California 100 Hat Trick

Any Soccer fans out there? For those that aren't, a Hat Trick is 3 goals in 1 game by the same player (difficult but feasable). The California 100 is a list of "best" 100 peaks in the golden state based on various criteria, but biased towards elevation (must be > 13,100'). To find this list google "california 100 peaks" or contact me and i'll send it over your way. Thanks to Paul Richins, Jr. for posting this list which i stumbled upon back in 1999.
This particular run was inspired by Pinenut Kiner who last year during a Black Giant/McDuffie run a bag said, "hey look at Goddard! That one is going down next time in a day."
This post describes my California 100 Hat Trick that started June 25, 2007 at 0515 at the Sabrina Reservoir trail head. It's a dry June (no snow at all) so the run to the "pass" just south of Mt. Wallace via the Hungary Packer Lake trail was straight forward. Traversing above the North side of Echo Lake was a great way to enjoy breakfast on the move. Once at the pass my route traversed over to Mt. Fiske 13,503' (peak #1). This section was filled with loose rock and annoying this way, no this way, no this way route finding. After Fiske, the traverse to Mt. Warlow 13,206' (peak #2) was much more enjoyable. The stable finer granite type of earth. i considered this the decision point to go for Mt. Goddard this day or save it for leftovers. The image pictured above is what i saw when making the decision so it really wasn't much of a decision. i mean, look at that peak baggers delight. Besides, Goddard would be pissed being saved for leftovers. Running across the Upper Evolution Basin cross country was heavenly (maybe i should say evolutionarily). Then the climb up Goddard was invigorating with dark rock, yellow flowers and small snow runoff water falls breaking the silence of the hominid-less environment. This is one summit to sit for awhile and enjoy. So many Sierra Peaks are surrounded by equally high peaks but Goddard really stands out and you feel up there alone. After 7 hours and 31 minutes it was time to turn the run around and head back to Sabrina. Maneuvering around the north side of Mt. Huxley i finally reached the crest of the Middle Fork Bishop Creek where i came over much earlier in the day (yes, i was tired). After the long loose crumbly descent back to trail i was thrilled to be back on a more desirable running surface. Running thru the Sabrina Basin as the sun started to go down was majical. Again this was no headlamp required run with a total time lapse of 13 hours and 52 minutes. A few days later i'm still having difficulty processing everything. Now that's a RUN! ~pk

FIVE PASSES

Here's a little Pacific Crest Trail/ John Muir Trail trivia for you. What is the highest pass along the trail? For most of you this is easy, it's Forrester Pass at 13,180'. Here's one that's a bit tougher. What was the highest pass along the PCT/JMT before the US Park Service carved Forrester Pass into the Sierra Nevada? Answer........ Junction Pass. So how about a run that encompasses both (new and old) high passes of the Pacific Crest plus a few more passes for good measure! This loop run inspired by Jeff Kozak and Dan Meyers has earned the name Five Passes and is everything a mountain runner desires. The run described in this post was ran June 18, 2007. The traditional trail head start in Onion Valley out of Independence California. Because i found myself working at a high mountain lake non-native trout removal project this particular run started at Matlock Lake in Independence Creek (add approx. 45 min to run times to account for a traditional trail head start and finish).

FIVE PASSES is all in the name!

Pass #1 = Kearsarge, Pass#2 = Junction, Pass# = Shepherd, Pass#4 (pictured here)= Forrester, Pass#5 = Kearsarge. Total elevation gain = ~10,000', elevation descent =~10,000. Total mileage is what it is? You figure it out and don't forget to calculate in elevation because that's about 4 vertical miles. Total run time 9hours 41min. Out of a 5 star rating this is a 4 3/4 star. The 1/4 star deduction is due to the high volume of traffic (44 hikers)! Run highlights include spectacular views of big peaks (North Guard, South Guard, Brewer, Center Basin Crag, East Vidette, Junction, Williamson, Tyndall, Diamond Mesa and the list goes on....), abundant run by water fill-ups, immaculate trail conditions on the PCT, engaging boulder running between Junction Pass and the Shepherd Pass trail and lots of above timberline running (~60-70%). This is definitely a do again run. If you run this, you won't be disappointed! ~pk

Bear Creek Spire²

There's nothing like a 15 hour run in the Sierra Nevada! Why? Because what you get to experience that 1 day positively impacts you for life. There is only one way to have this experience in 1 day and that is by running. You can's drive it! You can't ride a horse (they don't do 4th class) and i'm betting you can't even ski it (please prove me wrong, i'd love to hear about that adventure).

This particular run i'm calling the Bear Creek Spire² loop. The Bear Creek Spire gets a mathematical exponential function because of reasons i'll describe below in the run route description.

Ran On: June 11, 2007

Run Route Description:

Start- Jeff Kozak's cabin at Rock Creek Lake (subtract 40min run time if starting at Mosquito Flats).

Run through Little Lakes Valley past Treasure Lakes up through Cox Col to the Summit Bear Creek Spire returning to Cox Col to pick up your pack you left 35 minutes ago. Run over Gabbot Pass and glissade to Upper Mills Lake (see photo above)! Run out 2nd Recess trail to Mono Creek trail. Head down Mono Creek trail to the John Muir / Pacific Crest Trail. Head south on the PCT saying hello to through hikers this time of year (you know you're doing a good run when through hikers are impressed). Cross over Bear Ridge then down to Bear Creek departing from the PCT at the Lake Italy trail (Hilgard Creek). Follow this trail to until it ends at Lake Italy. Kick it into gear up the step climb to Cox Col. To square² the Bear Creek Spire leave your pack again, (this time take your camera because the lighting this time of day on the backside of Mt. Tom and Mt. Morgan is sexy and summit Bear Creek Spire again!!! Once back at the col, take the direct decent route and be sure to smile because your legs will feel like jello (and they should)! If you hurry across the boulders back to the trail above Long Lake you can complete this run with no headlamp required.

This run is very satisfying and highly recommend! ~pk

Baggers Can't Be Choosers

There are many lables to describe various types of runners. You can be "classified" as road runner, trail runner, marathoner, distance runner, sprinter...... and the list goes on. What about a Runner Bagger? What is it? Who are they? And why the heck can't they be choosers?

What: running mountains and peaks for fun, exercise, because they're there and even sometimes because of nothing better to do.

Who: anyone who runs mountains and peaks.

Why Baggers Can't Be Choosers: well technically, they could. But, it is not about technicalities. All summits are fair game because each one has its own special unique characteristics (even those piles of rubble). No rules, only awesome views from the summit destination. You'll know you're a bagger when climber/mountaineers comment "you did that, in those shoes" and you just smile. Typically runner baggers log time in hours and minutes instead of days and weeks.

The photo above is University Peak in Independence Creek that fell victim to a runner bagger on June 10, 2007 in 70 minutes and 41 seconds from camp at Matlock Lake. The baggerlings pictured in the foreground are Reymond and Dezert Sky Kiddoo.

The view from the summit was spectacular. Picture here are lakes of the Independence Creek Drainage. Bench, Matlock, and Slim lakes are part of a Native Species Restoration Area which has been known to attract runner baggers of sort.

~pk

Mountain Monday

Have you always wanted to experience wilderness in the Sierra Nevada without the weekend traffic? Try Mountain Monday! As many Eastern Sierra inhabitants know, self-contrived mountain running possibilities abound.

Well Monday June 5, 2007 was no exception. What started out to be a running of the "Sky Marathon" loop (North Lake to Pine Creek or vice versa) via bonafide USFS maintained trails, became a North Lake to Pine Creek high route variation. Maybe it was the lack of snow or maybe it was the lack of enthusiasm to run all the way down to Hutchinson Meadow and back up French Canyon to Pine Pass? At any rate, i'll blame it on Jeff Kozak because he was with me and i'm writing this run report and he isn't! The day was spectacular with thin high wispy clouds and a cool breeze. It was one of those days when leaving the wind breaker in the car with your day pack was good decision. Some highlights of the run include: two snowshoe rabbits, Golden Trout flopping on the ice that formed the previous night at Desolation Lake when the fishes quest to find suitable spawning habitat in the inlet of Desolation failed and re-entry into the lake at the small inlet opening was missed, the views from the summit of Four Gables, Chester Versteeg's entry from 1961 in the summit register of Peak 12808 and fishless bliss at Gable Lake #3 and #4. The trail from the Gable Lakes to Pine Creek probably hasn't changed much in the last 50 years. Even the tramway from Hanging Valley on the backside of Mt. Tom still looks ridable in zipline fashion (see photo above). After a little more than 8 hours, 4,630' of ascent, 6400' of descent, our run was over. Hooray for Magical Mountain Mondays (M3)!- pk