JMT (August 2016)

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff3 Comments

A while back Sharon and I watched a documentary titled, “Mile – Mile and a Half“. A handful of artsy-fartsy friends gather to through hike the 210 mile length of the John Muir Trail. I ended up not caring much for the folks in the film. But after seeing the amazing scenery, my thought was “Wow! That is definitely on the list!!”

Fast forward a year…an email arrives. Steve Randazzo and Michele Boyer have gotten a permit and are planning on hiking roughly half of the JMT. Would we be interested in joining them? Short answer – yes!!! The long answer was a bit more involved. For a group hike with folks of varying fitness levels and different ideas of “fun” – Steve’s itinerary was deemed to be a bit…aggressive. Steve and Michele planned to use ultralightweight gear made of pixie dust, unicorn blood and baby seal tears, thus enabling them to log major miles every day, with no rest/weather days planned. Steve claims not to be German, but the plan seemed crafted in the finest Teutonic fashion. “Vee hike NOW! Macht Schnell!”  This led to an endless series of emails with folks debating distances,  different starting/stopping points, people dropping out, agreeing to go, deciding not to, etc. Eventually we managed to agree on a slightly modified version of Steve’s original plan and from that point on the discussion was all about gear, food, logistics…the fun stuff.

Fast forward to Friday, August 19th. Dan Boss Backer, Steve, Michele, Phil Petersen (of Green Bay fame) and I made the long, long, drive from Flagstaff to Mammoth Lakes. We took one short detour (and wild death ride – thanks Steve) to South Lake outside Bishop to leave a vehicle for the end of our trip. A short time later we were in Mammoth Lake with our permit in hand. Next morning, there we were at Red’s Meadow, all showery fresh smiles and delirious optimism, ready to take on the JMT.

Michele, Steve, Dan Boss, Dave, Phil
A short distance from Red’s Meadow, we crossed the JMT. Due to permit issues, we had to take the Fish Creek Trail for the first day and a half. Our goal for the first night was the Iva Belle hot springs.

As I prepared for this trip, I purposely did NOT read the countless blogs that gave mile by mile descriptions of the trail, complete with beautifully composed photographs. I wanted (as much as possible) to “discover” the trail all by myself and leave open the possibility of being surprised by what I found. With that in mind, I’d like to offer a slightly different travelogue. We started at Red’s Meadow. Nine days later we came out over Bishop Pass and ended at South Lake. I’d like to simply share a few highlights of the area between those two points…broken down by campsites, high lakes, rivers and memorable moments. Hopefully you’ll like what you see enough to want to explore it for yourself.

Campsites: Pulling into camp was one of the highlights each day – in part because almost all the sites offered amazing views – in part because we were glad to be done so we could relax – and in part so we could relax, chat, eat and get supine.

Rivers and Lakes: If you’re in the Sierra Nevada mountains, it is kind of obvious that mountains would be the main scenic feature. They certainly did not disappoint. On our trip along the JMT though, it was water in all its glorious forms…waterfalls, streams, ponds, hot springs, marshes, high alpine lakes, even rain and rainbows that made it such a magical place.

Memorable Moments: With the passage of time, memories of a good trip merge together like the seasoning of a fine meal. All the individual ingredients no longer stand alone in sharp relief, but meld to create a warm glow or a pleasant sensation when brought to mind. Pictures and journals help to capture some of the individual memories that make a trip special. Here are a few!

Trail names seemed a natural part of the hike…

“Nevermore, however weary, should one faint by the way who gains the blessings of one mountain day; whatever his fate, long life, short life, stormy or calm, he is rich forever.” John Muir

Canyon Smackdown (4/8/17)

On By KBGearDaveIn Endurance Stuff3 Comments
hu·bris  ˈ(h)yo͞obrəs/ noun
 1. excessive pride or self-confidence.
Having completed a 55k run back in February, perhaps I can be forgiven for fancying myself an “ultra” runner, capable of casually knocking off lengthy trail runs. Well gentle reader, today my hubris was exposed. I had my gluteus maximi served up to me on a silver platter by the Grand Canyon. Thank you Canyon – lesson learned.
Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to hike all portions of the Tonto trail that lie east of the Bright Angel trail. For some time I’ve been contemplating the segment that runs west of the Bright Angel trail to the Hermit Trail. Sharon was out of town, the weather finally cooperated, seemed like the time was right for a run. The plan was simple…leave the house to arrive at the trailhead at first light. Check. Load up the running vest with sufficient food, water, appropriate clothes, camera, etc. Check. Run down the Bright Angel – hang a left at Indian Gardens and blithely jog across the Tonto and then cruise up the Hermit trail. I even thought of tacking on some extra distance at the end (if necessary) to make this run/hike a full 26.2 mile marathon. See definition of hubris above.
Things started out well enough. As soon as I dropped below the rim, the wind died completely and the weather was perfect. There were more deer than people on the trail. The ominous clouds to the north stayed to the north. I felt good.
The Tonto trail west was in good shape, was generally Canyon flat, and made for good running. (I should say at this point that my trail running generally leads any onlookers to wonder if I’ve misplaced my walker.)  Be that as it may, Tonto west did not disappoint.
Inner gorge and first view of the river.
Salt Creek. This couple’s brand new water filter stopped working. They were planning on heading over the Horn Creek and needed water. Fortunately they brought iodine tablets as a back up. Smart.
Quite a few different plants were flowering. Not lush – but still pretty
Interesting rock formation at Monument canyon. Met some really great people camped there. They were thrilled to hear that the weather forecast had changed and the chance of rain had dropped dramatically. They were also nice enough to share some water. Looks like some pretty sweet camping.
Raft trip ready to run Hermit rapid.

Eventually the Tonto met up with the Hermit trail. According to my gps watch I’d traveled 16-17 miles by this point. I figured another 7-8 miles up, across and up the Hermit. I was tired but thought I’d just speed hike up and out. This was where the Canyon delivered an ego shattering smack down. As soon as I started climbing I realized I was shot. My feet, shins and calves were periodically cramping…sometimes solo, sometimes in three part harmony. My stomach figuratively flipped me a double bird. I shuffled along at approximately the pace of a dying tramp. If I survived the climb and made it back to civilization I had serious thoughts of becoming a NASCAR fan….forget this running around nonsense and spend my weekends parked on the sofa, drinking beer watching cars go ’round in circles.
Can’t remember ever being so happy (relieved) to reach a trailhead. The tourist in the background perfectly expressed my feelings at that moment towards the Hermit trail.
 Now, many hours later, after a long hot shower, an hour lying in bed and half a large Oregano’s pizza later, I’m beginning to feel human (and extremely humble) again. So maybe it was a good day after all.

Diapers and Depends – The Battleship

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff1 Comment

When one lives in the figurative shadow of the Grand Canyon, one is almost duty bound not only to visit, but to visit regularly. At first the main “corridor” trails are enough to reveal the treasures that lie below the rim. Eventually though, familiarity breeds a desire to know the Canyon more intimately, and to seek out more remote places. One such gem is the Battleship formation – remote – yet clearly visible to anyone hiking the Bright Angel trail.

Andrew O, Cailie B and I all rolled out of bed early in the middle of the night to meet up so we could arrive at the top of the BA trailhead at first light.

Two smiles: Clearly adequate coffee is on board.
Early morning light on the Battleship

Since Andrew and Cailie have only one hiking speed, in no time at all we came to the path “less traveled by.” We left the Bright Angel and started our traverse. Distance to the base of the Battleship is approximately one mile of slow route finding. Quite often the “obvious” path up or down leads to a dead end and a fair amount of unnecessary climbing and descending…all part of the appeal of getting off the corridor highways.

As countless others have discovered…April is the perfect time of year for Canyon hiking. The Orb of Death has not yet gained full strength.

I’m sure with handy internet descriptions, many have found the route to the top. Seems to me though, that the Battleship is a hike that lends itself to going with someone who has been there before. Andrew was our guide, and even with his near photographic memory, we still wandered a bit near the base of the butte trying to find the route. Having been deemed most expendable by Andrew (and most capable) Cailie got volunteered to scout possible routes.

Not it…thanks anyway Cailie

Following the “even a blind squirrel finds a nut occasionally” principle, we eventually came around to the correct path. Even when you find the correct route, it is often not obvious and requires a bit of exploring and a few rock climbing moves.

Andrew’s most flattering angle.

The route finding and climbing eventually came to an end. We were rewarded with the usual amazing views. Views we have come to expect yet of which we never tire.

The top of the Battleship offers this unique view of the Bright Angel trail.

Turns out this was our way of celebrating “Fresh Tomato Day” (4/6/13). Thanks Cailie for that useful bit of info for the summit register. On a subsequent visit our log entry was easy to find…in two years fewer than 30 groups had signed in. This turned out to be yet another successful (and enjoyable) Diapers and Depends Expedition.

Diapers and Depends Expedition #1 – South Canyon

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff3 Comments

The following is a slightly abridged version of conversations that took place in the fall of 2011

Dan B. (via email) “Anyone want to go trekking in Nepal for a month?”

Dave and Sharon “Sure!”

Sharon in the OR “We’re going trekking in Nepal”

Rob (Nurse anesthetist in the same OR) “Can Cailie and I come?”

Sharon and Dave “Sure!”

Rob “How about my backdoor buddy Andrew?”

Sharon, Dave, and Dan “Sure!”

Fast forward, February 2012: Rob, Cailie, Andrew, Dave, Sharon, with sons Aaron and Kevin walk to the edge of South Canyon at the top of the “UPS Route”. As soon as we look over the edge, laughter erupts. Where we expect a trail, there is a cliff with only the slightest hint of a trail…really just a faint path that looks like it might have hopes and dreams of one day growing up to become a trail. With an attitude of “what could possibly go wrong?” we step into space. Thus began the first Diapers and Depends Expedition.

“There’s a trail here?”

Let me back up. Rob, Cailie and Andrew lived in the same subdivision with adjoining back yards (ergo: back door buddies) and had become good friends. Sharon knew Rob only from an occasional surgical case together. I don’t know any of them. Since we were planning to spend an entire month together in Nepal, it seemed wise for those of us in Flagstaff to get to know each other. A gnarly Canyon backpacking micro adventure seemed the perfect way to get acquainted. Which led us back to the edge of the South Canyon.

We don’t need no stinkin’ trail…

We chose that particular route because the “UPS Route” was reported to be the shortest route to the river, and this was meant to be a quick overnight trip. Sharon, I and the boys spent the night at the trailhead. As soon as Rob, Cailie and Andrew arrived at the butt crack of dark, we saddled up and still laughing, dropped off the edge.

Note: Dislodging rocks on fellow hikers is considered a party foul.

The hike into South Canyon ended up becoming a perfect metaphor for our goal for the weekend. While we had some general knowledge of South Canyon, it was a new hike for all of us. Similarly, we all knew a little bit about each other, but there was a great deal of unknown. As we dropped farther into the Canyon and rounded corners, the Canyon kept revealing itself in small, interesting ways and in sweeping scenes of dramatic beauty. So it was with our hiking companions. In dozens of different conversations, in turn with each of our fellow explorers, we both revealed and learned interesting little nuggets about each other.

South Canyon panorama.

As we made short work of the descent, a few things quickly became apparent. First, everyone was a strong hiker and comfortable in the outdoors. While it is fun introducing newbies to such things, it is great when people come already equipped with a strong skill set. Instead of learning how to hike in challenging conditions, properly adjust a backpack, or eat and drink appropriately, we simply went about enjoying the experience and each other. Second, this was an easygoing group. Almost immediately we established an easy rapport, with lots of give and take, serious conversation, joking and laughter. Finally, it became clear early on that this group was going to make going to Nepal even more special.

The steepest part of the descent was behind us as we reached the canyon floor.
Canyon traverse

After about a mile of steep descent, we more or less reached the bottom of South Canyon. The “trail” continued on for another two miles or so. We dropped in and out of the canyon bottom and eventually came to a decision point. To the right we could have entered a narrow section of slots, or to the left a traverse along the side of the canyon. We chose the traverse and after some relatively easy walking, arrived at the beach above Vasey’s Paradise. As long as we were in the sun, it was shorts and T-Shirt weather…pretty special for a mid-winter hike.

Gotta love T-Shirts and a beach in February.

We spent a pleasant evening at the River enjoying some good food, good company, lots of laughter, and one curious ring tail cat. Next morning we shouldered our packs for the hike out. As expected, it was downright brutal at times. Still, all the young un’s (the Diapers gang) and the oldsters (the Depends contingent) all made the climb with no problems. The first Diapers and Depends Expedition was a success!

Aaron, Sharon, Kevin, Andrew, Rob and Cailie (the Gnome Princess – all 4′ 12″ of her)

80 Years of Living Large

On By KBGearDaveIn Misc. Stuff6 Comments

They told you life is hard
it’s misery from the start
it’s dull and slow and painful

I tell you life is sweet
in spite of the misery
there’s so much more
be grateful

-Natalie Merchant

Twenty-five plus years ago my Mother went through a painful divorce (philandering husband). Then she was diagnosed with cancer and endured all the attendant indignities of surgery and treatment. When she came out the far side of that dark tunnel, despite all the difficulties and hardships, her often expressed attitude was…and is, “Every day is a gift.” Now I will confess to not being entirely objective, but in the past 25+ years I have observed an individual who didn’t just say those words, she has lived it. This past weekend, with the help of sister Sandy and brother-in-law Blair (good job guys), I was able to sneak away from Flagstaff and into her basement in northern Wisconsin in order to surprise her on the morning of her 80th birthday. After the shock of the surprise wore off, a good time was had by all. We ate sumptuously, played games, told stories and laughed until we hurt. It was nice to have Mike and Lori join us for an evening, and to meet the parade of friends who stopped by to wish Mom a “happy birthday”.  And, I witnessed again an individual who still lives with the belief that “every day is a gift.” Despite the various insults of aging (Grant likes to say “getting old isn’t for sissies”) Mom and Grant soldier on and find pleasure each and every day…in the company of friends and each other.  In the great adventure of life, they have well and truly seized the carp. Well done Mom! I love you! (BTW: I still know you all cheated at 3-13…just saying).

Every parent’s goal…embarrass the kids with a public display of affection. Strong work Mom!

 

Lee’s Ferry Float/Hike

On By KBGearDaveIn Water Stuff1 Comment

The Grand Canyon and the Colorado River exert a powerful gravitational pull on folks from Flagstaff. Whether its hiking, backpacking or floating the river, you can hardly swing an oar around Flag without hitting someone who regularly partakes of the pleasures of the Canyon. It is an easy drive to go hike and explore for the day. Learning the ins and outs of the backcountry permit system (and some flexibility) opens the door to multi-day trips. Getting the big enchilada – a float trip down the Canyon – that usually takes a large commitment of time and money.

It is possible to get on the Colorado River and get a taste of the Grand with only a small investment of time and money.  Lee’s Ferry is located 130 miles north of Flagstaff. All river trips through the Grand Canyon start at Lee’s Ferry and end 200+ miles downriver. Again, a big commitment (well worthwhile I might add). However, the 17 miles upriver to the Glen Canyon Dam, well that is another matter. For the princely sum of $77 dollars, you, your boat and your gear can catch a ride up river. http://www.raftthecanyon.com/raft-the-river/back-hauling-services/ .  Three things have kept us from using this service. #1 – I’m a cheap bastard. #2 – they will only accommodate boats up to 15 feet in length, so I’m out.  #3 – pick up time is 2-ish in the afternoon, so that pretty much rules out a day trip, if that’s what you’re looking for.

The other (very do-able) option is to paddle upstream. You will get a workout. How much depends on how much water is being released from the dam. At about 4 miles there is a riffle that may require you to pull your boat along the shore. At the iconic Horseshoe Bend there is a riffle that I was unable to power through (“the kids at school all call me T-Rex ‘cuz my arms won’t support my body weight” – Bobbie Hill). That was plenty far for a day paddle and made for an amazing float back down.

If you want to stretch your legs, there is exploring to done at Horseshoe Bend. Just before the 4 mile riffle, Waterholes Canyon enters on river right as you head upstream. Definitely worth the time to explore. One other hike of note is the Spencer Trail that takes off from Lee’s Ferry. It’s short, steep and offers some amazing views.

If you’re looking for a bargain Canyon float experience…check it out. STC!

Lake Powell Micro Adventure

On By KBGearDaveIn Water Stuff5 Comments

Windy Warm Bay Video

In 2011 Alastair Humphreys pioneered the concept of the microadventure. The concept is simple. It is basically an overnight outdoor adventure that is “small and achievable, for normal people with real lives.” Out of necessity, it is a concept Sharon and I embraced far before it had a name. It is a concept that I wholeheartedly encourage.

With the weekend looming and Sharon out of town playing grandma, I pondered my options. I could put up the backer board in our new shower project. I could hang the new bathroom door, or any number of other home projects that have languished since we moved into the Tree House four years ago.  But then I realized – Sharon would feel massively guilty if she spent the weekend playing with Oliver while I slaved away on the house. Wishing to spare my lovely bride any undue emotional trauma, I chose instead a suitable microadventure.

Lake Powell in February has water temperatures in the upper 40’s. The weather forecast for the weekend, upper 40’s…and sunny. Perfect boating weather. I reckoned my chances of running into a thumping party boat wanting to camp 30 feet down the beach were somewhat lessened this time of year. Perfect. Grab camping gear, throw the boat on the Suby, leave work a bit early and hit the Wahweap launch ramp by 3:30pm. Stow gear, park car and launch by 4:15 pm. That left a little more than 2 hours to travel the five miles to my prospective campsite.

Good news, less good news. The less good news was that a brisk wind was kicking up some pretty good waves and whitecaps. The good news, the unbelievable, unheard of, almost never before in the history of mankind news was that the wind was at my back!! According to my gps, it only took a little over an hour to travel five miles…which left plenty of daylight to find the perfect spot on a lovely (DESERTED) stretch of beach on the eastern end of Warm Bay.

Saturday dawned clear, cold (upper 20’s) and perfectly still. I hiked and went exploring away from the beach until the temps climbed a bit. My original plan had been to continue on up lake another 5-ish miles, camp and then paddle all the way back on Sunday. My beautiful (did I mention DESERTED?) beach/bay was just so perfect, I opted instead to simply enjoy the perfect day. I relaxed in my camp chair and read a good book. That’s it. Nothing death defying. No ultra anything. Nothing more strenuous than grabbing the requisite food and drink to avoid starvation and dehydration and an occasional leisurely stroll down my own, personal, deserted beach. I just sat and enjoyed the view, read my book, and considered how blessed I was.

By 2pm the clouds were beginning to thicken, so I saddled up and paddled the long way home, exploring some of the nether reaches of Warm Bay on the way. Overall, I felt I had a sufficient amount of fun to avoid placing any guilt trips on Sharon.  You’re welcome dear!

Lessons from a 55k

On By KBGearDaveIn Endurance Stuff2 Comments

“stu·pid fun” ˈst(y)o͞opəd/ fən/   (noun) Definition: Any activity that elicits the response “that’s stupid” from folks who do not participate in said activity, but which at the same time elicits an enthusiastic “whoa – that sounds like fun!” from individuals who participate in the same or similar activities.  Can also be used as an adjective.

 Last weekend I had a heapin’ helpin’ of stupid fun. I was part of a crowd of about two hundred folks who gathered on the outskirts of Moab…in the rain…in 45 degree weather…to run up and down and around on slick trails for 34 miles…and we paid good money for the privilege. Hearing it described that way, we may have made it a bit too easy for folks to emphasize the “stupid” side of the “stupid fun” equation. But you know what, it was fun. Really…it was! It was also really hard, and amazingly beautiful, and incredibly satisfying. In the week since the run, I’ve had plenty of time to replay the events of the day. Allow me to share a few thoughts about this particular run and ultra-running in general.
  • The top ultra athletes are aliens. Sherlock Holmes famously said, “Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.” The speed at which the top athletes cover long distances over incredibly difficult terrain is simply not humanly possible. While it may seem improbable, the only possible conclusion is that they are aliens from some distant planet of long distance runners. Enough said.
  • It helps to be around people you want to be like. Flagstaff has gained a reputation as a mecca for trail runners. Every year hundreds of folks from Flagstaff gather in Colorado for the stupid fun Imogene Pass Run. Both the previous and current holder of the fastest known time (FKT) for a rim to rim to rim across the Grand Canyon live in Flagstaff. I’ve had a beer with a two time winner of the Western States 100. (Well, technically I had a beer in close proximity to the really nice alien who won the Western States.) Bottom line, if you decide to do something hard – like an ultra, it helps to be surrounded by people who are doing the same thing,  who are encouraging and supportive, who are pushing themselves to do even harder things. Seems like there might even be a broader life lesson in there somewhere. It is a lot easier to adopt a healthy lifestyle if you hang around with people who are living healthy lifestyles vs. hanging with the ‘party-til-you-puke-put-down-roots-couch-potato” crowd.
  •  Running (even an ultra) doesn’t matter!  I ran 34 miles in just over 7 hours. I did something physically challenging. It was tremendously satisfying to have accomplished something difficult like this. In the big picture…so what? I didn’t cure cancer. I have to remind myself that I am so blessed to have the life I have that I can choose to do physically demanding things “for fun.” Around the world people are living hand to mouth. In the Khumbu region of Nepal, people carry insanely heavy loads from one village to the next for a handful of rupees in order to provide the bare, basic necessities of life. Good to keep things in perspective.
  • Ultimately, its about people. Running tends to be a solitary endeavor. Almost all my training in preparation for this run was done alone. And that’s fine, I enjoy spending time in my head and I enjoyed moving at my own pace through the beautiful northern AZ landscape. Looking back on the Moab run though, it was people that made it such an enjoyable event. I was able to run the entire 1st half with our oldest son, who now has young son of his own. Real circle of life stuff…pretty powerful. I ended up running the last several miles with Kate the brewery QA from CA. Our on and off conversation during those long, last miles really helped pass the time. Having my lovely bride, daughter-in-law and grandson at the finish line gave me a lump in my throat and that familiar finish line adrenaline boost. Having other friends gather to run the shorter distance (only 18 miles) or to hike the day before, or just to sit around, tell stories, laugh, made the weekend the special time that it was. Again, seems like there might a larger life lesson in there somewhere.
 Bottom line, you don’t have to run an ultra to push yourself beyond your normal limits, or to recognize the joy of having good people in your life, or  to recognize the things that truly matter in life, or even rub shoulders with friendly aliens! Although it will be easier to do the last one if you come visit Flagstaff. STC! (seize the carp)