Trail Run with Colorful (and Welcome) Distractions

 My dear husband took the kids Sunday morning so I could go for a trail run. I wanted to check out the Timber Creek-South Fork Baker loop (about 5.5 miles) and see the fall colors before a winter storm arrives in the next couple of days.  I started off on the relatively flat section of the trail, with fall colors around me.

As I climbed up into Timber Creek, the yellows became more brilliant. Although I was trying to run faster than the last time I had run the trail, I had already decided I was going to take photos with my phone whenever I wanted, no matter if that made my time slower. I couldn't really remember my earlier time anyway, so that took a lot of pressure off.

Some of the leaves were off already at the higher elevations.

To my great surprise, I saw people on the trail! I passed these two--what a fun feeling it is to pass someone on the trail, even if I was basically just walking fast because I'm not fast enough to run up switchbacks. I also saw nine backpackers coming down this trail, and two backpackers later, for a total 13 people!

I really liked the sections of trails where leaves covered the winding path. Plus it was a little flatter here, which is always a nice change on a trail that gains and loses 1,800 feet in 5.5 miles.

The meadow at the top was as glorious as I was imagining. The fast-moving clouds allowed for dramatic vistas, including the backside of Wheeler Peak and Jeff Davis.

I veered off the trail for a bit and found these cool aspen trees. I especially like the symmetry.

Sunlight illuminated the top of Pyramid Peak and the aspen grove on the far side of the meadow.

Looking north, there were more great colors.

I had to try for a selfie, you know, to prove I was there. It was really windy in the meadow.

I headed down along South Fork Baker Creek, seeing the colors turn in the riparian veg, too.

The colors were even better on the South Fork Baker side, with so many leaves blanketing the trail.

Yep, this really is the way!

When I came out to the lower meadow, I saw some backpackers enjoying the view and soaking up the sun.

I said a quick hi and kept running.

Till I stopped to take more photos!

Most of the color is due to the quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) leaves, but willows and skunkbush also provided a nice splash of color.

It was a fun run/walk and I was happy to finish in under two hours. Maybe sometime I'll find where I wrote down my earlier times and see how I did. But even if I didn't, it was a great excuse to get outside and enjoy part of our beautiful world.

Baker Lake and Dead Lake, Great Basin National Park

My longest run to train for the Tushars Marathon took place three weeks before the marathon and was due to be a 20-22-mile long run. I wanted to be as high elevation as possible, but faced a lot of snow at upper elevations. Where could I go? I decided to start out on the Baker Lake trail, a bit over 5 miles long.

The lower elevations (about 8,000 to 9,000 feet) were totally snow-free, with pretty flowers blooming.

The trail was wet, with many stream crossings.

Baker Creek itself was quite impressive. I liked all the cascades.

I made a little detour to the third snow survey site . When I had been there the end of March, we had measured the snow at over six feet deep. This snow marker sign had not seemed so tall! I stood next to it and was about a foot shorter than the joint.

I continued higher and started running into snow.

And more snow! Beyond mile 4, it was pretty much all snow, but of varying heights. I did more hiking than running at this point. 

And finally I was there! The lake was still mostly frozen over. It was quite impressive.

 And that's when my phone died, without warning, I think because it was so cold. I had an external battery so plugged it in and wandered around a bit, wanting to get a few more photos.

I also ate some snacks and rehydrated. I am trying not to eat much sugar, so I haven't been doing any gels, so each run I've been trying different solid foods to see how my stomach handles them. So far, everything has been good. Trail mix is a big favorite. My phone got enough power to take a few more photos, then it was time to move on. I had several possibilities: 1. Do the Baker-Johnson Lake loop. This is a terrific loop, about 13-miles long. But with all the snow, it was too dangerous, especially descending from the ridge to Johnson Lake, a very steep section and one that I could see was entirely snow-covered. 2. Go up to the ridge above Johnson Lake, then continue along the ridge to the Snake Divide Ridge trail through the bristlecones. I did this last fall, and it was a gorgeous run. But it seemed very snowy, and since I was already on an external battery for my phone, I didn't want to be there without decent communications. 3. Go back down the Baker Lake trail and hook up with other trails.

 I chose #3. It might not be the most adventurous, but it would probably provide the best running surfaces, and that was what I was after. Plus, it would be safer to stick to marked trails. So I ran down to the junction with the South Fork Baker trail, took that past some tents (!), and to the beautiful meadow.

The last time I had seen the trail junction sign, it had been surrounded by snow! Now the snow was gone and it was good running uphill to the next big beautiful meadow.

Then I continued up to the ridge between Baker Creek and Snake Creek, where I found this sign : Snake Creek Divide (not to be confused with the Snake Creek Divide between Snake Creek and North Fork Big Wash), Elevation 9,871 feet. Johnson Lake 2.0 miles. Soon after I came across a group of backpackers who had gone up to Johnson Lake, and they warned that the snow was really deep past the Johnson Mill Site.

 The views from this connector trail, called the Shoshone Trail, are terrific. Here's looking southeast into the Snake drainage.

I met up with the Johnson Lake trail and headed uphill until I got to this trail junction to Dead Lake, 0.6 miles ahead. This is a new trail, and I wanted to check out Dead Lake.

I knew Dead Lake would be more than the puddle it is most of the time, but I wasn't prepared for just how much water would be there!

The trail skirts one edge, but I decided to walk around the lake so I could see it from all angles.

I could have swam in it! (I considered that.)

It was a super fun sight.

I couldn't resist a selfie!

Then it was back running to the Johnson Lake trail and the Shoshone trail. Along the way I saw this flower I had missed previously. I still don't know what it is!

Here's the view coming back into the big meadow and to the South Fork Baker-Timber Creek junction. I took a right and headed over into Timber Creek. There was just one big snow drift at the top of Timber Creek.

Then it was pretty quick heading down the trail.

And finally across Baker Creek and back to the vehicle!

I don't know the exact mileage, as my Garmin watch ran out of battery, my phone ran out of battery, and I had to just run without electronics! (A good thing to do!) It was a very pleasant run, and I was glad to have an excuse to get out on the trails. I certainly have a different view of trail mileage after all these trail runs, it's a wee bit faster than the many hikes I've done with kids over the past 10 years!

Lake Mead Trail Run

 I had to go to Lake Mead for a couple days of meetings and decided to stay at the cheapest hotel in the area, the Hacienda. It is part of a casino, which isn't too appealing to me, but it is also in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and there's a trail right next to it. So when I woke up, I headed down to the trail for an early morning trail run. The trail follows an old railroad bed, so it's perfect for not too difficult a run.

 It has nice views of the marina and Lake Mead.

 I also really enjoyed the different vegetation of the Mojave Desert. These creosote bushes are always so lovely!

 This trail includes some train tunnels, making it extra fun. I remembered three from a previous jaunt, but it turned out that there were five (I guess I didn't go far enough before!).

 Signs and benches have been added since my last trip (several years ago), and they are nice additions.
Previously I had seen other people on the trail, but this time I had it to myself. It's a combo bike/hike trail.

The tunnels have been stabilized in a restoration project. I heard bats in the first one and saw birds fly out of a couple of them.

The rock around there is so different from where I live. I really enjoyed all the shades of brown and tan with hints of orange. One of the signs talked about the families that lived nearby during the construction of the Hoover Dam and how miserable it was for them due to a lack of shade.

Pretty flowers--but I don't know what they were!

After the last tunnel I passed through a gate that was marked as Bureau of Reclamation land. The trail went around some buildings and then headed downhill towards the dam. I had reached my turn around time, but I was so curious about what was next that I decided to go just a little farther.

That's when I saw some desert bighorn sheep! They were enjoying the quiet morning until I spooked them, then they crossed the trail in front of me and went up into the rocks on the other side.

I continued a bit farther, hoping to catch a glimpse of the dam. I saw lots of power lines and even part of the new bridge (on the upper right part of the above photo). The trail was descending quickly and I really had to get back to go to work, so I will have to go back another day to take the trail all the way to the dam.

The run back went quickly, although I couldn't resist stopping a couple times to take more photos.

The temperature was in the high 60s/low 70s, so really comfortable.

Finally I reached the spur trail that had led down to the main trail. At the top I went through a different spot into the Hacienda parking lot and found a sign denoting this as a trail and distances (3 1/4 miles to the dam).

I had managed to forget my running shoes, so these are the shoes I did my run in. They worked out well!