Example of Great Basin Highlands as a brochure calls it.
09/11/2011: Ran another section of the Bear 100 from Franklin Trailhead up the Steam Mill Trail (139) and then the cutoff to Steam Mill Pass and Hell's Kitchen Pass. Then turned around and came back. The trail is dusty with loose dirt until the trail switches over to the North side of the ridge in Steam Mill Canyon. Then the trail improves and stays pretty nice through the 120 degree cutoff up the 200' to Steam Mill Pass and down and up to Hell's Kitchen Pass. Steam Mill Canyon is pretty nice once you hit the more alpine meadows near 8,000'. Too bad I will be running it in the dark.
Ran into Bruce Copeland on the way back down. He is the "Trail Boss" as he introduced himself. He marks the course. I recognized the name from the link on the website to get to his Blog. He said that some of the trickier places have been marked already for folks like myself who are "previewing" the race course. He said the bulk of the marking will be done the two or so days before he race. I guess there is a problem with hunters not liking the race as it disrupts the game movements. I would hate to disrupt the movements of game so that the hunters couldn't blast the hell out of them.
As I write this I am camped up Franklin Basin near the future location of the Logan River/Steep Hollow Aid Station. Someone is discharging firearms nearby. I guess I am not in the land of the fitness buff anymore! 2:52, 11.0 miles, 2,100' vert.
09/13/2011: Checked out the countryside surrounding Beaver Mountain today. Ran up to Peterson Pass and checked out the other side, then ran down to the Yurt and followed the race course to the Winter Trailhead.
Got off the race course on the way up. I found the new flagging on the race course but misinterpreted them as I was coming from the opposite direction as the running. Also there was a flock of nearly 100 sheep blocking the view down the proper trail. I took off up a game trail and was soon discouraged looking across the creek at the side of the valley I was supposed to be on. Finally, I bushwhacked my way over and hiked several hundred feet up the hill to where I found the trail. All-told I probably lost 15-20 minutes looking for the trail.
The rest of the run was great. Great views, pretty good quality trail. Stood at the top of the pass and debated on dropping down to the Peterson Trail. Decided against it when I realized that I needed to start limiting myself or I would run 20 miles every day checking out the race course. At this point I need to check out the sections that I presume will give me the most trouble navigation-wise.
On the way back down as I got closer to the Beaver Mountain access road and the Yurt I ran into the flock of sheep again (they hadn't moved) but from the other side. The side that the three sheep dogs were on. They barked at me and I didn't know what to do so I went around by way of the access road. Recconning the route was surprisingly straight forward through the Beaver Mountain Ski Area. Only some slight confusion trying to skirt the tree cutting operation going on below the parking area. 1:59, 6.9 miles, 1,400' vert.
That ain't snow. Hail naw!
Looking at the trail in the near distance and
the majority of the course behind that.
09/15/2011: Reconned a section that will come late inthe Bear. Bugler's Holiday to High Top Grunt as it says on the mileage chart. I was almost going to start from a place I thought was the Ranger Dip Aid Station but decided to drive to Bugler's Holiday instead to maximize the amount I was reconning. Good thing because I was a mile or so off on where Ranger Dip was going to be. I realized my mistake when I drove by a more obvious trail shooting off to the right (toward Gates of Paradise). I had to four-wheel it from he sign pointing to Fish Haven Canyon to the start (next time go around the loop in the other direction) of the run. It was gnarly but short. I was proud of my truck.
This will be the first glimpse of Bear Lake on the run.
From the start of the run it was pleasant. I was running on a beautiful broad alpine ridge. The ridge rolled to top of High Top and got a couple views of Bear Lake when the trees on the edges of the alpine meadows afforded views to the East. Then descended to the junction with FS 494 called High Top Grunt. I would imagine it is called that because it is the beginning of the uphill "grunt." the return was nice. None of the uphills are all that bad. Each is runable. I will be conflicted during the race as to whether I will want to run or powerwalk the uphills. 1:41, 6.6 miles, 1,050' vert.
09/17/2011: After 24 hours of rain/cloudy weather I took a run from where Cowley Aid Station is going to be located to the summit of Ricks Pass, then down he short ways to where the trail descends the rest of Ricks Hollow. The trail descending down is obscure and I ran to another trail on the map and descended down to the trail and as ended the hundred or so feet back up to the road to be sure that I had it right. I love reconning 100 mile trail races though this race course has a lot of ATV Trails that are very actively used. I feel frustrated often as ATVs come power-sliding around corners to see me right there. 1:15, 5.0+ miles, 1,000' vert.
09/17/2011: After 24 hours of rain/cloudy weather I took a run from where Cowley Aid Station is going to be located to the summit of Ricks Pass, then down he short ways to where the trail descends the rest of Ricks Hollow. The trail descending down is obscure and I ran to another trail on the map and descended down to the trail and as ended the hundred or so feet back up to the road to be sure that I had it right. I love reconning 100 mile trail races though this race course has a lot of ATV Trails that are very actively used. I feel frustrated often as ATVs come power-sliding around corners to see me right there. 1:15, 5.0+ miles, 1,000' vert.
Weekly Summary: 28.5 miles, 5,550' vert.
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