Full Skyline

Full Skyline


Cruzed the Skyline traverse with William again. Such a good line, with several climbs and descents. I always find it hard to re-start my heart rate coming off of one of the descents and into the next climb. This traverse works that weakness really well. We made good time up to SoBo and then over to Bear, as the peaks were quiet and empty. Put in a solid effort up to Green, where we ran into Scott Jurek. Really great guy - chatted, exchanged trail beta, etc. After the uninspiring summit of Flag, we ran into Kendrick on the backside. Obviously our motivation was waning as we again stopped and talked. By the time we got over to Sanitas, it was hot and every person in Boulder and their dog were out. We tried to cruz up, but there were so many people we just sorta had to go with the flow. I can see Kendrick's argument for doing the traverse the other direction, as you end away from the crowds. However, putting in Sanitas and its stair-step climbing at the end adds a little kick. Stopped taking photos after Bear for some reason...

 William cruzing through the burn zone...

 Bear from SoBo...

 The Divide...

SoBo, Bear, Green, Bear, SoBo

SoBo, Bear, Green, Bear, SoBo

Great day on the trails with William. After yesterday, I wasn't too sure how I would feel, but I was able to keep on trucking which was a pleasant surprise. Shadow was a bit dicey, but not too bad, while the rest of the route is good to go. No traction necessary. This is such a great route - you get a solid vertical k in the first climb, with the rest of the route being very runable. Fair number of runners out this morning - the training season has begun!

Snow Slog - SoBo, Bear, Green

Snow Slog - SoBo, Bear, Green

I had planned on running the SoBo > Bear > Green > Bear > SoBo with William today, as he had never done the Skyline run. However, with the snow, we had to change up our plans a bit. We started out from the S. Table trailhead right before 8:00am and there was already 4 inches or more on the trails. We cruzed up Homestead, which had two sets of tracks before we turned and went up Shadow Canyon. No one had been up Shadow yet, and so that turned into a fun session of power hiking in 4-6 inches as we tried to not slide all over the rocks and still stay on the trail. Near the saddle, I saw some bits of blue sky and thought that the storm was breaking up, but I was dead wrong. After sliding our way to the top of SoBo, we cruzed down and made our way over to Bear. Again, no tracks on Bear. The storm at this point decided to pick up steam, and as we went down the West Ridge, the snow really started dumping. We were still in positive spirits, but we were both questioning whether we wanted to go down Shadow. We broke trail up Bear Green all the way, and not until hitting the Ranger trail did we see another set of tracks since the Mesa trail early on. There were two sets - one I figured was Jeff's, and the other was from someone we ran into near the top of Green who was on his way down. The storm was really dumping now, and so we decided to go back down Bear Green and then down Bear Canyon to the Mesa trail. Coming back down, there were sections that had at least a foot of snow or more, as we broke trail down Bear Canyon until near the bottom when we ran into one runner and a couple hikers. I was psyched to finally run into people so that we didn't have to continue to break trail. We turned, and then followed the Mesa trail along until reaching the new Upper Big Bluestem trail, which we opted to go down to check it out. It was fun, fast, and smooth. I think the new re-route is very well done. Finally, after a couple hours of slogging through too much snow, we made it back to the car. Not the best day perhaps for an intro to the Skyline, but I was sure to point out that the next time he does it, it will be easier!

 Moving up Shadow with the least amount of snow of the day...

 Looking west from the top of SoBo...

 Looking north from SoBo...

 The trail down Bear's West Ridge...

Top of Green...

Christmas Skyline Traverse and Mountain Lion

Christmas Skyline Traverse and Mountain Lion


With the morning of Christmas day free, but obligations to be in Boulder later that day, Tara and I went and ran part of the Skyline Traverse. I ran the same route as last time, going from South Table Mesa up Homestead to Shadow to SoBo, then over to Bear, down the west ridge and up Green, then back the way I came, tagging all the peaks again. The day was absolutely spectacular, with not a single cloud in the sky. A bit cool and breezy on the peaks, the trails were dry and smooth. I didn't see anyone on SoBo or Bear, and only a few people on Green, it was a great Christmas present. A little better then last time at 3:47 rt.

The following day (26th), I was running one of my usual routes from home when I encountered my second mountain lion in the 38 years I've been in Colorado. The route goes through some open space near Apex Park in Golden, and I usually only run it early in the morning when I don't have time to go anywhere else. It was about 6:03am and I was wearing a headlamp. I like to scan the hills with my headlamp on this run because there is often a large elk herd that winters here, so it is fun to see hundreds of glowing eyes in the blackness. This time, however, I only saw one pair. As I kept running down the trail, approaching the eyes, they blinked out. Then, a few seconds later they were back. It didn't seem like a lone elk, so I slowed down and zeroed my light beam on them. They disappeared again, then came back. I could tell whatever it was was standing up, then it started to move the opposite direction I was heading in a smooth gait - no lope of a fox or coyote. I was about 40 feet away on the other side of this small drainage, and it looked like it was going back behind me. Tara was still coming down the trail, so I stopped and then started to run up towards the eyes. The thing stopped, and then I could make out the form of the mountain lion. It stood staring at me, and I could see the white of its underside and started to make out the fur. I didn't want him heading towards Tara, so I moved closer to it and made some noises - mostly just talking to it - "Hey, what are you doing. Don't go that way. I see you." etc. It froze again, and we had a stare off at about 25 feet. It then turned and started to move silently through the grass the other way. I followed it with my light as it slowly moved across the slope, stopping to check me out every couple yards. Finally, it went over a bend and disappeared. I told Tara what happened, and we walked down the trail with our headlamps scanning the slopes. After a few minutes, we spotted it again, this time on the other side of the draw and up about 50 yards, moving away.

The only other time that I've seen any mountain lions was once driving up Boulder Canyon early in the morning, and two of them ran across the road, moving from the creek up the slope right in front of the car. That was cool, but this had a different sense of respect. There was no fear, but certainly a lot of respect. It never made a sound, and if I had not spotted his eyes, I would never have known it was there. Really cool!

 Looking into Eldo from the top of SoBo

 The Divide - not a cloud. The moon is up in the left corner.

 Bear and Green from SoBo...

 East from Bear...

 Green and beyond from Bear...

 Bear from Green...

 Bear's super fun West Ridge trail...

Shadow, so good...

South Boulder, Bear, Green, Bear, South Boulder - And Altitude Training and Energy Costs During an Ultra

South Boulder, Bear, Green, Bear, South Boulder - And Altitude Training and Energy Costs During an Ultra


I figured that the day after Thanksgiving would be a good day to do the Skyline Traverse, as I would most likely run into some other runners and have some company. Not so. In fact, I didn't see any other runners out there, which was odd. Isn't today Fat Ass Day One? Either way, there were tons of hikers and walkers, but no one to share the trails with, so I went solo. Parked at the newly re-opened South Mesa trailhead and cruzed up the newly re-routed Homestead trail. As with other trails in the Boulder Park system that get re-routed, the new Homestead trail is nice and smooth. A tad longer, but not as steep and with less stair-steps and rocks. I don't really understand this trend to re-route trails to make them smoother and easier (well, I can see OSMP's logic in terms of the general populace, but it does take away from the "adventure" part of being in the woods). After Homestead, which now drops you onto the S. Mesa trail at a different spot then the old trail, I went up Shadow Canyon, which is one of my favorites. It is the closest trail to being in the mountains that I know of on the front range - steep, lots of rocks, stair-steps, etc. The flood exposed a lot of roots and added a ton of smaller cobbles to the trail, making it even more fun then before. No one on top of S. Boulder, but a gaggle of people on Bear. Cruzing down Bear's West Ridge is always fun, and the new Bear-Green trail is super smooth (like the other re-routed trails - buff or butter smooth as some say). Green's summit had a bunch of people, more walkers coming from the West Ridge route then Bear (which has more hikers). Once I tagged Green, I turned around and returned via the same route, tagging Bear and S. Boulder once more.

I'm always amazed at how vertical can make things go so much slower, and make the miles feel so much longer. Yesterday (T-day) I did 13 miles with 6 mile repeats thrown in in 1:25. Today, with all of these peaks, I only did 16 miles in 4:03. Of course, there was 6,838 feet of climbing, but it really still strikes me the difference in perceived physical and mental effort.

A new article in the British Journal of Sports Medicine discusses altitude training, VO2max, and haemoglobin. They conclude that altitude training can increase one's VO2max by half the magnitude of the increase in haemoglobin mass. That is a fairly large increase in VO2max! Of course, as they note, that may or may not translate to better race performances because of other factors. However, it seems pretty hard to argued against altitude training if one is planning on racing as sea level.

The other article, in the Journal of Experimental Biology, looked at factors affecting energy cost of running during an ultra. To cut to the chase, the authors found that greater muscular power and a lower foot-print index result in better performances in ultras. Foot-print index is basically your arch height and amount of your foot that hits the ground. So, in a way, they found that if you are stronger and run with more of a mid- to fore-foot strike pattern, you have a chance of performing better in ultras then if not. Of course, like above, there are TONs of other factors that go into solid performances, but it is something to think about. No heel-to-toe running, even when tired. And practice good form, over and over and over again.

Boulder Skyline Traverse Trail Run: All the Peaks

In another attempt to get our legs into full mountain running shape, Tara and I decided to hit the Boulder Skyline Traverse. This is perhaps one of the most classic trail running traverse routes along the Colorado front range, and will easily test the leg endurance of any avid trail runner.

The objective is easy: traverse all of the peaks along the Boulder skyline from Boulder Canyon to Eldorado Canyon. This includes Flagstaff, Green Mountain, Bear Mountain, and South Boulder Peak.

The method: Getting a late start (10:20ish AM), we parked the car at Chautaqua and started up the Flagstaff Trail. From the top of Flagstaff, you cruz over to Green Mountain and run up the Saddle Rock/E.M. Greenman trail to the top. From there, you drop down the west side on the Green Bear trail and pick up the Bear Peak West Ridge trail to the summit of Bear. From there, you can traverse south and over to South Boulder Peak. We opted to go back over Bear and down Fern Canyon, then run the Mesa Trail back to the car. Some like to have a second car parked at Eldorado so they don't have to make it an entire loop, but I prefer doing the entire loop.

The scene: The day started off cold and cloudy. We thought it was going to rain; little did we know that by the end of the run it would be blue skies and sunshine. The only people we encountered were on the summit of Bear and on the way down Fern. Otherwise, it was an amazing way to see the city of Boulder and the plains beyond as you run over 5 peaks in a spectacular setting.

The Stats: As with most trail runs, the numbers don't do it justice. From what I can gather, the route we did is only around 12 miles and 6,000 feet of climbing. Your quads will think you did double...

Trail Running South Boulder Peak Via Shadow Canyon: Getting Read for the Mountain Running Season

One of the best trail runs around the Boulder area for getting in strong mountain running shape is the Shadow Canyon trail up to the top of South Boulder Peak. With a vertical gain of close to 3,000 feet, this run will get your legs and lungs in shape for a solid season of mountain running. I've been running this trail once a week for the last couple of weeks to get in shape, tagging both South Boulder Peak and Bear Peak in the process. Depending on the legs, I usually either drop back down Shadow Canyon or off the top of Bear Peak down Fern Canyon, then back along the Mesa Trail to the trailhead. As the snow melts out up high, this run gets you ready for some long days and steep trails, plus it gives you a view of the Continental Divide so you can check conditions. To get psyched, I've posted a couple photos from last seasons mountain runs...

Trail Description

The challenging trail run to South Boulder Peak rewards visitors with unparalleled 360-degree views of the eastern plains, Boulder's front and back ranges, the Indian Peaks and Continental Divide. Boulder's extensive trail network allows for several routing options: the following describes the Homestead-Shadow Canyon-Bear Peak West Ridge route, and is highly recommended for its beautiful scenery, difficulty, and lighter trail traffic.

From the South Mesa Trailhead parking lot, cross over the footbridge and follow signs to the Homestead Trail (.1 mile) - bear left. The Homestead Trail rises quickly up through the initial mesa climb, then gradually climbs through open treed slopes.

The Towhee Trail merges with the Homestead Trail after 1.35 miles, and then shortly after merges with the Shadow Canyon Trail. The Shadow Canyon Trail joins a fire road at this point (6,275). Turn left on the fire road and climb methodically over well-groomed terrain for .7 miles to the last Mesa Trail access point, and beginning of travel up Shadow Canyon (2.1 miles : 6,582).

Here the trail is considerably more strenuous, climbing 1,967 in just 1.25 miles to reach the summit. Lingering winter conditions will amplify this challenge. The trail twists and weaves tightly along a faintly marked path amid notably large boulders and old-growth ponderosa and lodgepole. Look for occasional signs posted on trees to the right of the trail for guidance. Though views are limited, the dark, boulder-laden forest itself is quite scenic and serene.

The grade eases upon reaching the Shadow Canyon Trail - Bear Peak West Ridge Trail junction (3 miles : 8,155). Take note of young aspen groves on the saddle before turning left (south) for the last .35 miles to South Boulder Peak. The final 100 yards run up a steep scree field; extra caution is necessary when snow, ice or strong winds are present.

The summit is small and pointed, but the large boulders comprising it afford ample room for a handful of visitors to find small nooks with sensational panoramas.

South Boulder Peak: A Spring Trail Run to Test Your Fitness

I've been slowly ramping up my running mileage now that spring is just around the corner (although with the current weather we have been having, someone will have to tell all the plants that it is not here yet). Normally, I tone down my mileage during the winter for a couple reasons:

• to telemark in the backcountry
• to give myself some time off from running
• and give my psyche a break so that come spring I'm ready to go.

As spring begins here along the Colorado Front Range, I'm beginning to add a few more climbs to my trail runs and to see where my body has gotten to over the winter. Backcountry skiing really helps keep me in shape as it is a great cross-training exercise for trail running, gets you up high in the mountains for altitude training (I spend about 10+ hours a week training above 10,000 feet), and allows you to enjoy your normal trails and runs in a different season.

So, to test how I am doing this spring, I ran from my house to the top of South Boulder Peak the other day and back. I thought I would do just fine up to the base of Shadow Canyon, as that is part of my usual winter training run down low, and then have to speed hike the steeps to the top. I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself still going (albeit at a slow pace) up the canyon for most of the way. I had to speed hike a few sections in the heart of the canyon up the steep rock stairs, but I was able to pick up the pace for the last bit to the saddle and then the final climb to the top of the peak. The run back home was long and my feet started to get sore from the rough mileage, but I was really surprised and happy.

Looks like this summer is going to be a good one for running mountains... of course, the next day my quads were really telling how I was doing.

South Boulder Peak from South Boulder Creek Trailhead

• Start - End Elevation: 5,645'- 8,549' (8,549' max elevation)
• Round-Trip Length: 12+ miles
• Skill Level: Strenuous
• Trailhead: 1401 South Foothills Highway. West of Highway 93 at Thomas Lane, approximately 0.5 miles north of the intersection of Highway 93 and Eldorado Springs Drive.