Trail Run up Hendry's Creek, Nevada

The kids went to 4-H camp for a weekend, which meant I had a free Saturday. Wow, what was I going to do? I felt a little delirious with free time! I decided to do something I like to do but they don't: a long trail run. I wanted to take the dog, which meant the trails in Great Basin National Park were out. So I went up to the North Snake Range to Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to Hendry's Creek. There were lots of geology student tents along the way, but I didn't see anybody.

Not far from the trailhead I passed a huge patch of poison ivy. This is one of the few places in the area where it grows (also in Big Wash/Hidden Canyon and farther north around the Deep Creeks). I don't remember so much being along the trail like this, so I think it's spreading. :(

But then the trail goes into the uplands and all is good. I didn't know how far I was going to go, but I figured the high chance of rain might help turn me around. The trail is about 10 miles long to get to the amazing Table, a high elevation plateau near Mt. Moriah. I figured I wouldn't go that far today, but the thought lingered in my mind.

At mile 1.5 I entered Mount Moriah Wilderness Area. It doesn't really look much different!

There are lots of creek crossings. In early June, at high water, they can be dangerous. But in mid-July, I didn't even have to get wet.

It was cool getting to areas with big ponderosa pines. The dog did well, despite having broken her femur a few months ago and having surgery. We've been going on shorter runs to get her back in shape. And quite frankly, a lot of the uphill section of this "run" was fast walking. This photo was about mile 3.

This humongous ponderosa pine was about mile 4. I had turned on the "Map My Run" app on my phone so got an update every mile.

A cool flower, Scouler's St. John's Wort (Hypericum scoulei), that I don't see often.

At mile 5 I saw bristlecones (Pinus longaeva) ! Wow. These lower-elevation bristlecones don't live as long as the ones up on the high ridges.

Just a bit beyond was a nice campsite in the aspens.

And at this eighth stream crossing, a bit beyond 5 miles up the trail, I decided I would take a break and turn around. It felt so good to take off my shoes and put my feet in the cold water. I saw Bonneville cutthroat trout in the water.

I also enjoyed the fireweed, a pretty flower that grows in disturbed places. I remember it well from when I worked in Glacier Bay in Alaska.

I also enjoyed these Pinedrops, non-vascular plants with no chlorophyll.

Bowing to the millennial craze, I took a selfie showing some of the trail.

How cool, orchids! Streamside orchid-Epipactis gigantea. You don't expect them in the high desert, but they can hide out in riparian areas.

It was a lovely trail run, and even though I wasn't super fast, I had a great time checking out my surroundings and just being out in the wilds. My spirit felt renewed from this jaunt. And how great is it to still have places where you can hike/run and see no one!

2018 Snowy Birkebeiner Race in Ely, Nevada

 Saturday was the date for the annual Birkebeiner race sponsored by the Ely Outdoor Enthusiasts. We've had a lot of fun at the race in past years and planned to go, snow or not. It was looking like it might be a trail run rather than a cross-country ski race, but Friday night the big storm finally came! We woke up to about eight inches at our house, with reports of over a foot in the mountains.

Our close-knit community reported that a plow had been over the nearest mountain pass, so we decided to see if we could make it. The nearby roads had not been plowed at all, so I was glad we had four-wheel drive. When we got out to US Highway 6 & 50, and it had one lane plowed. Good enough. There wasn't any other traffic. At the pass, the road was plowed both directions. Here's the view at the top of the pass:

The roads were slick and snow was still falling, so even though we left early, we got to the race a little late. Fortunately they started it a little late because others were also having difficulties.

I signed up for the long course, 6.6 km (about 4 miles). Six of us braved the trail. The BLM was going to groom the trail that morning, but because of the government shutdown, didn't. So we took turns breaking trail.

When the front person in our group (one guy went way ahead and stayed ahead the rest of the race), got tired, they moved to the side and everyone continued on.

I was so winded from my turn I got pretty far behind the group. Here they are disappearing into the snow.

But it was fun having the trail all to myself for awhile. it was so beautiful with all the fresh snow. And I wasn't alone. I heard Clark's nutcrackers and mountain chickadees.

I even took a selfie. (I obviously wasn't too concerned about winning the race!)

When I finished, the kids had already started. Fortunately these independent kids were able to get their skis on, practice, and get themselves to the finish line. It helped that there were only three in the race. I skied on their route, waiting to see a skier. And Desert Girl was the first one I saw! She passed me, heading towards the finish line.

Then came Desert Boy. He wasn't in the best mood as his sister was in front of him.

But he persevered, grumbling.

The kids got to go down a hill at the end to the finish line.

Then it was time for awards. Desert Girl was so happy to have come in first. Desert Boy was grumpy.

But then we went and ate the lunch buffet at Twin Wok and he felt better.

It was so much fun doing the course with all the new snow! Ward Mountain Loop D should have a good ski trail on it if anyone wants a little exercise. And the other loops have fresh powder--a lot of it!

Thanks, Ely Outdoor Enthusiasts, for the great excuse to get outside!

2017 Moab Adventure 5K Race

 A few years ago we went to Moab and I participated in an Adventure 5K race and the kids did an Adventure 1K race. It was so much fun I wanted to do it again, and the kids are now old enough they could do it too. We invited our friend, Brooke, who had moved to Colorado to join us, and fortunately she was able to. We met the night before at a hotel and went swimming (warm November!). The next morning we got up and headed to the race site. The marathoners had already started and the half-marathoners were in the process of leaving in waves.

We had time to do a little warm-up dancing.

Brooke got a family photo for us.


And I wanted a photo with Brooke. Can you spot our little photobomber?

The Adventure 5K started in four waves: competitive men, competitive women, recreational, and family and friends. Brooke, Desert Boy, and I started in the third wave, and my husband and Desert Girl started in the fourth wave. The trail quickly became single track.

Soon we were jumping across a creek.

Then it was up a hill and through a cave.

We could see a line forming on the other side of a ravine for the first rope section.

We climbed a ladder and got in line. We had about a 15-20 minute wait.

The line behind us was even longer, and my husband and Desert Girl had to wait an hour here.

Desert Boy was glad when it was his turn, and he scrambled right up.

We had some nice slickrock running on the other side. Here the trail was marked with flour.

Desert Boy started getting really tired here.

Soon we had some downhill, including another roped section.

Then run through a culvert!

Next came the obstacle course. We had to crawl under the cargo nets.

There was even a burlap sack hop.

The balancing was a bit tricky. So was the frisbee golf.

Brooke finished quite fast, sixth woman overall. And a young lady was the overall winner for the Adventure 5K.

Because of their long wait, we had time to go back and find my husband and Desert Girl at the obstacle course.

We've since implemented a couple of these obstacles in our yard!

It would be fun to put in even more.

Here they are near the end.

This adventure 5k race is a little pricey, but a lot of fun. We didn't like the waits for the cliff, so if we do it again, we'll try to be faster in the first part (and not start in the last wave). I'm also really tempted to do the half-marathon, it would be a super pretty course.

Next post: the rest of the Moab trip. You can't go to Moab and just do one thing!