2000 Incline Club V4 TH #17 LR #36
Incline Club V4 TH #17 LR #36
Sent: Friday, July 28, 2000 2:42 PM
Subject: Incline Club V4 TH #17 LR #36
Hi all, Sorry to get this out late yet again — no excuses just lazy I
guess.
Since a couple of us have been laughing at the adidas ads I thought I would
attach this little parody photo for the Incline Club. The picture was taken
by our own Val S! The runners are Dan V (on the left) and Paul D. For those
that can’t see the photo it is a picture of Dan screwing sheet metal screws
into Paul’s shoes.
####
On Thursday, July 27, at 5:30 p.m. 39 met at Soda Springs Park.
We warmed-up to Hydro Street and did a tempo run up the Barr Trail for 30
minutes or to No Name Creek whichever came first. After running back down we
then did 10 Hydro Street hill repeats.
This Sunday, July 30, 7 a.m. meet just past the Pikes Peak Toll Booth.
Elk Park Trail to Barr Camp then to the summit 2-4 hours.
Or
>From the bottom to the top from Soda Springs Park if done easy.
####
Rick H writes:
For those who are going to drive up the Pikes Peak Highway to Elks Park or
higher to train on Saturday August 5th you will be stopped at Glen Cove due
to the Pikes Peak Mountain Bike Race to the Summit. Typically no uphill
traffic is allowed after Glen Cove till 9:00 am. They may have changed their
practices of traffic control so check with the toll road if planning on
driving up before 9:00 am. (684-9383) Hopefully you signed up for the Barr
Trail Mountain Race on that Sunday Aug 6th and will be taking the day off
Saturday and won’t have to worry about any traffic problems.
####
Hans Z writes:
7/23/00: Showed up at Soda Park 6;45 AM. No one I know was there, so I
headed up solo again for a training run up to A Frame and then down again,
(a run which always gives me some trouble).
Found part of the gang at Barr Camp. Didn’t hang around long, had a fairly
good run/walk to A Frame. Took it steady going down. this time not too bad.
See you this coming weekend for run down from Elk Park to Barr Camp, then up
to the summit.
####
Matt C writes:
So I see Andy D coming up the trail with a huge pack on his back so I can’t
resist giving him some grief, “Hey Andy what you doing hiking instead of
running?” Turns out he was carrying someone else’s pack from down around the
cirque or thereabouts. They had been asking people to take their pack for
them and Andy did the deed. When they got to the top Andy was awarded $60!!!
Not bad pay for a 1.25 mile hike. Our own JudyD turned down an $100 offer --
now I am not one to start something but for $100 I would have carried the
guy on my back...
In other news on Wednesday the Barr Trail Mountain Race filled and that
night the race committee got together and had a packet stuffing session.
Things are really looking good:-) We still need milk gallon containers and
volunteers — Thanks!
####
Thom S writes:
I am still alive and kicking. Occasionally, I run, actually when I want to
run I enter a race, that seems to work pretty well. Don’t get up on the
peak as often as used to, or would like to, but 4-6 hours out a day is
pretty tough for me. I am still running, as you sometimes see from race
results, and I’m thankful that I am running as well as I am considering the
limited training I do. I have been running two — three marathons a year for
the past few years including Air Force marathon and Marine Corps Marathon.
I still enjoy the pain, I guess. I continue to follow the trials and
tribulations of the Incline Club, and appreciate still being included even
though I can’t participate that much. As one of the original ICers, its cool
to see how big its grown and to see how well it benefits most.
Life in the Santa Maria home continues to amaze me, 1) because I’m still
here and 2) because I haven’t gone Looloo yet. Benita is still at home and
continues to do well with small improvements. She has been speaking some
(verbalizing), and continues to eat well and get around pretty well. We get
her out of the house as often as we can, mostly to church and to the park
(no malls or shopping yet). We have transitioned over to different
caregivers. Sylvia and I grew apart and she was feeling a stronger need to
get on with her life, but we have another of Benita’s sisters helping out,
at least until school starts. We’ll see how long this lasts. Benita has
been approved to get some help from the state, so I can at least pay someone
to come in and watch her during the day.
I have signed up to run the Barr Trail run and it should be fun. I’m not
sure how well I’ll do, but I’ll get through it. Where is it starting (at
the same place as the Ascent) or somewhere else? Also, what kind of time do
you think the course could turn. I was thinking about 1:45 — 2 hours,
depending on where we start. I’m just trying to get a feel for it. I went
up this past Saturday (around 1000 am) and turned it pretty comfortably at
1:55:00 (1:15 up and :40 down), considering it was first time on the trail
this year. Anyway, not a big deal, I’m going to come and run, and whatever
happens, happens.
Feel free to share this with the group if desired. I’m not sure how many know
me that well or wonder whatever happened to Thom. But just ask Larry someday if
you ever need info. You would definitely need a whole year of incline club
running to get the whole story. Maybe some day I’ll write a book. I wish I
could run with the group more, but priorities change in life and we just
have to “keep on keeping on.”
####
Yvonne C writes:
As many of you might know, Lynn Hellenga (formerly Gallager) and Gary
are having a baby any minute now. We call it the Incline Club Baby since
they met at the GOG morning runs, but really became friends and later
husband and wife, through the Incline Club. Lynn and Gary ran the entire
98 and 99 season with the club and half of the 00 season, when Lynn
could no longer run the hills. Some of you that started with the club
this year might remember her from the beginning of the year. She was the
one sitting on the bench at Matt’s birthday last Thursday. She is
literally about to pop ! Matt has posted a cool ultrasound picture on
the website — you can see the feet and the head :-)
http://www.runpikespeak.com/img/p_baby.jpg The Hellengas also donated
$500 to the Barr Trail Mountain Race High School Challenge.
Anyway, being the runner that she is (3:23 Ascent in 98 and more than 10
flatland Marathons including several Boston Marathons under her belt )
Lynn is dying to go back to running and her old form. Get to the point
!!! Okay, okay. I thought we could get her a Baby Jogger. She mentioned
it was going to be the first thing she would buy after the baby was
born. If we get enough people to pitch in it will be very easy and
inexpensive to pull that off and it could be an Incline Club gift.
The Colorado Running Company offered to sell us the Baby Jogger at cost
plus tax and shipping to help the deal. It will cost roughly $250.
If you know Lynn and would like to pitch in for the Baby Jogger send me
email at (e-mail address removed for www posting) so I can have a count of people
interested and then determine how much each individual would have to
contribute. It takes 7 to 10 days to get the Jogger in so I would have
to order it soon to make it arrive in time for the 2000 Incline Club Party !
YES ! It’s that time again !
####
Steve B writes:
Took 7th overall and 2nd Masters (2:44:29) in the Salt Lake City Marathon
today. By resting all last week I think I pretty much got rid of my knee
injury.
The course was very interesting. After a downhill first mile it climbed
steadily for the next seven miles. I was in the lead until the downhill
started. I didn’t want to pound the downhill so I just coasted. Quite a few
passed me, but then in the last 10K which was flatter (I managed a 38:00
10K) I reeled in three of them. Only felt pain on the downhill sections.
For my efforts I picked up $125. The first place masters was one place ahead
of me and about a minute faster. He got $250. The winning time on this tough
course was 2:31.
(Note from Matt: Cindy O and John O both did the 10K with Cindy going under
36 for the first time and John running a low 41)
####
Last week Steve B sent in the short report on the 8X14er attempt and I
called him Steve S. Here is the long report from Steve B:
On September 26th, 1998, two months after moving to Colorado from Ottawa,
Canada, I had a little run up 14,196’ Mount Yale. As I surveyed the distant
peaks to the north I was able to identify seven more fourteeners, ranging
from the relatively close Columbia to La Plata, so far away it registered as
a mere jag in the complex sawtooth of peaks on the distant horizon. In that
moment I experienced an epiphany.
I realized in that crystal moment that I could make the entire trek across
those eight fourteeners, from La Plata to Yale in a 24-hour day. Because I
could do it, it therefore followed that I would do it. From that bright
sunlit day I began my plan. Over the next two years I carefully scouted the
segments between the peaks in order to lessen the route finding problems
that might slow me down in my ultimate quest. The most direct course between
many of the summits means not following “standard” routes or the “easy”
trails.
Though we fell short of our goal on the full moon day of July 16th last,
Jonathan Cavner and I did succeed in equaling the record for the most 14ers
ascended in a 24-hour period on foot at six, and were on schedule to
complete all eight until 500 vertical feet short of the seventh summit we
were driven off by a severe electrical storm. We had another five and half
hours left in the day. We know now it can be done. Once the memory of the
pain involved fades, we will get right on it again! (We are already scheming
to rope in one or two more nearby 14ers to up the ante)
Oh yes there was pain! This is the hardest thing I have ever done, both
mentally and physically. I have run 33 marathons and ascended many a summit,
but 23 hours on my feet, covering 40 or more miles with 20,000 feet of
elevation gain (and loss), all on the roof of the Rockies; this feat was
close to my limits.
I met Jonathan Cavner at one of Sky Runner extraordinaire Matt Carpenter’s
Incline Running Club sessions. Jonathan and I share two passions: running
and climbing. We both know that when you combine these two combustible fuels
the resulting conflagration is the rare ability to move very quickly in the
mountains. Our level of fitness is extremely close. Though I normally finish
ahead of Jonathan in the Incline Club workouts, he recently beat me in the
Aspen Sky Half Marathon by a 15 second margin. When I shared my plan of
doing the eight central Sawatch 14ers in one day he told me that he had
harbored the same idea for three years. Just the partner I was looking for.
Someone as insane as I!
Coordinating our Saturday departure times from Colorado Springs, we drove
our separate vehicles to where the Colorado Trail intersects the North
Cottonwood Road west of Buena Vista. There we left Jonathan’s Subaru for the
end point of our journey. We took my truck to the trailhead for La Plata
Peak off of highway 82. By starting at Highway 82 we added 1000 feet of
elevation gain and one mile of distance compared to starting south of the
peak at a 4WD access road near Winfield. We started where we did for
aesthetic reasons: going from north to south and not retracing our steps, as
we would have if starting from near Winfield, would give our project more
the feeling of a true trek. By placing our 2nd vehicle on the North
Cottonwood Road we had adequate “bail out” options if we fell short of our
ultimate goal. This turned out to be a wise move in light of the disastrous
weather that would ensue as evening fell.
After a brief hike up trail to make sure we knew where the bridge crossed
South Fork Lake Creek, we set up our tent near the trailhead. As we scouted
for a tent site we were embarrassed to stumble on an unfortunate young woman
attempting to answer the call of nature. The next morning I just couldn’t
rid myself of the ditty “Fat bottomed girls, they make the rocking world go
round!” silently intoned to the rhythm of the run.
Once we set up the tent the rain began almost immediately and continued
until we arose at 11:40 P.M. After assembling our gear for a midnight
departure, we intrepidly ventured from the tent. Conveniently, at that
moment the rain ceased. High clouds blocked the full moon, but its
persistent glow lit the distant ridges. We steadily ran up trail, the
immediate path lit by our headlamps. Soon the excellent trail recently built
by the Colorado 14er Initiative switch backed steeply to the final summit
ridge. Once on the ridge we lost the main cairned route and were forced to
pick our way through boulders. Two hours and fifteen minutes from the
trailhead we were on top of our first 14er summit. I signed the summit
register: “Bremner and Cavner, 1 of 8 in 24 hours, Yale bound.” (At the
trail register I also marked our destination as “Yale.” I’m certain that
will raise an eyebrow or two.)
After less than two minutes on top we began our descent to Winfield.
Jonathan and I had both done this route. Initially we picked our way through
boulders, then dropped steeply to a high drainage jam packed with willows
and marshy muddy ground. We lost the trail, as we both knew we would. Though
still pre-dawn, the bright moon lit up our surroundings, though not bright
enough to keep us from dipping our feet into mud troughs. Our respective
memories of the trail came into debate as we neared the end of the high
basin. This time my memory was correct and we aimed right to rejoin the
trail from our muddy meanderings. Later Jonathan’s memory of trail segments
would be better than mine. Because we worked so well together, with respect
for each other’s judgment, we had no disputes over route choices on this
long day, and every choice we made turned out to be the correct one,
including our ultimate decision to abort the mission.
One hour and fifty minutes below La Plata we came on the structures of the
“town” of Winfield. Once a thriving mining town, the remaining structures
appear now to be private retreats. Here we began our ascent of peak number
two, Huron. Up to this point we had covered nine miles with nearly 5,000
feet elevation gain and loss. It was 4:05 A.M.
>From Winfield a road follows the South Fork of Clear Creek. If one follows
this road for about three miles one comes on the trailhead for Huron Peak.
If one instead mistakenly makes a left turn about half a mile up the road
from Winfield on a 4WD road then one is on new ground. In the dark we missed
the right choice and went up the 4WD road. As we switch backed steeply up
the slope of Middle Mountain I had a feeling we were off course. Only I had
gone this route on Huron before, though in descent after ascending the peak
from the east. When we came to end of the road with no trailhead nor “car
campers” in sight our doubts rose to the fore. Once we broke out the topo
our error was evident. The question was, how to recover? Retracing our steps
meant considerable elevation loss. Not an option. The topo showed an old 4WD
road extending nearly to the main trail up Huron far to the south. This
course led us in an easy traverse nearly to our goal. We only had to
traverse a short ways across heather fields to join the trail. Our time to
the summit of 2:17 from Winfield was as good as we could have hoped for even
if we had not lost our way. We spent seven minutes on the summit.
I began to feel a sore spot on the outside of my right knee.
Descending from Huron we dropped down a steep scree gully to the east. I had
ascended this gully one year before. I much preferred going down to the
ascent.
We had both gone this route from Huron to Cloyses Lake before. Aiming to the
left of the high pond we came on the climber’s trail that brought us in the
vicinity of the cabin on the lake. Here we had planned to meet a friend who
was to bring food supplies and to accompany us on the next three 14ers. We
arrived at 0800, the time we had agreed upon to meet, but unfortunately our
friend didn’t make it in time. We waited fifteen minutes then left a note
and continued on. We later learned that he had missed the turn at Rockdale
and didn’t make it until nearly nine o’clock that morning. Since we were on
a time schedule we couldn’t wait.
Ascending Missouri from the west was a long hard sustained effort. After
unending heather slopes we gained the NW ridge, reaching the summit one hour
and 51 minutes after Cloyses Lake. The time was 10:06 A.M. A 14er party was
happening up top with five climbers on the summit and we lingered for seven
minutes.
Following the ridge north to the saddle, we then took the most direct course
descending steep scree slopes to Elkhead Basin. After a mere 29 minutes we
reached the Elkhead Basin trail. We took aim for Belford’s knobby summit,
marching up the grassy slopes to the main ridge and trail for the final
stretch to the summit. From Elkhead Basin to Belford’ s summit of 14,197’
took 56 minutes; the elevation gain about 1500 feet.
On Belford’s summit we encountered another 14er gala, with about four others
on the summit: the time of 11:38 A.M. a good time to reach the summit of a
14er.before the typical summer afternoon thunderstorms set in. Belford was
the only summit without an official register, though we were able to make an
entry on a piece of paper and insert into the canister. We spent a leisurely
eight minutes on this peak, gratefully accepting some food handouts and
taking a needed break. I remarked to Jonathan, “I’m starting to get tired.”
The next summit, Oxford, was the easiest of the day and I relinquished the
lead to Jonathan, resting in his wake. From Belford to Oxford, a 653’ drop
and rise took 45 minutes. It was now 12:34 P.M. Our plan called for us to be
there by 1 P.M. We were ahead of schedule. From distant peaks to the west
the sounds of thunder rumbled ominously. Clouds rolled in obscuring even
nearby peaks.
Shortly after leaving Oxford’s summit I tried my cell phone. Pleasantly
surprised to see ROAM appear I tried a call to my special friend Laila in
Salt Lake City. When I told her I was suffering and now we had the most
difficult peak ahead of us (Harvard) as an ultra marathoner herself she
would have none of it. She told me to get those negative thoughts out of my
mind and focus on the goal-to imagine myself just walking up that mountain.
What a help that conversation turned out to be!
The descent from Oxford to Missouri Basin was one neither of us had
attempted. At first we started down the SE ridge, but soon struck out for a
more direct route, down the drainage to the right. The danger of descending
an unknown drainage is the possibility of getting stranded above cliffs. A
ridge normally is an easy stroll. We did encounter some difficulties, but
made steady progress reaching the valley floor in 1 hour 28 minutes--an
outstanding time for a rugged descent. The elevation loss was 3000 feet. We
had settled into a sustainable pace. Though it seemed slower, it was steady
enough to consistently and quickly eat up ground.
As we went down Oxford’s slopes we debated the relative merits of either
ascending a scree slope to gain the main NE ridge of Harvard or to instead
go up through woods to the right of the ridge and reach a heather slope
culminating in the ridge. As it turned out by following the easiest course
our minds were made up for us. We came out in the main valley near Bedrock
Falls. Pine Creek was very flushed with water and moving extremely fast.
Luckily a short hike up the trail revealed two logs conveniently positioned
across the creek allowing an easy crossing. Ascending now through open
forest we came on a trail of sorts. The occasional boot print gave it
credibility as more than an elk trail. We followed it as it gradually
traversed, wrapping to the right of the ridge. When the trail moved down we
left it to continue our ascent, soon coming on a steep open grassy slope
that brought us to the main ridge. It had taken us only an hour to break out
above tree line.
Now for the first time I was confident that we could really do this! When
Harvard’s final summit pyramid came into view I was overcome with emotion.
My spirit soared. There was no more pain. I picked up the pace and marched
up that mountain! At 14,420 feet, Harvard was our highest summit that day. I
could feel the difference in the last stretch. On the summit I quickly
signed the register “Bremner and Cavner, 7/16/00 4:45 P.M., 6 of 8 in 24
hours, next Columbia then Yale, World Record!” It had taken us 2 hours and
36 minutes to ascend 3200 feet of difficult terrain on our 6th 14er of the
day. Jonathan arrived on the summit as I put the register back in the
canister. We set off for Columbia with a sense of urgency. Clouds were
thickening and the sounds of thunder in the distance troubling.
May 21st of this year we had climbed Harvard and Columbia to determine how
long the traverse from Harvard to Columbia would take. Dropping to the
Frenchman Creek drainage to the east of Rabbit Ridge and ascending easy snow
slopes had taken us two and a half hours at a comfortable, leisurely pace.
We hoped to be able to do it one and a half to two hours today.
The salient image I had taken from the traverse last May was that we needed
to aim far to the left and descend easy grassy slopes to the low point. I
had forgotten that we first had a quite a distance to travel the ridge
before we came to that point. Fortunately Jonathan recalled the sequence
correctly and we kept to the ridge, going through a notch to the right of
the ridge before coming out on the grassy slopes. With no snow to aid our
descent we didn’t make great time at all, reaching the low point in an hour
and 18 minutes. The skies grew dark and threatening. Black clouds rose like
burgeoning smoke from the cauldron of Horn Fork Basin west of the connecting
ridge.
We were thirty minutes into our final ascent and 500 vertical feet below the
summit when lightning flashed followed a second later by a loud clap of
thunder. The storm was in the basin directly west of us. It would be suicide
to continue to Columbia’s summit. I have climbed a lot of Colorado’s
mountains and my experience is that thunderstorms leave often as fast as
they arrive. They blow in and out with fast moving winds. We decided to
hunker down and see if we could wait this one out. The time was 6:30 P.M.
After thirty minutes it was only getting worse. Clouds rolled in from the
east, moving up the Frenchman Creek Basin and consolidating with the black
clouds from the west side of the connecting ridge. A huge thunderhead with a
dark underside sat poised to the east.
I looked quickly at the topo map and plotted a course that would take us on
a high traverse around Columbia’s east ridge, then down to the North
Cottonwood Road and our 2nd vehicle. I clicked the lap counter on my watch
and told Jonathan we would back to the car in an hour and a half. It would
take us four more hours. My hasty glance at the topo map had not taken in an
extra drainage in between Frenchman and Cottonwood Creeks. It would have
been faster to have gone over the top of Columbia. The time was 7:00 P.M. as
we started down the grassy slopes.
The storm was gathering force and it first hailed then rained hard in large
cold drops. I was clad only in running shorts, a lifa top and light
windbreaker shell. Lightning was now in our basin. I told Jonathan, “Let’s
get off this mountain now! We’re going to have to get below tree line fast.”
We ran steadily down the slopes aiming for the tree line and Frenchman’s
Creek. Our new plan was to follow the drainage to the Colorado Trail, then
make a right and follow it to our 2nd vehicle.
Just below tree line in an open meadow we noticed a solitary tent. “Why
would anyone be crazy enough to want to camp in this rain storm?” I asked.
“Why would anyone be crazy enough to be climbing 14ers?” was Jonathan’s
response. We optimistically took the tent as an indication that the Colorado
Trail must be near. Soon we found the Frenchman Creek trail and followed it
along the creek. It went on seemingly forever. The rain and hail continued
to alternate. The lightning and thunder was relentless, but at least we were
out of the extreme danger zone. Finally after about an hour we came on a
trail going to the right. Though there was no sign it had to be the Colorado
Trail. We continued our Bataan death march. The pain on my right knee was
getting worse.
As night fell we continued for some time without using a headlamp. Lightning
flashes lit up the trail every 2-3 minutes. As we marched we optimistically
anticipated the road and our car at any moment. Finally three hours from our
bail out point we heard a strong river ahead. This had to be N. Cottonwood
Creek! It was 10:00 P.M. I was so tired I was falling asleep on my feet. We
rounded the corner only to find a totally unfamiliar swollen creek jammed
with logs. “Where the hell are we???” We stopped and took out the topo for
our first look since the glance high on Columbia’s slopes three hours
before. We were at Harvard Lakes! We still had three more miles to go to
reach the car! We had no choice but to continue. Stopping would mean
hypothermia. We resigned ourselves to our lot and continued our sorry slog.
On, on, on. This was a merciless conclusion to a very difficult day. I
consoled myself with the thought that it would end eventually. I thought of
the myth of Sisyphus, where the poor fellow is stuck for eternity pushing a
rock up a mountain. I lapsed into oblivion, immersed in my own private hell
of marching in the cold rain forever. Finally, we rounded a corner and far
below could hear the melodious sound of the North Cottonwood. We still had
to go down half a mile of switchbacks to reach it though. Here my knee pain
sharpened and movement became painful. We were nearing the end of a 23-hour
ultra marathon.
Back to the vehicle at last. Fortunately Jonathan was capable of driving
back to our campsite off highway 82 far away at the trailhead to La Plata
Peak. As we rode back I found myself dropping off to sleep. I forced myself
to stay awake in case Jonathan had lapses into sleep himself. Finally back
to the tent around midnight we collapsed exhausted in our bags into deep
sleep. I awoke before seven with my knee screaming in pain. As I write this
I hope the injury heals quickly. I have not run since.
####
www posts:
7/23/2000 49 Incline Clubbers were on the peak today. It was the best
weather day I have seen in a long time and we took advantage of it with some
reporting awesome times for their runs. A lot more people started from the
summit and ran the top miles today but Elk Park was still the most popular
run. After the run 14 of us put in 19 people hours on trail and trash
details. Lots of rocks were moved today and many bags of trash were once
again collected.
7/20/2000 43 ran for 40 minutes or 10 repeats on the Hwy 24 bypass road
whichever came first. The scary looking weather shifted South and left us
cool but dry. We did skippies and leg lifts for the Journal photographer
before heading back to the park for some birthday cake. I had the pleasure
of hearing people I don’t know very well calling me Mattypoo thanks to my
wife, Yvonne, putting that on my cake. Good surprise and good cake:-P
####
Go out hard, when it hurts speed up...
Matt Carpenter
http://www.skyrunner.com