After hobbling across the finish line of the Frosty 50k, what better way to recover than… go back into the mountains for a 7-hour run/hike? That was the logic anyway, so Jeremy and I decided to give our legs something to grumble about by heading out for a casual post-ultra recovery jaunt up the ridge.
This trip was originally meant to be with Ben and Alex, but thanks to a little thing called “race commitment” (and maybe a tiny bit of poor planning), I had to reschedule. Sorry fellas, next summit is on me.
The Route:
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Trail Conditions: Surprisingly great! Much more defined than last year, with new flagging tape guiding the way like neon breadcrumbs. It’s nice when trails grow up and get their life together.
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Navigation: Straightforward until you reach the rock gully. From there, branch off south, aiming for the ridge via NW1. The ridge traverse was solid and scenic, a proper ridge-line treat that didn’t require too much suffering (just the right amount).
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Descent: We came down the south face, then contoured along the lower ledges. It’s a bit roller-coastery, up, down, side-step, repeat, but much nicer than battling any steep scree or mystery terrain. Eventually, the ledges spit you back out onto the main trail like you never made bad decisions in your life.
Conditions:
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Water: Don’t expect much until you’re pretty high up. Mostly stagnant ponds, so bring enough hydration unless you’re into artisanal mosquito tea.
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Time: 7 hours car to car, a respectable recovery effort for two people pretending they didn’t just destroy their legs 48 hours prior.
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