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Sent: Friday, January 18, 2002 11:40 AM
Subject: Incline Club V6 LR #9
Hi ICers,
We will be heading up Rampart Range Road this weekend. This is a good one in the winter because there is no ice! Barr had some bad sections on it last week as some of us found out. However it was very encouraging to hear from people that PRed on it even in those conditions. One ICer said he ran farther up the Barr Trail than he has ever been able to do without walking and is sure it is due to that “crazy Longs Ranch Road run.” While it would be easy to avoid Barr all together when the conditions are bad I think it is VERY important to get on it once and a while to keep it all fresh in our minds. The trick is just to run easy on the way down which I think is the best thing no matter what the conditions. Running up hard makes you fit and fast. Running down hard can make you hurt!
In other news, the IC webteam (Connilee Walter, Fred Wright, Gordon Barnett, JD VanLanker, myself and Randy Lindsey) have been at it. So much so that I forgot to send out the club mail yesterday. However I am pretty excited about some of the stuff we are kicking around. If you would like to join the team just let me know.
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NEXT RUN:
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Sunday, January 20, 8:00 a.m. meet at Soda Springs Park
Run out El Paso Blvd until crossing under Hwy 24 where we will head left and
then right to run up past the Balanced Rock in the GOG. Soon after take a
left and run up Rampart Range Road till 100 yards past the Antenna on the
North (flat) side. Take a left and head down Williams Canyon 1.25 miles.
Turn right at post and head up to Waldo. Turn left at Waldo and head down
and return via UPT. 2.5-3.5 hours. If it would take longer don’t head up to
Waldo and just continue on down Williams back to the park. This option is
shorter than you think and will save that long downhill and the asphalt
return to the park.
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ICers WRITE:
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Margie Stauffer writes:
It was fun to read Randy Lindsay’s (or, as they say in Japan, L. Randy’s),
account of the Mt. Fuji race. Congrats to him. Having done it myself this
past summer (not in a race), I could certainly appreciate his assessment of
the trail. I, too think I probably did not give it enough respect ahead of
time. I mean, after all, we have Pike’s Peak right here, don’t we? And who
hasn’t heard of 80 year old people making a ‘pilgrimage’ to the top? (They
must sleep at the numbered stations along the way.)
I flew in on Friday ~ went to Hakone Resort over the weekend and luxuriated in hot baths for many hours. Tried to down, without much success, some of those rice balls wrapped in seaweed and some other equally ????? foods. I topped off each day with a Cliff Bar and some trail mix.
After two days of junk nourishment and short on sleep we took off for a night climb of Fuji, so as to arrive for the ‘sunrise’. Arrived at the summit at 4:20 AM, in perfect time to see the absolutely breath taking sunrise ten minutes later. The weather was incredibly clear on that morning. Very happy to reach the summit of ‘Fuji-San’, as it is called in Japan. The hike around the crater was delightful, (well sure, it was mostly flat.) My big claim to fame — I was the only one in shorts, on the already crowded summit. I was already trying to get, grrrrrr tough grrrr, in anticipation of training with the IC. (I quickly changed to warmer clothing, though I know Larry Miller would NEVER.)
Fuji~San is a ‘must’ for any runner/hiker taking a trip to Japan. For me, it was a real highlight.
Good job, Randy!!!!!
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Gordon Barnett writes:
I don’t know if you’ve seen this month’s issue of Runner’s World magazine,
but the Incline Club web page as well as Matt, Dave Sorenson, Waldo and Barr
Trails, PPM and BTMR are mentioned in a great little article on the Garden
of the Gods. It tells the world — what we the lucky few have known for years
- that we live in one of the best running areas on the planet.
Check it out!
I won’t be out this Sunday (01/20/02). I’ll be thinking of you all as I’m leaving this runner’s paradise to run the flat-land San Diego marathon. I’ll send in a race report.
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Glenn Grams writes:
Read Bob and Sherry Wagner’s query about not wanting to ruin a good pair of
running shoes with the screws. I also had the same concern last season. Matt
is right...I can vouch for the same worries last year when I first inquired
into the idea after reading about Matt’s ‘screw idea’ in “Outside” magazine.
At the time I had just bought a new pair of New Balances which I ended up
being able to use throughout the entire season with absolutely no problems
to report after I took my screws out in about May (left them in so late bez
of the continual late snow falls we had up here in Littleton and you also
had down there last spring). Point in fact, I ended up retiring them in
about early October (so I got a full year’s use out of them and like Matt
says it is amazing how the small opening is pretty much self-sealing after
you take them out. I had no moisture problems to report inside of my shoes
at all when they were in or after I took them out...but I only used the 3/8"
ones, not the ‘big jobbies’. Since there is no trade-off I would not be
concerned, it helped immensely having the screws and kind of like a winch I
used to have on my Jeep...when you are on the trail, it is too late to wish
you had them in...when you need them it is too late to think about ‘wishes
and buts’ seven miles into a run when you hit an icy spot or some snow on a
steep section of trail...
P.S. important disclaimer....I did take careful pains however to make sure I screwed the screws into the “thick parts” or ridges of the sole and not the recesses!
P.P.S. I also use ultra sorbathanes in my shoes so maybe that is a matter to consider...
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Connilee Walter writes:
Regarding screw shoe question:
Usually by the end of the season my screw shoes are a mess, not from the
screws but from running in mud, snow, ice, run-off, etc. Maybe you have an
old pair you can run in? Or, buy an inexpensive pair to be used as your
screw shoes and save the pair you are more invested in for your
weekday/drier runs.
####
Fred “33 weeks and counting” Wright writes:
Why didn’t I see you guys Sunday? I went to Barr Camp (Didn’t do the extra
loop), and expected to see you guys go by me. When I got back to Soda
Springs, Jonathan was there already! What did I miss?
(MC adds: Well Fred, we turned left at the half mile to Barr Camp sign and ran over to Mountain View on the COG. The snow was knee deep in spots but we did make it and even ran up to the old abandoned cabin. Once at Mountain View cold feet (at least mine anyway) from all the deep snow convinced me to take a less snowy route down. No toes were lost and a good time was had by all!)
####
Howard Brooks writes:
Hey Matt, this weekend Jonathon Cavner, John Genet, Kevin Silsby and myself
are doing a hut to hut. Will this qualify for a *?
We will ski 12 miles on Saturday, probably that much on Sunday, and 12 back out on Monday, all above 10,000’.
What if we race one another????
---
MC replied:
Dreamer, nothing but a dreamer... Now do the rest of us a favor and go down
the list and recruit people that have 8 stars so we can move up on the
board:-)
But seriously -- have fun!!!
---
John Genet replied:
Good try H!
####
Several have wrote:
So is it true? The rumor I mean that you and Yvonne are doing the baby
thing?
(MC & YC add: www.skyrunner.com/baby)
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Joel Jenkins writes:
Let Craig Hess know that Stephanie and I have done the Bataan Memorial Death
March the last two years and will be there again this year. It is an
awesome time. Yes, Veteran’s of the actual march do show up and it’s very
emotional for them as well as the runners/walkers, especially when they are
waiting for you at the end. The unique thing about this is that there are
military teams in the light and heavy divisions that do it in uniform,
boots, and other military gear, the heavy teams being required to carry 35
lbs. It goes from waddies(sic?), to road, to off-road, through sand-filled
washes back to dirt road into the finish. Excellent support throughout the
course. Love to have other ICers there on April 14th.
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BEST EXCUSE REPORTS:
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This could be some fun so if you miss please send in your best excuse
report.
This time I will be kind enough not to reveal names (but a quick scan of the * board can help narrow it down;-) but those of you that ran last week know how bad that wind was — just read the www post farther below. At any rate, although we had a huge group (77) three perfect streakers were MIA. Silly me was hoping this was just an oversight and they forgot to sign in so I wrote them because with 2 more people we would have had another club record. This is what I got back:
----MIA #1:
Thanks for your concern. I am not hurt. I just wimped out this morning
when I heard that wind blowing. I felt miserable all day for ruining my
perfect record, but I did run 18 miles this afternoon by myself on the
Homestead Trail as penance. I won’t even dare to ask if that will count for
a “*” because I don’t think it meets the criteria and because of my pitiful
excuse of not wanting to blow off the side of the mountain this morning.
Was
it really as windy as I feared? From now on I’m not letting a little thing
like weather keep me in!
----MIA #2:
Thanks for the concern. Raced the 10K @ Fox Run Park yesterday and since I
don’t have the self discipline to do a short easy recovery run with the
group, I stayed home and spun the legs out on the trainer. See ya next
Sunday.
----MIA #3:
Still MIA
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NON R REPORTS:
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Timothy Edwards reports:
I got to deal with another form of “Dr. Rocket” for New Years. He was loud,
bright, instantly fast, then sent colorful reports. I picked-up what little trash from the fireworks that I could find. I hope you enjoy reading this - keep in mind it’s written for the general public.
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AdAmAn BACKGROUND:
Carrying-on a nearly 80 year tradition for New Years, a carefully selected
team of 30 mountain climbers makes the 13 mile trek up Barr Trail to the
summit of Pikes Peak.
With everything they might need for survival on their backs, these agile mountain enthusiasts forge their way to the summit.
From 14,110’ they celebrate the New Year with a fabulous fireworks display that has been reportedly seen as far away as Kansas, New Mexico and Wyoming. I’m told it is the world’s highest display of modern fireworks.
Each year ONLY one new member is added to this experienced group of mountaineers, thus the name “AdAmAn Club.” The new member has typically climbed with the club as a guest for nearly a decade before being “admitted,” or rather — ADDED to the club.
The new member leads the club, setting the pace and breaking trail where the snow is deep.
I was hoping to get selected again as a guest climber. (Last year I was totally surprised to be asked to climb: someone canceled at the last minute and I was totally unprepared. I was in marathon training with no backpack.)
This time, I intended to be physically ready for carrying a heavy backpack uphill through 13 miles of snow. So, ... ...Weekly since autumn I have donned my pack and headed for the very high mountains of Colorado and New Mexico.
In doing so I have found an answer to what my recently broken heart has been craving: seclusion and peace; stunningly beautiful vistas; personal time with my Creator.
Yeahhh, I’m ready THIS year. ...or so I thought.
The mailperson then delivered my AdAmAn letter: my name was not on the list of guest climbers. My heart sank.
I continued my backcountry journeys, seeking more of my indescribable relationship with Mother Nature’s beauty. The deep snow -and frigid wind- slowed my travel so much that I only reached the destined summits twice out of five attempts, on average.
An answer: snow-camping. Hike to a nice spot for a tent, spend the night there and get a very early start in the morning. (Good in theory.)
THE DAY before the AdAmAn pre-climb meeting, I received an email informing me there was a cancellation and I am being invited to climb again as a guest. My heart jumped with excitement! Yippee!!!
“For winter-climb training, I’ll try snow-camping the first night,” I thought to myself, “and if I don’t like it — - I will draw upon Barr Camp’s wood-heated buildings for refuge.”
I got off work at midnight, home by 1am, did my chores, got to bed by 3:30am. ...I couldn’t find my thermarest (air mattress) — a big mistake.
AdAmAn Climb DAY ONE:
---------------------------------------------
I drove to the kick-off breakfast after only 2 hrs of sleep. It was a cold
morning, overcast and snowing. Brrrrr.
We heard news that club member Bill W. had a car accident on his way to the
breakfast. He was fine, but his backpack was underneath the flipped-over
pickup. Bill is a powerful climber: he’ll catch us, even on an empty
stomach, once he uncovers his backpack.
After an appropriate Blessing, we headed for the trail.
The climb was dedicated to the multitude of Armed Forces that serve and protect our great country; each climber was given an American flag for displaying on our backpacks. It looked really neat to see all the flags waving in the breeze as we advanced up the trail.
The news press filmed us as we headed up the trail. I asked the reporter to join us for the hike — she gave me a dirty look...
This year’s new member is Sean O., who set a strong pace — keeping us warm in the cold, snowy air.
Just as we reached the lunch break area, we rose above the clouds and
enjoyed eating under the blue Colorado sky, the trees laden with fresh snow:
gorgeous! Bill caught-up to us in time for lunch, and described the
car-wreck.
My “self heating” meal I got at Walmart worked great when I tried it in the office, but in below freezing weather (20 degrees) it sure didn’t heat much. I wolfed it down anyway, trying hard not to upchuck.
As we marched closer to Barr Camp I realized I needed more than 2 hours of sleep. I decided to set up my snow-camping outfit quickly upon our arrival and take a short nap before the group dinner at Barr Camp’s main cabin.
Without my thermarest to protect me from the ice-cold ground, I put on all the clothing I had and forced my thickly-wrapped body into the sleeping bag. I should have asked for help — I thought I’d be ok. My chattering teeth must have “lulled me” to sleep.
I woke up after dinner (of course), so I lightened my pack by eating a full day’s worth of food. Spilling my water was no problem to clean up: wait a minute and it’s solid ice.
With renewed energy I went to socialize around the campfire, where Don S. insisted I get off the frozen ground and bring my sleeping bag over to share a lean-to structure with him. There, I slept like a quiet baby.
DAY TWO
-----------------------
It was a beautiful, clear morning — and very VERY cold. I fully intended
to eat the wonderful (HOT) breakfast that the staff at Barr Camp provides.
Inside the warm log building, I wolfed-down two plates of food and seriously
considered wrapping my arms around their woodburning stove. I almost hated
to go back outside to fight the cold.
I looked hilarious as I disassembled my campsite and crammed it all back into the pack, my hands shaking and teeth chattering. “Snow camping is FUN,” I managed to say to a passerby, who responded with an obvious chuckle as he saw me fumbling.
Sean set another quick pace through “the Dismal Forest” and we arrived at timberline on schedule for an important event: Mirror Flashing ! (Each climber brings a mirror to signal “we’re ok” to friends, family and the general public in Colorado Springs.) It is really fun to send signals to the city below and watch the literally hundreds of flashes of sunlit mirrors from them in return.
TIMBERLINE:
----------------------
From my marathon running on Pikes Peak, I know that all ‘the rules’ CHANGE
here — there’s a reason why trees don’t survive up here. Humans too can
have ill effects from the low oxygen content, including lethargy,
hallucinations, headaches, nausea.
The moonscape-like terrain is rocky with large patches of snow everywhere. Alpine vegetation struggles to survive in the bitter cold. Pressing-on is a necessity, but following the snow-covered trail can be difficult — and stepping on the fragile tundra causes decades of damage — not a smart move.
The snow drifts get deeper: I measured three feet at a deep point ON the trail. In these conditions it can take over an hour to advance only one mile during winter. From here, it’s “only” three more miles (and 3,000 vertical feet) to the summit.
However tough the environment may seem, my soul is enticed by being there.
Further up the mountain, I heard Ted L. say “there will be hot chicken soup and green chili stew in the summit house!,” the thought of which made my stomach growl.
Mike B. spotted three mountain goats and showed us all where to look. We stopped to gaze at them and noticed more movement — it was a whole herd. I had never seen ‘goats on the east face of Pikes Peak, a real treat for Tim.
At ‘The Cirque’ I stepped off the trail to peer over the edge of the 1,500’ cliff. I am proud to say it doesn’t scare me as much as it used to; my mental training is helping. (Crestone Peak, “nearly vertical,” HERE I COME!)
Sean led us through the ‘Sixteen Golden Stairs’, which is the last leg of the trail, and congratulated us with hugs one-by-one as we crested !
THE SUMMIT:
Ahhhh. I was on top of America’s Mountain once again!. I truly enjoy the
sense of accomplishment! Let’s see, this makes 1,2,3... my 14th ascent of
this mountain on foot.
The TV News folks were waiting on the summit with camera and tripod. They interviewed key climbers while I headed for the summit house to indulge in the cooks’ thoughtfully prepared feast. Ted was correct: the chicken soup was superb!, as was all the food and drink.
My teeth still chattering, I changed into some dry clothing and I was toasty warm!
We went back outside to the fireworks trailer where we installed the explosives and associated wiring: not an easy task in the subzero temperature and wind. (I am amazed that I can stay quite warm in such frigid temps; yet- I can feel cold in my own house!!!)
Darkness fell and we were graced by a most spectacular red/orange colored full moon as it peered above the horizon. A clear night, the city below dazzled me with its twinkling lights. I just LOVE being on the summit.
Once the chores were done, folks ate & played cards & told jokes. At 9pm the club performed another tradition by discharging 5 aerial firework “bombs” to commemorate the original AdAmAn climbers of 1922, coined “the Frozen Five.”
Back in the building, we sang “America The Beautiful,” a highly touching experience as we were at the VERY place where Catherine Lee Bates was inspired to compose those lyrics in 1893.
At 11:30, “an equally silly club” of four-wheel-drive fanatics arrived via the Pikes Peak Hiway: these friendly characters came to provide our ride back to civilization!
I was feeling great. 2001 has been an emotionally traumatic year for my family, but I am rebounding in high gear and I look forward to many good things to come. I walked around the parking lot, exclaiming loudly: “Welcome to the Summit and Happy New Year." I noticed more than a few odd looks from the 4X4 folks, as they reached for their heater controls in the 20-below zero weather.
Packs and supplies were stowed in the vehicles before midnight so we could enjoy ringing-in the New Year with the awesome fireworks display. Our goal: illuminate the face of Pikes Peak with a multitude of color for our audience, the cities far below us, to enjoy.
(Numerous reports from friends and neighbors verified we did in fact illuminate and bring justice to the beauty of the summit. One good friend told me it was by far the best fireworks show he has ever seen!)
I am so very fortunate to be a part of this wonderful undertaking, a test of mental will, physical endurance and exciting pyrotechnics. It’s a great opportunity to develop friendship with highly accomplished people. It also gives me many a good memory to cherish as I continue to expand my backcountry adventures, year-round...
Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience.
I hope you have a wonderful year of good health and prosperity.
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WWW POST:
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1/13/02 A huge group of 77 headed out and up the Barr Trail. While the
temperature was not so bad the wind was death — it would suck the warmth
from you like a tick on a dog. Add to that the wind blown snow across the
trail (when it was not ice) and you had one sick run. However that is what
this club is about — we train when the rest are at home in their cozy little
beds. Come summer though we are the ones setting PRs. For that matter
several said they set PRs to No Name Creek today despite all the snow and
ice! That after only 7 runs:-)
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Go out hard, when it hurts speed up...
Matt Carpenter
www.skyrunner.com
Barr Trail Mountain Race
www.runpikespeak.com
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