glimpse of the teleferique station at the La Flegere hut that would give our quads a pain-free pass down into Chamonix the near-zero visibility fog rolled back in and the rain returned in earnest, this time with a thunderous orchestral accompaniment. In a lightening-quick flash we found ourselves in a world of chaos. Hikers were appearing like trekking pole-wielding apparitions out of the mists from seemingly all directions and converging on a station area so obscured by fog and completely disorienting due to detour signs everywhere directing a confusing diversion around an active construction site that it seemed as those we might never find the loading zone. At one point we started to follow a truck up a road that felt like it was flirting with vertical, but to our utterly speechless surprise the truck immediately began backing down. Three tired, stiff and slow-twitched ultrarunners metamorphosed into sprinters faster than Usain Bolt can get out of the blocks.

After much wandering we finally found the turnstiles leading to what turned into a ride down in a human sardine can on cables. Ignorance is bliss but it is also sometimes the ticket to a, well, free ticket. When the man guarding the turnstiles asked for our tram tickets I stared back blankly. I hadn’t seen any place to purchase them and I assumed we either bought them here in line or paid at the bottom. He pointed vaguely somewhere in the direction we had come (As it turns out you buy tickets at the hut we had passed.) and said something in French. I turned around to see a long line had formed behind us. I had no idea what he was pointing at and suddenly found myself doing a full stress circle back to Day One. Turning back to face him in a good old fashioned foreign language stand-off I was relieved to see a friendly hand waving us through. Feeling sorry for confounded foreigners can sometimes trump financial reward. Either that or he simply no longer cared after a long day dealing with tourons.

Eight hundred meters below we stepped out into a continuing deluge for two final kilometers down to the Hotel De L’Arve where it all began six eternally long (Or was it deceptively short? The passage of time, marked by a clock, but defined by immediate experience can be a remarkably relative concept.) days before. The moisture-laden clouds that we had danced fortuitously around until the finale must have been streaming in from the south and banking up against the flanks of the Chamonix Valley all day for the Arve River was raging. The rain finally eased a few hours later as we gathered for a celebratory dinner before going our separate ways.

The Post-Trip Postscript

At the dinner I found myself looking around at the six faces that were as foreign to me six days earlier as the three countries our journey unfolded in, already beginning to reminisce. As a guide first and foremost you want to provide a safe adventure for the people that have entrusted you with their experience. But beyond that there are larger goals, objectives in a similar vein as human equality, oftentimes elusive, and quite possibly not completely attainable but nevertheless always worth reaching for.

On the same checklist handed me before the trip that gave the green light to order an ice-breaking aperitif I was given thanks in advance “for your hard work in helping to make it the trip of a lifetime for this group,” a mission on par with the dimensions of the mountain we ran around, and certainly as challenging as bringing together eight unique personalities, all with vastly different backgrounds and ever-changing expectations, with the hope that, when the trail dust had settled, the final bottle of vino sat empty on the table and The Routines had all been returned to, the rapport developed would be positive and the memories would be worth re-visiting time and again when real life edged toward the mundane. The difficulty in attaining these objectives as a guide lies squarely in the fact that they are not entirely within your control. Group experiences are two-way streets, each direction with multiple lanes.
Swallowing my final sip of the long-awaited cognac, this time appropriately signifying the end of the meal and this particular adventure, I felt the enhanced glow of brandy sliding smoothly down my throat combined with the satisfying feeling of a job well done. The trip package could use some fine-tuning but I was confident that at least some of the roadblocks particular to this convening of Americans in the Alps had been removed along the way.

Feeling as though I had come one additional glass of crushed and fermented grapes away from an awful, day-long international in-flight hangover experience, I sank wearily into my window seat as the plane rose steadily over Geneva. The insatiable curiosity that often has me staring out windows to view the world below from 30,000’ for entire flights was greatly suppressed by my extreme mental fatigue and the sea of white clouds we were now rising above; however, something from within had me sitting up for one last look.
At first, as suspected, nothing but uniformly white hills of water vapor stretched to the horizon. The plane banked sharply. As its wings once again re-gained the level a spectacular sight appeared. Towering above the cloud tops stood the summit proper of Mont Blanc; even the imposing-from-the-ground Massif containing it not blessed with enough vertical to pierce through this cloud deck. The prominent flanks of the mountain as seen from the French side descended down out of sight like a set of glaciated staircases into the now-hidden world containing the past week’s life-changing experiences. It didn’t appear so imposing from cruising altitude. Perspectives…

As my eyes finally lost their battle with gravity one final thought snuck across a synapse into my fading consciousness. In a month Nina would be scouting out a loop around the Matterhorn for its potential as another SMG-guided trip. I’ve never been there. Would I go if I got the call? Now what kind of question is that?

Footnote

There is also a teleferique, or cable car, actually three of them that you can link up for a ride from Chamonix at 1,035 m to the Aiguille du Midi at 3,842 m and down the other side into a village near Courmayeur. Obviously, the Europeans have a very different point of view on acceptable interactions between people and the mountains. A rough equivalent of this would be taking a gondola from Lone Pine to the Keeler Needle near Mt. Whitney and down the west slope to Visalia then hopping in a car and driving back underneath the range in a granite tunnel; to be sure, an eternally-conflicted concept with wilderness and the American mind.

Raffle Prizes from Winter Race Series

2010-04-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

At the last race of the winter race series(the half marathon held on April 17th) we held a raffle. While the race was in progress Karen drew names from a bag(you got your name in once for each race of the series you participated in). There were several unclaimed prizes at the end, either because the folks whose names were drawn weren't there for the half or people who were there simply forgot to check to see if they had won.
So here is a list of unclaimed prizes(stop by the store in the next few weeks to pick up your prize if you are interested):

Dave Herbst Brooks water bottle
Greg Warnick " "
Colin Broadwater " "
Mike Morrison " "
Brooke Haverstock " "
Angela Tomczik " "

Keith Glidewell Bridgedale socks
Dustin del Giudice " "

Marie Boyd Asics socks

Trevor Beck HIC sunscreen
Tom Meyers " "

Melissa Holste Sage To Summit tank top
Sarah Starosta " "
David Grah " "
Colin Broadwater " "

Half-Marathon Results

2010-04-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

The last race of the 2009-10 Winter Race Series was held last Saturday April 17th at 9 am at Milpond Park in conditions that were anything but wintry. Calm and sunny skies with temps in the 50s at the start that quicly climbed into the 70s by late morning. Perfect except for the fact that it actually felt hot to most of us as the Eastern Sierra has seen very little warm weather so far this spring.
Dan Yarborough completed his sweep of all 6 series races and Ceal Klingler came in 2nd, narrowly missing a sweep as well, as out-of-towner Sarah Armstrong showed up to take the W. Thanks to everyone who participated in one, a few or all of the races making the series a big success.

Results:

Dan Yarborough M/46 1:21:38
Jeff Kozak M/35 1:28:32
Brannon Forrester M/30 1:37:53
Brandon Fitt M/34 1:40:47
Sarah Armstrong F/23 1:45:15
Wano Urbonas M/52 1:45:23
Chris Gaggia M/40 1:47:52
Ceal Klingler F/40 1:51:00
Angel Avila M/27 1:53:56
Dan Meyers M/52 1:55:02
Paul Elia M/39 1:56:57
Tony Phillips M/45 1:57:00
Andy Selters M/52 1:57:06
John Trent M/47 1:59:20
Jordy Cox F/38 2:00:48
Joel Saenz M/28 2:00:57
Jessica Rosen F/33 2:02:09
Katie Trent F/17 2:03:31
James McGovern M/28 2:02:48
Lanie Somers F/48 2:03:00
Vic Lawson M/26 2:08:11
Tom Higley M/58 2:10:25
Sarah Malloy F/30 2:13:13
Jen Chase F/32 2:13:43
Colin Broadwater M/34 2:13:45
Zach Moe M/26 2:13:45
Tyler Holt M/16 2:13:45
Tom Schaniel M/39 2:16:24
Ron Saenz M/50 2:18:43
Shauna Murray F/32 2:20:56
Sally Gaines F/57 2:25:22
Kelly Goodick F/41 2:31:54
Joe Profita M/57 2:45:45
Pablo Muro M/19 2:45:45
Annie Kellner F/28 2:47:54
Joe Lane M/31 2:47:54

Half-Marathon: Last Race in the Winter Race Series, Saturday April 17th

2010-04-14T13:17:00.000-07:00

The last race in the Winter Race Series is coming up this Saturday, April 17th at 9am at Millpond Park. It will be a dirt road half-marathon(similar to the 15K course with extensions on the north and south ends) and as with all the other races in the series it is only $10 to run. There will be a self-service aid station with water, electrolyte mix, energy gels and Probars that you will pass twice. And the finish line will once again have assorted Great Basin Bakery bagels, fruit and Black Sheep coffee.
The forecast for race day is for lows in the 30s and highs in the mid to upper 70s with light winds. In other words, just about perfect, except that it may feel a bit warm as even the Owens Valley has seen precious few days above 70 thus far this year. So drink plenty of fluids!
During the race Karen will draw names from a bag for raffle prizes. Your name goes in the bag once for each race of the series you've participated in...so if you've done all 6 events you've got 6 chances to win something. You don't need to be present to win but if you are, after the race, check to see if you won something. We'll have the prizes lined up with names on them near the finish line food table. Those who aren't present who win a prize can pick it up at Sage To Summit anytime after the race.
See you on Saturday!

April Challenge: Grouse Mountain

2010-04-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

Grouse Mountain is the high point in the rocky, juniper/pinyon-covered hills just above the Buttermilk bouldering area. For this one the choice of ascent and descent route is up to you but we need to agree on a start/finish point; I'm thinking the cattleguard on Buttermilk Rd. near the bouldering area. Sound good? If anyone has a better suggestion, post it. I think this is a fairly short distance roundtrip if we use this as a starting point but will be almost entirely a cross country scramble.
Have fun!

Results of the March Challenge: Kissing The Druid Stone

2010-04-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Now that he has a Sage To Summit hat as the fastest stone smoocher on the Druid trail how will Chris Gaggia stay motivated for the rest of this year's challenges? Well, at the store the other day he said something to the effect of: "That's easy. Now I just want to beat Colin every month." If that ain't smack talk I don't know what is. Colin, you gonna take that?
Here are the times posted:

Chris Gaggia 30:44 RT / 19:57 ascent
Colin Broadwater 32:04 / 21:31
Joel Saenz 40:20 / 24:25
35:01 / 22:34 huge improvement!
Molly Broadwater 36:20 / 23:30
Ron Saenz 42:22 / 28:48
Tom Schaniel 43:25 / 28:22
Jeff Kozak 28:55 / 18:09

Results of Winter Race Series 15K, March 20, 2010

2010-04-03T16:28:00.000-07:00

To paraphrase Greg Brown, "a spring wind blew my list of race results away." Well, not really but I need some excuse for taking so long to post these results and, to be sure, if it ain't windy where you are then you most definitely aren't in the eastern Sierra. Currently, the wind is hammering straight out of the west strong enough to blow the store door wide open and send the clothing racks scurrying for shelter. Speaking of clothing, you should stop by the store soon and check out all the new spring stuff we've gotten in over the past month. There might be a winter storm watch posted but the calendar says spring and soon enough shorts and t-shirts will be the only gear required for an outdoor workout. But first...the results of last month's 15K. Speaking of hammering, forget about beating The Yarborough Man, when will someone actually be close enough to make him work hard?

Dan Yarborough 54:37
Jeff Kozak 1:00:26
Brannon Forrester 1:03.50
Keith Glidewell 1:07:56
Brandon Fitt 1:09:18
Chris Gaggia 1:10:22
Andy Selters 1:11:46
Steve Ingram 1:11:55
Colin Broadwater 1:12:01
Ceal Klingler 1:12:31
Angel Avila 1:13:37
Mike Morrison 1:14:18
Dan Meyers 1:15:36
James McGovern 1:15:50
Molly Broadwater 1:16:16
Arnie Kiddoo 1:16:27
Tom Meyers 1:17:29
Zach Moe 1:18:17
Joel Saenz 1:19:05
Tom Schaniel 1:23:43
Shawn Hayes 1:23:43
Stewart Vogstad 1:24:06
Ron Saenz 1:27:01
Shauna Murray 1:27:07
Angela Tomczik 1:27:59
Sarah Malloy 1:30:57
Kelly Goodick 1:35:36
Sally Gaines 1:37:04
Rosanne Higley 1:37:04

Last race of the series coming up in 2 weeks on April 17th. I'm guessing it's your only chance to run a well-marked half marathon course with aid stations and finish line food and drink for only ten bucks! So come on out.

Piute Pass - North Fork Bishop Creek

2010-03-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Piute Pass Run - March 21, 2010
Just wanted to let the running community know that after the past few days with temperatures peaking in the 70's in the valley, the snow in the high country has hardened enough to run on. Highway 168 is plowed of snow all the way to Sabrina Reservoir with the gate locked just above Aspendell. Leave early and take running crampons. The photo posted is taken from Upper Piute Basin looking towards the pass early Sunday morning.
phill

Running Shoe Terminology and Tips On Finding The Right Shoe For Your Foot

2010-03-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

With all of the shoe models available on the market today, it may seem a mission:impossible to find the right shoe for your needs so here are a few things to keep in mind the next time you find yourself confronted with an overwhelming shoe wall(hopefully ours!).

The outsole is the bottom of the shoe and and is made of various types and densities of rubber providing a range of durability and traction. If you find yourself consistently wearing through the outsole before the shoe's compressive(shock-absorbing) qualities are done look for a shoe with a higher density rubber in the outsole. Softer rubber provides greater traction(think climbing shoes as an extreme example of this) but is less durable whereas more dense(firmer) rubber is much more durable but stiffer.

The midsole is where the cushioning and stability properties of a shoe originate. Generally speaking, more cushioning equals less stability and vice-versa but there are shoes (the Asics GT-2150) for example that are constructed with a compromise between the two in mind. Midsoles are constructed using various densities of foam (polyurethane and EVA are examples), spongier for more cushioning and firmer for greater stability. Additionally, running shoe companies often have their own patented cushioning materials to complement the foam in high impact area such as the heel and forefoot. For example, Asics uses gel pods.

Running shoes are constructed using 3 different shapes(straight, curved, or semi-curved) and 3 different methods of attaching the top of the shoe(upper) to the bottom(slip, board, or combination). The shape and attachment method are collectively referred to as "lasts." You can determine the shape of the shoe by looking at its bottom. A straight last is symmetrical from heel to toe, a curved last curves inward toward the toes and a semi-curved last curves inward as well but in a less pronounced fashion. If you pronate excessively (this refers to the foot's arch collapsing and rolling inward) look for a shoe with a straight or semi-curved last. If you are looking for maximum cushioning a curved last is often the best.
Slip lasting shoe construction is where the upper is pulled over the last(shoe bottom/platform) and glued or stitched directly to the midsole. Board lasting refers to the upper being attached to the bottom of a flexible board that is then attached to the midsole. Combination lasting uses both techniques: slip lasting in the forefoot and board lasting in the rearfoot/heel. You can tell how a shoe is constructed by removing the inner liner/footbed: stiching down the middle represents slip lasting and stitching along the edges or no stitching at all represents board lasting. Generally speaking, neutral(biomechanically efficient) runners should seek a combination or slip lasted shoe, over-pronators should seek a board lasted shoe(board lasting makes the shoe stiffer and thus more stable) and supinators(foot rolls outward between footstrike and toe-off) should seek a slip-lasted shoe because any medial posting/support on the inside of the shoe or other stability features such as board lasts will tend to cause the foot to supinate even more.

The heel counter is the upper heel part of the shoe. A stiff heel counter will provide greater stability to the ankle and rearfoot and thus is ideal for over-pronators. A heel counter would be considered stiff if you can squeeze the material without the sides easily collapsing in and touching each other.

Finally, the upper(top of the shoe) is usually made with stretchy nylon or nylon mesh reinforced with stiffer overlays. A more open mesh will be highly breathable but may allow the finer grit/dirt to get in. A more closed mesh will do a better job of keeping grit out but will not be as breathable. An important thing to consider is where the overlays are located on the upper, especially if you have bunions, hammer toes or any spot prone to irritation. Choose a shoe where the overlays are not directly over the sensitive area(if you have one) to minimize irritation.

For those of you that do a mix of paved road and off-road running an important decision to make is whether to go with a road or trail shoe(ideally, you'll own a pair of each!). The main differences are the following(this is highly generalized as there are a variety of hybrid shoes on the market now that offer a decent compromise between road and trail use):
Road shoes are more cushioned as pavement tends to be way less forgiving than dirt in terms of impact forces translated through the body. Trail shoes tend to be a bit stiffer as this provides greater stability on uneven surfaces. The outsole on trail shoes is more agressively lugged for traction. The upper on a trail shoe is usually more reinforced for abrasion resistance and many trail shoes have a reinforced toe bumper guard to protect the feet from rocks, etc. And of least importance(at least it should be!), from a cosmetic standpoint trail shoes usually have darker-colored uppers.
If most of your off-road running is done on mellow dirt roads(both in terms of steepness and roughness of surface) a road shoe is probably the better choice. You will sacrifice some traction but will gain a smoother ride. If you're on steep and/or technical terrain a trail shoe's greater traction and stiffness will give you confidence in your ability to stay upright.
For comparison purposes, both Asics (GT-2150 & GT-2150 Trail) and Brooks (Adrenaline GTS 10 & Adrenaline ASR 6) make road and trail versions of the same shoe in which you can readily see and feel the differences between the 2 types.
So do you feel empowered to choose the right shoe for you? Hopefully this has helped. One key thing to remember is that these are merely guidelines, as we are all an "experiment of one." Everyone is different and just because the "science" of shoe-fitting says you need to wear Shoe X doesn't necessarily mean it will be the right shoe for you. However, educating yourself on what is available is a step in the right direction; and finding a shoe store staffed with people knowledgeable about the subject and willing to take the time to find the best shoe for your needs is yet another step...that's where we come in!
Happy Running(and Walking):)

March Challenge: Kiss The Druid Stone

2010-03-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

I'm expecting this one to be as popular and exciting as the Tungsten Peak challenge in January. The start/finish is where the dirtroad turns to singletrack and becomes the Druid Trail(I believe it is signed with a brown stake.). This is just past where the dirt parking area is at the base of the ridge. The turnaround point is the main Druid Stone in the bouldering area (to the left of the trail). It should be fairly obvious as it is visible from the trail and is the tallest boulder in the group.
Borrowing a tradition from the Hardrock 100 Mile in the San Juan Mountains of SW Colorado (where you must kiss an engraved rock at the finish line before your time is officially recorded), you must kiss the Druid stone before turning around and heading back down.
To get to the Druid Trail, head south on Barlow and veer right at the road split and head up toward Chipmunk Canyon. The dirt road that accesses the trail is a left turn off the pavement and it is the last dirt road(I think) turn to the left before you get up to the houses in Chipmunk Canyon. So you can either park on the shoulder of the paved road(recommended both for your vehicle and your warmup!) or drive right up to where the trail starts.
Thanks to Molly(via Karen) for the idea for this month's challenge...to do the Druid Trail anyway. The rock kissing part was my idea because, well, that's just how I roll.
Now get out there and get your hill climb on.

Results of February Challenge: White Mtns foothills radio towers

2010-03-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

Not much activity on the radio towers challenge last month (the skiing and Crossfit workouts must have been particularly good!)...that is until the final 36 hours of February during which time 5 of us snuck out to enjoy the late-winter snow-free appeal of the White Moutain foothills.
Here are the times posted:

Jeff K 36:42 21:17 up/15:25 down
Colin B 44:49
Tom Schaniel 51:35 30:26 up/21:09 down
Molly B/Karen S. tagteam 52:01 30:19 up/21:42 down

Starting with the March challenge we thought we'd rethink how the Sage To Summit hat prize is awarded. If you've already won a hat during a challenge for the current year, then we will award the hat to the next fastest person who hasn't already won a hat. This way, as the year progresses the "competition" for the hat will move its way down through the "pack" so more and more people have a chance of scoring a hat.
Alright on to the next hill climb!

Group Runs

2010-02-22T16:58:00.000-08:00

Hey all. Floyd Redmon mentioned to me that it would be fun to try and get some group runs together on a random basis(most likely monthly but more or less frequently depending on interest and commitments). In recent winters a varying group of us made it a fairly regular thing to meet in the morning out at the Fish Slough to run an almost always snow-free half-marathon loop. We called it the "Sunday Slough" and it was a great way to hang out, catch up and get in a sweet run all at the same time.
So in that spirit this coming Sunday, February 28th we will resurrect the "Sunday Slough" as the first of Floyd-inspired group runs. This is not an organized event like the Winter Race Series at Millpond, simply a publicly-announced training run that anyone can join. If you don't feel like doing the entire 13 mile loop you can do an out and back run of whatever distance you choose. Run will start at 8am so show up a bit before.
To get to the run start take Hwy 6 north out of Bishop and turn left on Five Bridges Road. Just past the Granite Construction Co. turn right on Fish Slough Rd. Look for a dirt parking area within a mile of the turn on the right side.

Results of the Winter Race Series 10K #2

2010-02-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

Great running conditions greeted the 30 folks who showed up at Millpond yesterday morning for the 2nd 10K. I haven't bothered to cross-check the results but I'm fairly certain that everybody improved their time from last month's 10K! So if you ran in both 1oKs, next time you stop by the store don't forget to ask for your time improvement prize: Elemental Herbs tangerine-flavored lip balm and keep 'em sun protected and chap-free. A special mention goes to Annie Kellner who ran her first ever organized race. I think she said it was the longest she had ever run as well.

Here are the results:

Dan "Unbeatable" Yarborough M/46 37:15
Andrew Kastor M/32 38:35
Jeff Kozak M/35 39:51
Toby Qualls M/14!! 41:39
Andy Selters M/? 46:20
Chris Gaggia M/40 46:21
Tom Meyers M/? 46:38
Dan Meyers M/52 47:00
Brandon Fitt M/34 47:15
Brian Harry M/31 47:46
Ceal Klingler F/40 48:20
Victor Lawson M/27 49:37
Howie Schwartz M/? 50:34
Arnie Kiddoo M/61 50:59
James McGovern M/28 51:00
Margo Lella F/37 51:23
Zach Moe M/26 53:37
Tom Higley M/58 54:02
Sally Gaines F/57 55:49
Tom Schaniel M/40 56:39
Ron Saenz M/? 56:58
Shauna Murray F/32 57:11
Sarah Malloy F/30 57:37
Melissa Holste F/18 58:28
Joel Saenz M/28 58:47
Angela Tomczik F/17 1:01:55
Rosanne Higley F/59 1:02:12
Kelly Goodick F/41 1:05:35
Annie Kellner F/28 1:08:47
Joe Lane M/31 1:08:47

Pictures from the past 3 winter series events to be posted in the next few days.

Winter Race Series 10K #1 Results

2010-02-21T17:23:00.000-08:00

I was just checking out our FB page and realized I never posted the results of the January 10K so here they are...
RESULTS OF THE SNOW AND ICE 10K ON JANUARY 23:

Name Gender/Age Time

Dan Yarborough M/46 41:28
Colin Broadwater M/34 52:41
Chris Gaggia M/40 52:45
David Grah M/? 52:50
Andy Selters M/? 53:21
Ceal Klingler F/40 53:37
Victor Lawson M/26 53:41
Tom Hallenbeck M/51 54:41
Tom Meyers M/? 56:22
Dan Meyers M/52 57:08
James McGovern M/27 57:19
Joe Lane M/30 58:19
Molly Broadwater F/34 58:57
Joel Saenz M/28 59:21
Tom Schaniel M/40 1:01:18
Floyd Redmon M/64 1:02:06
Sarah Malloy F/30 1:07:00
Angela Tomczik F/17 1:07:18
Melissa Holste F/17 1:07:24
Sally Gaines F/57 1:08:24
Kelly Goodick F/41 1:12:24
Meghan Avila F/27 1:17:06
Angel Avila M/27 1:17:06
Marie Boyd F/61 1:34:24

February Challenge: The Radio Towers Tweaker

2010-02-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

Coming up with a relatively snow-free choice for February was proving difficult and I had just about decided to extend the Tungsten Peak fun for another month when Karen suggested the radio towers in the foothills of the White Mountains. A great idea as it is completely free of snow at the moment and any snow that does fall down that low in the Whites never seems to stick around very long.

These radio towers have a certain infamy amongst some who have worked at the White Mountain Research Station over the years as it became a challenge (at least during the Phil Kiddoo years) to see who could run from the station to the towers and back the fastest on lunch breaks. Time to resurrect a new version of the fun!

To get to the start/finish area take East Line Street east past the research station (it turns into Eastside Rd. after making the curve to the right and heading south along the base of the foothills). Look for Redding Canyon dirt road (it is signed) taking off to the left (east). The start/finish area will be the Redding Canyon Rd. sign. Following the roads I have highlighted on the map it is 2.25 miles to the radio towers for a 4.5 mile RT. Not sure on elevation gain but I will have that info soon. It is a maze of dirt roads out there so the route I chose to map out is only a suggestion. I think it is the fastest way because it is the best surface and most runnable gradient, but to each his/her own and I'm sure other options will be discovered intentionally or otherwise! The key is knowing which road to veer left off of Redding Canyon Rd. onto and it has been so long since I've "run the towers" that I can't remember myself. If you're still on Redding Canyon Rd. and you find yourself surrounded by pinyon and juniper, well, you are way past any left turns that will do you any good and well on your way to an entirely different sage to summit adventure. Good luck!

Results of the January Tungsten Peak Challenge

2010-02-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

Tungsten Peak was by far the most popular monthly challenge to date-it must have been the allure of the elusive lower elevation single-track, difficult to find but often runnable throughout the winter months when the high altitude gems are buried in white. Or it could have been the awesome views afforded by the summit of the highest point in the Tungsten Hills with a sweet 360 degree panorama. Either way a fun, albeit breathless, time was had by all. A few folks even decided to double-dip, getting after it twice.
Results:

Jeff Kozak 29:38 18:40 ascent
28:01 17:36 ascent
Dan Meyers 30:10 20:40 ascent 9:30 descent!!!
Howie Schwartz 31:28 20:44 ascent
Donald Clarkson 33:46
Vic Lawson 34:25 20:11 ascent
35:49 19:32 ascent
Colin Broadwater 35:56 22:+ ascent
Chris Gaggia 35:57
Molly Broadwater 43:11
Tom Schaniel 44:00 26:40 ascent
Sarah Malloy 49:34 31:30 ascent

On to the next training mission!

January 2010 Peak Baggers Challenge: Tungsten Peak, 5951'

2010-01-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

Alright, here we go...the first Peak Baggers Challenge(from now on to be referred to as the PBC) for 2010. The one and only Tungsten Peak towering above Millpond Park. Start and finish is the dirt parking area where the single-track takes off on the east side of the Tunsten Hills. It's about a mile to the summit with approximately 1300-1400' of climb! I'll have the exact distance and elevation gain posted soon, along with a map showing the location of the trail/parking area.
To get to it turn left on the first dirt road north of the paved road heading into Millpond. Follow this dirt road towards the Tungsten Hills until it T's with the main dirt road running along the base of the Tungstens and turn left again. Then take the first right turn onto a secondary dirt road which dead ends in the parking area. Of course it would be most wise to run from Millpond as a warmup!!! Your lower back and hamstrings will thank you.
I think for this one we should have both ascent and round-trip time categories so hit the split button on your watch and post 'em both! Maybe we'll keep that going throughout the year as I like Jed's idea of a King(and Queen) of the Mountains sub-competition like they have in the Tour de France.
Happy Anaerobic New Year!

Results of December Peak Baggers Challenge: Red "Mountain"

2010-01-02T14:26:00.000-08:00

The mid-December valley snowstorm and the minimal daylight as we approached and then passed(yes!!! the days are getting longer again) the winter solstice did nothing to deter a record number of folks from stepping up and taking the challenge. Sounds like the snow made the conditions "interesting" out there. A quick look at the results shows that, well, maybe there IS something to this Crossfit thing as Colin Broadwater (the guy behind the local Crossfit craze) posted the fastest time and just about everybody who tried to blow out a lung redlining it on Red Mountain has been known to spend some quality workout time in Colin's Crossfit gym-converted garage. Check out the results below.
Happy New Year!

Name Time

Colin Broadwater 45:08
Howie Schwartz 45:50
Vic Lawson 52:01
Molly Broadwater 55:32
Chris Gaggia/Zak Mo 58:08
Doug Tomczik/Debbie Tomczik 1:58

Results of Winter Race Series 5K #2

2009-12-13T15:15:00.000-08:00

As I headed out my front door at first light on foot from town to Millpond with a pack full of course markings under cloudy skies and cold temps with a light snow falling yesterday morning I had a feeling the turnout for the 5K would be minimal as folks opted for the snooze button and a deeper snuggle beneath warm covers...thankfully I was way wrong and we ended up having almost as many people show up for the 3.1 mile romp as we did last month when shorts and t-shirts still outnumbered down jackets and fleece pants.
Once again Dan Yarborough and Ceal Klingler led the pack for the men and women and several folks bested their times from last month earning themselves a free pair of socks and a water bottle from Asics. Despite the near-freezing temps and the deep chill of sweat cooling on the skin from the effort of the run most everyone hung around to enjoy the post-run refreshments which this time included hot and fresh Black Sheep coffee thanks to Peter Shultz.
The weather may not have been as idyllic as it was for the previous races but I would say we got really lucky sneaking that one in as the wet, heavy snow really started flying not long after Adam and I had removed the final pink flagging from the course.
See you all next month on the 23rd for the first of 2 10k's (course map to be posted soon). Happy snow running!

	Gender/Age	Time	Place	Points
Dan Yarborough	M/46	17:40	1	35
Phil Kiddoo	M/34	19:23	2	34
Adam Behrendt	M/23	20:47	3	33
Paul Elia	M/39	21:10	4	32
Chris Gaggia	M/40	21:20	5	31
Brian Harry	M/?	21:41	6	30
Colin Broadwater	M/34	21:47	7	29
Tony Phillips	M/45	21:51	8	28
Howie Schwartz	M/36	21:56	9	27
Andy Selters	M/52	22:04	10	26
Ceal Klingler	F/40	22:24	11	25
Vic Lawson	M/26	22:35	12	24
Tom Meyers	M/54	22:47	13	23
Tony Sears	M/10	23:34	14	22
Margo Lella	F/37	23:41	15	21
Molly Broadwater	F/33	24:07:00	16	20
Joe Lane	M/30	24:45:00	17	19
Joel Saenz	M/?	24:52:00	18	18
Floyd Redmon	M/64	25:30:00	19	17
Sarah Malloy	F/30	25:34:00	20	16
Shauna Murray	F/32	25:36:00	21	15
Trevor Beck	M/16	25:58:00	22	14
Angela Tomczik	F/17	26:11:00	23	13
Tom Schaniel	M/39	26:39:00	24	12
Sally Gaines	F/57	26:40:00	25	11
Ron Saenz	M/50	27:38:00	26	10
Melissa Holste	F/17	27:46:00	27	9
Nancy Fong	F/45	28:13:00	28	8
Vireo Gaines	F/26	28:59:00	29	7
Ray Ramirez	M/?	32:52:00	30	6
Dave Herbst	M/55	34:34:00	31	5
Pat Ramirez	F/?	35:32:00	32	4
Kim Frey	F/50	42:33:00	33	3
Anna Herbst	F/13	43:51:00	34	2
Amelia Phillips	F/13	44:23:00	35	1

December "Peak" Bagger's Challenge: Red Mountain, appx. 5200'

2009-12-11T13:34:00.000-08:00

Apologies for getting this posted late but here you go: the December peak is Red Mountain, a cinder cone down south of Big Pine. The term "peak" is used very loosely here, about as loose as the volcanic rock rubble you will be scrambling through should you choose to accept the mission.
The start/finish area is Tinemaha Campground. To get there head south on 395 past Big Pine and Crater Mountain and turn right on Fish Springs Rd. Go approximately 2 miles and veer right (onto what may or may not be signed as Birch Creek Rd.). Continue another 2+ miles to Tinemaha Campground. The roads are paved until just before you get to the campground.
The route you choose is entirely up to you as there are no real trails or roads up to the top. There are however "lines" that are much better than others :). Once on top you must do a lap around the crater rim back to where you "summited" before heading back down to the campground.
If you have any questions on the directions for getting there, etc. stop in the store and Karen can give you a bit more beta on one of her "backyard" favorites.
Good Luck and Happy Holidays!

To The Vicles Go The Spoils...

2009-12-11T12:26:00.000-08:00

And the winner of the November peak bagger's challenge is...Mr. Vic Lawson, who after participating this past weekend in the High Desert 30K in Ridgecrest, is well on his way to hanging up his climbing shoes and spending all of his money at the running store. Just kidding Vic! It should be noted that the competition was deep as Vic was battling it out with all of his multiple personalities up there on the shoulder of Mt. Morgan. But, in the end, the Vic we all know and love (the one that resides at the Zoo) prevailed in a round-trip time of 4:29. He has since been seen on the local scene wearing his prize proudly: a Sage To Summit cap. Nice work Vic for at least getting out there and going for it when no one else would!

Photos From Winter Race Series 5K #1 on Saturday, November 21

2009-11-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

Future Eastside Runners??

Sarah, Brooke & Ceal warming up

Andy Selters gives a chi running primer

Karen getting ready to race

Dan & Adam in serious discussion as Phil looks on

lining up for the start

pre-race instructions

on your marks, get set....

Go!!!

the sweet Eastside racing backdrop

when, oh when, will someone take down the speedy Dan Yarborough?

Dan & Phil exchanging greetings/smack talk

Phil Kiddoo showing the ultrarunner's 5k form

Adam Behrendt bringing it home for 3rd

Paul Elia

Colin Broadwater, Mr. Crossfit

Howie Schwartz representin' for Sierra Mountain Guides

Ceal Klingler taking the women's W

Andy Selters with the fine chi running form

Karen representin' for Sage To Summit

the youngest 5K'er, Antony Sears, age 9!!!

Arnie Kiddoo, spending his retirement time wisely

Brooke Haverstock

the finish line results board...and what exactly is Vic doing there?

Results of Winter Race Series 5K #1

2009-11-21T17:47:00.000-08:00

What a great day for racing, eh? (No, I'm not from Canada but I do like saying "eh.") After a very windy Friday evening, Saturday morning dawned completely calm with clear blue skies and rapidly warming temps. About 40 people showed up for the first race, taking advantage of late-November shorts & t-shirt (for some anyway!) racing weather. There was a lot of talk around the post-run bagels and fruit feed zone about using the series as a way to stay motivated to keep the running fitness up over the winter months; which is great to hear because that is exactly what we had in mind when we put it together.
Thanks to everyone who came out to spend their Saturday morning with us on this beaut of a fall day. Hope to see you all again along with some new faces at next month's 5K on December 12th; same place, same time, same course. Come on out and see if you can improve upon your time.
Check out the results below:

Winter Race Series Results			5K #1
	Gender/Age	Time	Place	Points
Dan Yarborough	M/46	17:50	1	39
Phil Kiddoo	M/34	18:41	2	38
Adam Behrendt	M/23	19:43	3	37
Paul Elia	M/39	21:04	4	36
Brian Harry	M/31	21:14	5	35
Jed Porter	M/30	21:25	6	34
Colin Broadwater	M/34	21:34	7	33
Howie Schwartz	M/36	21:54	8	32
Tony Phillips	M/45	22:08	9	31
Chris Gaggia	M/40	22:10	10	30
Ceal Klingler	F/40	22:21	11	29
Andy Selters	M/52	22:26	12	28
Karen Schwartz	F/36	22:45	13	27
Antony Sears	M/9	22:57	14	26
Vic Lawson	M/26	23:08	15	25
Tom Meyers	M/54	23:41	16	24
Mike Morrison	M/56	24:01:00	17	23
Greg Warnick	M/62	24:21:00	18	22
Arnie Kiddoo	M/61	24:46:00	19	21
Joel Saenz	M/?	25:12:00	20	20
Sarah Starosta	F/32	25:15:00	21	19
Molly Broadwater	F/33	25:20:00	22	18
Sarah Malloy	F/30	25:58:00	23	17
Tom Schaniel	M/39	26:15:00	24	16
Brooke Haverstock	F/37	26:19:00	25	15
Sally Gaines	F/57	26:30:00	26	14
Shauna Murray	F/32	26:43:00	27	13
Angela Tomcsik	F/17	27:06:00	28	12
Dustin del Giudice	M/35	27:18:00	29	11
Annie Trujillo	F/25	27:29:00	30	10
Ron Saenz	M/50	27:33:00	31	9
Nancy Fong	F/45	28:13:00	32	8
Brenda Kiddoo	M/31	28:33:00	33	7
Amelia Yarborough	F/13	28:35:00	34	6
Kelly Goodick	F/41	29:50:00	35	5
Vireo Gaines	F/26	31:24:00	36	4
Kim Frey	F/50	43:14:00	37	3
Cori Stearns	F/46	48:25:00	38	2
Kate Schober	F/37	48:25:00	39	1

Andy Selters

M/52