Pre-Flight Adventure in the Oregon Wilderness

After a long week spent in Salem, Oregon evaluating the Army National Guard Support Facility we relocated to Portland Sunday night in order to more easily catch our flights home Monday morning. I had an 11:30am departure so I would have a couple hours to kill Monday morning. Originally I searched the local area map and decided I would battle rush hour traffic and drive through downtown and across the Willamette River to Forest Park.

 

Another interesting option was suggested by a longtime friend of mine, Chris Winson, who lives in Southwest Portland. I stopped by his house on the way to the airport hotel Sunday night and we enjoyed a bratwurst and a brew. I told him my plan to run Forest Park the next morning and he quickly suggested driving 40 minutes east of Portland on I-84 to the Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls trail. He had hiked the trail previously and emphasized that to get the most out of it you really should make the 6.5 mile effort to the tunnel. His description of the awesomeness of this trail became tantalizing. I had to come up with a time plan.

Backward Plan

 

1130 - plane leaves Portland

1045 - check-in and get through security

1030 - return rental car 

1000 - shower, pack bags, and load up car 

0945 - refuel rental car

0910 - leave trailhead after uploading Strava and texting Trish my safe return from the wilderness

0900 - finish route (actual run time 1 hour 59 minutes 55 seconds)

0655 - begin running (plan to average 10 minute miles up and 8 minute miles down with photos)

0645 - pull in to parking lot and pay $5 for the park fee

0610 - leave hotel

0600 - free breakfast starts in hotel lobby (muffin and apple; I still have the apple)

0530 - wake up

So this is how it works, at least for me anyway; and it timed out perfectly. I guess in retrospect I never accounted for any wiggle room except for about 10 minutes of photo taking.

 

I began my trek up the river gorge just before 7am. The temperature was 50 degrees so I wrapped a light jacket around my waist in case it got cooler on the way up or began raining. I never used it and it never rained although all of the vegetation was wet from last evening's showers. The first half-mile is paved as I didn't realize that I could have driven further into the park. The Eagle Creek trail advertises approximately 1600 feet ascent over 6 miles which is about a 5% average grade. This is very runnable albeit at a reduced pace. Except for stops to take pictures and a couple of rocky sections I rarely slowed to a walk and managed exactly 10 minute miles reaching the falls at 1:05. https://www.strava.com/activities/307045320

 

 

The greenery, moss covered everything, and the sound of cascading waterfalls is never-ending. The trail is mostly on a somewhat even surface rather than sloping toward the edge. This is good because like the website states there are several steep drop-offs and recommends neither dogs or kids. I know my dogs would be fine as most dogs have common sense; they generally seem smart enough not to go jumping off of cliffs. That being said, I would not take children under the age of 13; well considering today's mindset maybe up that to the age of 16.

 

 

 

 

After only a mile and a half there is a diversion trail to go down to Punch Bowl Falls. You can get a great view of it from above along the main route. At the 5-mile mark I found a slippery log crossing and managed to carefully get to the other side without dropping my phone into the rushing stream below. At mile 6 it was eerily quiet as I expected to hear the sought after Tunnel waterfall. I could hear the river below but no thundering falls so I began to think that the trail was longer than advertised. After another 5 minutes all of a sudden I rounded a bend and there was Tunnel Falls, a plunge type of waterfall ever so gradually retreating over the millennia of time.

 

 

 

 

I stashed my water bottle on the side of the trail and put my phone on video mode while I entered the tunnel behind the fall. The experience of being so close to a roaring cascade of water and mist is quite simply breathtaking and awesome! Droplets of water fell on my head as I entered the tunnel and immediately I spied light at the other end. Once through the dynamite-bIasted tunnel I found the trail continuing up and around another bend. I was at my pre-planned time limit and after testing my wits and peering into the plunge pool I backtracked through the tunnel back to my water bottle.

 

 

I was completely chilled and wet from the mist and now ready to accelerate my pace on the 5% downgrade of the trail. I hand carried one of those flimsy free water bottles from the hotel and had not even taken a sip until I turned around. I would only drink half of it by the end. I guess the humid environment, adrenaline, and excitement of a solo wilderness adventure led to no concern for my hydration. The sun began to break through the clouds on the return trip and illuminated the mossy covered forest and hillsides in a different manner than on the way up. About a mile down the trail I encountered another trail runner near the slippery log crossing and another half-mile further seen another trail runner on his way up. I increased my stride and pace trying to see if I could beat the 2-hour clock. I did it by 5 seconds and called Trish to tell her I was ok.

 

 

Being able to do this is trail on a Monday due to a travel day was a blessing. According to reviews the Eagle Creek trail is very popular and crowded on weekends. I began to see small groups of hikers during the last two mile as it was now approaching 9am.

 

 

Needless to say, if you are ever in the Portland area I highly recommend taking the 35-minute diversion east of town on I-84 to exit 41 and experience the trail magic for yourself.

THE RINCON / CATALINA BOONDOGGLE, TUCSON, ARIZONA - 2006

 

     Matt Chamberlain carries the primary blame for the initiation of the following boondoggle. On the 19^th of October, Matt sent an e-mail to the TTR group with the idea of a double range crossing of the two major mountain ranges surrounding Tucson, the Rincons and the Santa Catalinas. We have all been running up and down and around these ranges for decades and telling stories. What hasn’t happened except in pure idea and speculation was how to traverse both ranges in one day. I recall speaking of a similar plan in 1998 involving something like starting in Happy Valley at Miller Creek and ending up at Catalina State Park at the end of Romero in the vicinity of 48 miles. Sure, anyone could pull this off with enough help and the right weather and maybe another runner in the same physical condition and mindset. I have heard others chat about such things but the chatter never went beyond a dream and then the subject was dropped.

 

     I responded to Matt’s e-mail and then waited for the proposition of trail routes. In the meantime I drummed up other parties that are known for their boondoggling abilities. Jerry Riddick is always good for a double or triple range attempt. I know this by hearing him talk of Santa Rita, Patagonia, and Huachuca crossings. Chris Fall and I drew up a plan called the “Four Headed Monster” four years ago involving the ascension of all four major peaks surrounding Tucson in one day. We had finished Mica and Wrightson on the hottest day of that year so far and scratched. Matt completed his first 100 mile last summer at Lake Tahoe on a double out and back 50 mile course. Mike Wilke and Matt have both attempted the double range crossing in previous years and were held up by snow and injuries. I had just finished my first 100 mile at Western States this past summer after a DNF at Angeles Crest in 2003. Raoul Erickson said he was in. I had never met Raoul until now but he looked like he was capable of doing anything he set his mind to.

    

     We got together one week out to finalize logistics and the route. We had determined to start no later than 7am on the 25^th of November. I went home and told my wife Trish what the plan was and it might involve 18 to 24 hours. Since Thanksgiving is a four day weekend I could afford to kill a day. She said “Why don’t you guys quit planning and talking, and finish something for once.” Good point.

 

     We showed up at Raoul’s “DON’T EVER PARK IN FRONT OF” door by 4^th Avenue Saturday morning at 5am for transportation in his Suburban out to Happy Valley on the eastside of the Rincons. Steve Olsen from Oro Valley showed up for the first half of the run as well as Jerry Riddick. Those two both agreed to wear dresses because of the shortened route. Chris then showed up and said he was only going halfway so we let them off the hook because we didn’t have a third dress. Raoul had “company” from out of town drop in late so he had to opt out completely. He also had to arrange last minute transportation due to the Suburban being unserviceable.

 

     We headed out in two pick-up trucks being driven by Raoul and his friend Oscar. We made it to the Turkey Creek trailhead at 6:40am. You can start at the 6.2 miles to Deer Head Spring sign or drive 4WD into the 4.6 mile option. We drove in. By 6:55am we had donned our packs, took photos and were up the trail before sunrise.

 

 

     Basically a run of this magnitude, whether stopping at Molino Basin or going the whole way to Oracle involves early caloric intake and continuous hydration. All of us were well stocked with 100+ ounces of water and energy drink and plenty of snacks, gels and energy bars. The plan for aid was as follows: At the 5 to 6 hour mark Tom Kittle was meeting us at Redington Pass at FR 37 with drop bags and water as well as Ross Zimmerman with water and Gatorade. Ross wanted to come out and scout around on his mountain bike for next weekend’s 50K. From here Tom, and it turned out Ross and Pam also, were to drive over to Molino Basin Campground with more drop bags and water. Jerry’s wife Cathy was also scheduled to pick himself, Chris and Steve up for a ride back to town and home. Mike, Matt and I had drops ready for Tom to leave at the fire station at the Control Road at mile marker 25 on Mount Lemmon. That was our assisted plan. We had back-ups like chemical treatments for spring water and the old dependable spigot at the Palisades bathrooms. Also, we were still uncertain of a ride home from Oracle that night or next morning or Sunday afternoon.

 

     As I write this I know Matt is putting together a more technical description of the route and splits so I won’t go into as much detail. (At this point in time none of us owned a GPS watch, we did have cell phones though). I’ll give a brief overview of the route and describe the highlights of the day as I witnessed them. Like I said, we started at Turkey Creek TH and climbed up to Deer Head Spring and went north toward Spud Rock then through Mica Meadow and on to Italian Spring Trail. We decided not to go through Manning Camp or over the actual top of Mica Mountain. Steve and Matt have never been to the peak so we took a short break before heading down Italian Springs while they took the detour to bag the peak. The temp at the start of the run was near 50 degrees and the skies were clear with light winds. By the time we reached the top the temps were near 40 and the scenery was the best I have ever witnessed in my several trips to this mountain. There was some frost in the shady areas and Deer Head Spring was green and beautiful. The trail conditions were quite immaculate in comparison to others we would cover later that day.

 

 

     After a short rest while Matt and Steve looked at the 8,666 sign on Mica Mountain we headed down the Italian Springs Trail. So far most of the trails we covered were virgin to me. I had never been on any of the trails on the east and north side of the peak before so this was a real treat. The views from Italian Springs upon first descent are expansive to the east and west. The rock formations along the trail a couple of miles down are similar to Texas Canyon east of Benson. The trail is rough in spots but it appears that the Forest Service is in the process of working on many areas. As we got to the lower elevation we had to go through a couple of different gates. Trying to figure out accurate mileage through here is like taking the average of several different stories. Anyway, as we ran toward Redington Road I looked to the northwest at the immensity of the Catalina range in the distance and realized that we had a very long way to go.

 

 

     We hit Redington at five hours, almost an hour earlier than we estimated. Ross was here already on his bike and met us on the trail. He had water and Gatorade at the Trooper. We filled up and ate food out of our packs. Tom was expected around six hours so we figured we had enough water that Ross could give him the message to go to Molino. Just as we crossed the road to the trailhead Tom came driving up. At least now we could grab some more food and change into t-shirts. The portion of trail through Redington and Bellota Ranch is very runnable as it gradually descends for six or seven miles before coming to West Spring Tank. From there the trails climbs steeply to East Saddle before dropping over the north side 1.2 miles into Molino Basin. The entire section from Redington to Molino is advertised at 10 miles.

 

 

 

     The pace and banter through the mid-day was very casual. The temperature never seemed to get above 70 degrees and there were wispy clouds to take the bite out of the sun. Every couple of miles we stopped and snacked and talked. Someone mentioned that the reason they had decided not to run the whole thing is that they hadn’t done enough training to get ready for it. I said “This is what you do to get ready for other runs.”

 

    The 10 mile section took us about 3 hours. The climb up to the saddle was slow going but the reward was you could see the world below on both sides of the saddle. We arrived at Molino before 4pm and ate dinner.

 

     Dinner for me consisted of a thermos of still warm mashed potatoes and bacon, a cold chicken burrito, cantaloupe, salt and vinegar chips all washed down with an Ensure. I really felt good after that. Chris, Steve and Jerry were elated to be finished while Matt, Mike and I were watching the sun drop by the minute. We spent 45 minutes or so socializing and packing warm clothes and flashlights for the night traverse. Eventually we walked out to the trail and ascended our way to Prison Camp.

 

 

     By the time we reached the Sycamore Reservoir TH the sun had set with a pale glow in the background of the Arizona Trail sign. With the wispy clouds the sunset was awesome as a backdrop to the many rock formations in the front range of the Catalinas. It was still dusk as we descended to the reservoir and luckily just light enough to manage our way up to the Bear Canyon intersection without turning on our lights. We began the descent to Palisades with adapted night eyes but nothing could prevent some trepidation crossing the landslide ruts that crossed the trail. Maybe the drop-offs below looked worse because of the darkness. Right after crossing the first slide Mike slipped off the trail and I thought he was going down. Just as I was reaching down to grab his hand he caught a foothold and steadied himself. Hmmm, good time to pull out the flashlights.

 

     We reached the Palisades junction sign and discovered there was a washout right at the bottom where trail used to cross. We climbed up over the boulders and searched for signs of trails in the bushes and overgrowth. Matt turned out to be the best route finder in the night and once again was on while Mike and I were getting poked in the head with sticks and Cholla branches. Here again maybe the darkness exaggerated the poor condition of the trail but I found it to be overgrown so badly that our pace became a slog. It wasn’t pitch black due to the city lights which became lighter as we got higher. The moon was unsubstantial at about less than a quarter darting in and out of light clouds. We finally reached the bench rock overlook and took a snack break and broke out some warmer clothing. The trail from here to Mud Springs never improved except through the large boulder section where the weeds are less. As we approached the gully leading up to Mud Springs we could look off to our right and see the black abyss of Pine Canyon. I felt like we were headed into the belly of the whale as we crawled through the rocks and trees in the gully. Except for several matchsticks across the trail after the springs, the trail was easy to follow on up to Showers Point Campground. About a mile from the campground is where I began to feel chilled as the wind whipped up.

 

     We stopped for a bite to eat just before the dirt road leading to Mt. Lemmon. I had already donned my light shell jacket over my long sleeve Coolmax shirt. Due to the Camelbak making my back wet from sweat I couldn’t get warm sitting there. This is the first time the thought crossed my mind about hypothermia. Oh, I wasn’t even close, but conditions would get worse being it was only 10pm. Doubt crept in so I got up and moved out briskly to the restrooms at Palisades. Palisades is where our run plan first encountered a symptom of failure. The water spigot was capped. We had gone the last five and a half hours without a refill. Due to the extraneous weight carried in our packs it is hard to accurately determine how much water remains in the bladder as you are going along. Each of us pulled our bladders out of our packs and were reminded of a bad dream during Christmas. We each had around 20 ounces to carry us five miles up the road to the fire station. This was doable. Unspoken thoughts start to occur when fear creeps in. I went into the bathroom out of the wind and put on my pants and stocking cap and wondered if it made any sense to call Trish to ask her to drive up and get me. It felt good in the bathroom with no wind and I could sip my water but I was low on food. I knew we had our food and water drop five miles up a paved road. How long could it take; an hour? Mike was in the other bathroom and Matt seemed just as calm as ever. We rallied up and fast hiked up the hill till we got warm. The wind was blowing at our backs as we watched the city lights. Once we topped the hill above Spencer Campground there was renewed motivation to shuffle down to the Butterfly TH.

 

     One drawback to wearing pants to stay warm is that when sweat is generated through body heat then all the cuts and scrapes from earlier shiggy get reinvigorated. This happened several times through the night. We reached the fire station at midnight and found the stash that Tom dropped earlier in the day. There was light from a lamppost to see so we huddled behind the building to avoid the wind and eat our dinner. I had a Rockstar Juiced in my bag which provided the equivalent of about four cups of coffee. I also had a chicken chimichanga and more cantaloupe. We finally realized we had better get our butts off the ground and get moving to stay warm. Unspoken thought number two occurred as I watched Matt and Mike putting on more warm clothes. “Why didn’t I pack more clothes?” “I wonder if they have anything to spare?”

 

     We reached the Oracle Ridge TH and read the sign that said 12.5 miles to Oracle. At three miles an hour we’ll be done by 4am, cool. Not quite. I never realized there could be so much uphill on a gradually descending ridge. There were several other criss-crossing road options and since the route used the road at times it was sometimes uncertain where we were. At times we would veer off trail onto cattle trails until they died out and we backtracked to the real trail. At least twice I felt sleepy and wanted to fall down into the weeds near the barbed wire fence and take a nap. I occasionally wondered why it looked like Mike and Matt never got sleepy. Maybe they were but I just couldn’t tell. Unspoken thought number three occurred at this time. “Do you guys want to stop and take a 10 minute nap?” But then I thought, “What if we wake up and the sun is shining overhead?” “Trish will definitely be worried because I didn’t call.” I last talked to her at East Saddle and joked that I would either be home in time for dinner if I opted out at Molino or in time for breakfast if I went all the way. It had been twelve hours since I talked to her last so I figured she was already wondering where we were; so the nap was out of the question.

 

     There was not much talking. We took turns leading trail depending on when one of us would get off and the one behind became the new leader. After 5 hours we finally reached the AZ trail intersection that drops to Cody Loop Road in 1.8 miles or Mt. Lemmon Highway in 2.4. We had our hearts set on the 1.8. I called Steve Olsen at home to give him a heads up and his wife answered the phone and said he was already at the trailhead. I called his cell and he answered and said he was at the end of the 2.4 mile section. Luckily he was amenable to finding the other trail and we shuffled our fastest 1.8 mile split for the entire night. Steve was there when we finished and took our pictures. It was just after 6am and there was distant light in the sky. Steve took us to Circle K for cappuccinos and then brought us back to Raoul’s place to our cars. We grabbed our stuff from Steve’s truck and exchanged congratulations. I told Matt, “I’m not crazy; you’re the one who’s crazy." "Wait at least a month before announcing the next boondoggle so we have time to reminisce about this one.”

 

     In the end we spent 23 hours and 12 minutes traversing 60 miles on ‘pointless, unnecessary work.’ Thank you to Tom Kittle for spending his day with his kids driving around the mountains; Ross and Pam for being out there especially at Molino with cheerful faces; and especially to Steve for his generosity and sacrifice early in the morning to help out our wayward souls. For future double range crossers who want to raise the bar I would suggest an extra jacket and start two to three hours earlier as you will still have light up to Mud Springs on Palisades. The extra daylight would enable a Box Camp trail option letting you out further up the road past Spencer Canyon. Another idea would be to start in Oracle and get Oracle Ridge and it's myriad option of trails done first. If anyone is up for an adventure let me know, I am an official boondoggler.

 

Happy trails,

Chase 

Destination Races and Places

I compiled the following list of 15 races based on my desire to visit these beautiful and challenging courses. I broke the list down into 3 categories: Top 5 for Beauty and Challenge; Top 5 in the Northwest United States - an area where many of us in the Southwest do not frequently travel to; and my Top 5 Vacation Locales. Check out the links and plan your own destination race.

Top 5 for Beauty and Challenge

Hardrock 100 - Silverton, Colorado, July
www.hardrock100.com

It is kind of crazy to call this a dream race but in modern times it is very difficult to get into as an entrant. You need to qualify by running one of several of the most difficult 100-milers in the country. Then you have to beat the lottery where 1,000 people are vying for 130 spots. This will be my third year of trying to get in. The race itself is in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado, dotted with 14'ers like Handies Peak which is the highest point on the course. The elevation profile boasts of 33,000 feet of ascent and 33,000 of descent. Most people don't really want to get in the race but if they don't enter then they never stand a chance...scary.
  

Superior 100 - Lutsen, Minnesota, September
www.superiortrailrace.com

Being originally from Minnesota I had always wanted to visit the North Shore in the fall when the leaves are changing color. We traveled to this race in 2006 and I ran the marathon distance covering the last 26.2 miles of the course. It was gorgeous with bright yellow, orange and red leaves next to cool running creeks and views of Lake Superior. I would like to see the first 75 miles of the course as well. It's also a Hardrock qualifier. It's a great time of the year to visit Minnesota, especially that far north. It hasn't started to snow yet but is cool enough to kill off the mosquitoes. An extra Boundary Water Canoe Area sidetrip after the race wouldn't be a bad idea either.


Western States 100 - Auburn, California, June
www.ws100.com

Western is billed as the oldest 100-mile race in America starting in 1974. I ran Western States in 2006 and it became my first 100-mile finish. The course is challenging with more downhill than up but also absolutely beautiful with well-stocked aid stations and volunteers galore. Going to Western is like attending a running party. With the increased popularity of ultrarunning, this race is entered by lottery and must have completed a 50-mile race of less than 11 hours to qualify. I want to go back just for the Western experience and then soak my legs in the Yuba River with a craft brew for a week after I finish.


Miwok 100K - Marin Headlands, California, May
www.run100s.com/miwok/

Miwok is held on a variety of trails in the Marin Headlands north of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Trish and I ran the Headlands 50K two different years and enjoyed the trails as well as the area and everything you could do before and after the race. Like Waldo it is a 100K and is a distance that I have not put emphasis on in the past. The Miwok course is non-stop ups and downs and the ridges are not filled with trees allowing expansive views of the coastline. Miwok is an annual trainer for many who are entered to run Western States 7 weeks later.


Imogene Pass Run 17.1, Ouray, Colorado, September
www.imogenerun.com

Imogene Pass Run (IPR) takes place in the Western San Juan Mountains. The distance is just over 17 miles but the challenge is in the elevation gain of over 5,000 feet in the first 10 miles and then a descent of over 4,000 feet over the next 7 miles. It is a point-to-point race from Ouray to Telluride held the weekend after Labor Day. The whole thing sounds fun to me; a great time of year transitioning from summer to fall; the high alpine mountains; and two great towns to hang out in and tell trail stories, of course with a craft IPA in hand.


Top Five Northwest Destinations

 
Gorge Waterfalls 50K - Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, March
www.gorgewaterfalls50k.blogspot.com

I discovered this race by reading the 2011 race report after its inaugural run just outside of Portland, Oregon. I came very close to hitting the "send entry" button this year before it filled up but I was supposed to get deployed and wasn't sure if I would still be in country on race day. The pictures of waterfalls abundant and greenery everywhere make it look like you are running through an enchanted forest. The race is in March so it will be wet and chilly but exhilirating.


Cle Elum Ridge Trail 50K, Cle Elum, Washington, September
www.cleelum50k.com

Another Northwest destination race located outside Seattle, WA in the Wenatchee National Forest. The race is held in mid-September on an oblong loop course with 7,000 feet of elevation gain. It is advertised as Washington State's second oldest ultra at 16 years running.


Whiskeytown Trail 50K, Redding, California, October
http://www.sweatrc.com/Whiskeytown_Trail_Runs/

Whiskeytown Lake is just outside of Redding, CA. This race is a low-key ultra in Northern California with just around 50 people in the 50K and another 50 in the 30K. The area is beautiful and there are multiple creek crossings on the course (15 times across Mill Creek between miles 18-21) which has around 5,000 feet of ascent and descent. The main draw for me is the road trip possibilities that can be done in this area. Fly into Sacramento and drive to Redding for the race. After the race take Hwy 299 to the west over to Eureka, spend the night and then the next day take the Coast Hwy 101 down to Ukiah. The last leg takes you back to Sacramento. The drive goes around the Mendocino National Forest and through Humboldt Redwood State Park. We plan to take an extra day and drive the Lost Coast - Mattole Road and stop in and see Ken Young. Check out more info here: http://www.americansouthwest.net/california/lost-coast/index.html

 
Cascade Crest 100 - Easton, Washington, August
www.cascadecrest100.com

I have raced so often in the Southwest that I have a real desire to travel to the Northwest and check out more races. I had previously traveled to the White River 50-mile in 2002 and was treated to far off views of Mt. Rainier. The Cascade Crest course is a loop 100 which appeals to me because I like to feel like I reached a destination. The course is also run around the beautiful Cascade Mountain Range. Cascade has over 20,000 feet of elevation gain and is a Hardrock qualifier. Also, this race is hard to get into as it filled up in 7 minutes in 2012.


Waldo 100K - Willamette Pass Ski Area, outside Eugene, Oregon, August
www.waldo100k.org

Waldo is interesting to me because it is also in Oregon, a state that I haven't yet visited much less run in. I have also never run an official 100K and this one is tough, primarily single track with 11,000 feet of elevation gain. Here is a little better description of the course: There are three major climbs of more than 2,000′ each and two minor climbs of more than 1,000′ each. The highest point is 7,818′ at the top of Maiden Peak and the lowest point is at Gold Lake, about 4,900′. The name of the race was decided on when it was clear that runners could only ever “see” Waldo Lake from the high peaks and never arrive there. Cool!

Top Five Vacation Spots to Run

Tarawera Ultra 100K/85K/60K, Rotorua, New Zealand, March
http://www.taraweraultra.co.nz/index.html

Ok, I know there are famous ultras in France, England, Switzerland, Greece, etc. but New Zealand beats all of the old countries in my mind. Biggest problem with getting to this destination is the airfare - typically around $1700. Here is the description of the course: The Tarawera Ultra is a point to point run from Rotorua through to Kawerau. The vast majority of the run is on singletrack trails through native bush or forestry roads with less than 10% being on a sealed public road (between Blue Lake - Tikitapu to just past the Okareka Aid Station). In the Tarawera Forest you will be on deserted forestry roads, some of it, alongside the river. This is a trail run - not a road race.
It is a net downhill with a 357 metre (840 foot) elevation loss. The running surface is excellent with free-draining volcanic soils with some technical roots and rocks on the Oaktaina and Tarawera section of the course from Humphries Bay to The Outlet. There is a river, lakes and creeks for you to cool off if you start to feel hot during the run. Total evelvation gain for the 100k is estimated to be 2776m or 9100 feet.

The main draw for me is the exotic location and multitude of outdoor activities available on a week long excursion away from home.


Big Sur Trail Marathon, Big Sur, California, September
www.envirosports.com/default.asp?PageID=20876

This is a trail marathon and not the road version of Big Sur which attracts a "few" more people. The run is held along the Old Coast Highway and is an out and back along a gorgeous hilly trail with constant views of the coastline. The event is limited to 300 so you have to sign-up early.


Equinox Marathon, Fairbanks, Alaska, September
www.equinoxmarathon.org

Here is an interesting marathon which also has a 40-mile option. The race is in Faribanks, Alaska on the day of the Autumnal Equinox. The website states the race is in its 50th year. The race is run on trail and just below the Arctic Circle. Technically I have run a marathon in Alaska when I ran the Frank Maier Marathon in Juneau on the very southeast leg of Alaska along the Canadian border. Fairbanks is almost in the center of the state and leaves no doubt that you are up north.


Copper Canyon Ultra-Marathon 50 Mile, Urique, Mexico, March
http://caballoblanco.org/ccum-official-press-release/

If you haven't heard about this race then you haven't read Born to Run. For 2013 the race does have a new director after the passing of Micah True, the race founder. Some proceeds and prizes from the race go to the local Tarahumara people as well as many donations of food and clothing. It is billed as a 50-mile (80km) run at the bottom of the Urique canyon, in the Barrancas Del Cobre or Copper Canyons of Mexico with side canyon trips. I've never run a race in Mexico and this destination with the community of runners coming together with the local people looks like a worthwhile event.


Tahoe Rim 50K - Lake Tahoe, Nevada, July
www.tahoemtnmilers.org/trter/trtindex.html

Trish and I ran Tahoe Rim Trail 50K/50M in 2003. A couple of the races on my dream list are races I have done previously. That tells you something about why they are still on the list. One, they are worth going back to and secondly, they can be impossible to gain entry into either due to lottery or filling up so quickly that you get left out if you're not paying attention. Tahoe Rim Trail race is run on the eastside of Lake Tahoe and has spectacular views. The race has expanded to include a 100-miler. I did the 50-mile which is an out and back and would not be interested in covering the same terrain four times and in the dark.


Where would you like to travel to for a race? Please share your ideas of a destination race and explain why.

In Search of the Meganeura, a.k.a the Giant Dragonfly; on the Island of Kauai

On my last day of our trip to Kauai I dropped Trish off at the Lihue airport at 11am for her flight home. Our flights were separate and mine didn't leave until 10:30pm later that evening. With over 8 hours to kill I was determined to discover something rarely sighted but known to exist up by Mount Wai'ale'ale, also known as the wettest spot on earth, receiving on average 450 inches of rain per year.

We rented a Jeep Wrangler and had not yet found a chance to get it muddy. I drove 12 miles up Highway 580 from the eastside of the island along the Wailua River. The last 5 miles are on a 4-wheel drive road which receives several rainfalls a day. That day was no different with potholes filled with muddy water and several stretches of 6 inch deep muddy trails.

I had researched the route and had a few trail options to explore along the way but opted to bypass all of them in order to hike through the jungle into the headwaters of the Wailua, the Wai'ale' ale Crater.

I finally found the end of the road and spotted the gauging station.

Just as I pulled into the roundabout a Giant Dragonfly buzzed across my windshield.

It was very large, at least an 8-inch wingspan and a long blue body. My camera was in my pack and I lost the opportunity to snap a photo. But now I had hope that as I wrangled my way through the upcoming jungle trail I would find more even larger dragonflies.

Wrangle turned out to be an underestimation of how I managed to follow the trail. I started out by crossing a bridge over shallow flowing water coming from the crater.

I could see the back wall of the crater in the distance covered in lush green vegetation. I was told that the Blue Hole, the actual headwaters, was about a 2-mile hike in along a gnarly muddy trail and several stream crossings with a lot of boulder hopping. I found the beginning of the trail on my right and went in about 200 feet before the trail quickly turned to shoe-sucking mud and moss covered branches that I had to low crawl under in order to continue.

I began to notice that someone had recently wrapped orange duct tape around tree limbs at key decision points. These markers saved me a lot of time but were sparse and not always where I needed them. At those times I ended up in the stream and boulder hopped until I spotted another tape marker. I got lost twice and scrambled through wild raspberry bushes, scratching my lower bare legs. 

I wore Teva sandals which turned out to be a wise choice. Many times the only option was to step ankle deep into the mud and hang onto the thin trees on the side in order to not lose my balance and fall down. I spent an hour traveling just over a mile when I found an orange piece of tape draped over a rock.

A couple feet away I spotted the empty cardboard tape roll laying amongst the rocks on the side of the trail.

This was a bad omen indicating that the trail was unmarked from here on out. I continued for several more meters and quickly lost any sign of further trail options. I made my way back to the stream to see how close I had come to the crater wall. The wall was daunting and huge with a thick cloud covering the upper part of the crater.

There were several helicopters flying below the crater rim carrying tourists on sightseeing excursions. I wondered if anyone could see me with the white hat I wore on my head. I took a couple of photos and low and behold I spotted another Giant Dragonfly whir past me along the rushing stream. He did not linger and I lost another opportunity to snap a photo.

It was 3pm and I was getting hungry. I decided that it was a good time to make my way back and get down the road back to Lihue before dark. The return trip was just as difficult coming back as going out.

I recognized several landmarks and plants which helped but the footing was terrible. It took me an hour to return the one and a quarter mile journey. I felt a sense of accomplishment in that I was weary from the hike but mostly because I did in fact spot two Giant Dragonflies and got the Jeep dirty enough to get a snooty look from the rental agent.