“So shut up, live,
travel, adventure, bless and don't be sorry”
In some ways,
having to ford Roland Creek is a blessing: the chilly snowmelt cools down my
burning feet, and at the pace I’m moving the squishiness isn’t too bothersome.
Just 6.5 more miles back to the trailhead…
Over 40 miles
into the day, I’m moving at a slow shuffle, popping jelly beans and washing
them down with creek water. My left arch is sore and curling my toes down while
I hike the hills actually helps.
Two miles
left: a party of backpacking women scoots off the trail to let me pass. They’re
either extremely courteous or I look as bad as my body is tired.
Sitting down
in the trunk of my car feels weird. For the last 10.5 hours I’ve been on my
legs, even when I spent 15 minutes on the summit of Desolation Peak, I realize
I never sat down.
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After Sun
Mountain I was really excited to do some running in the mountains. There is
little snowpack compared to an average year and in a few more weeks more high-country
routes hopefully will open up.
It’s about 15
miles of mostly flat, rolling terrain from Highway 20 to Lightning Creek and
the turnoff for Desolation. Sometimes scenic, but mostly through dense forest,
there aren’t too many great views along the trail until you’re all the way on
the Desolation trail.
Bring an
extra set of quads and calve muscles. After the turnoff it’s an average of
1,000 feet of vertical gain per mile for 4.7 miles. And even knowing that there’s
a false summit doesn’t help very much when you crest it, and look up to see the
lookout, another 200 vertical feet up.
The summit is
cool and windy, and after refilling my hydration bladder with snow I snap a few
pictures, eat a bit and start back down.
 |
| Panorama from Desolation Peak, from north (r) to south (l), looking west. |
 |
| Opposite view from above, from north (l) to south (r), looking east. |
 |
| 25 down, 22 to go. |
Finally, when
I reach the bottom of Desolation and turn onto the East Bank Trail, I know I’m
going to be able to do this.
Before yesterday my longest run was 50k (31 miles). After getting lost early on and mentally
beating myself up way more than necessary, I had my doubts. Could I use it as
an excuse to quit? Maybe only do 36 miles roundtrip and skip out on summiting
Desolation? I hate that I even let myself think those thoughts. I knew what I
wanted to do, and as long as I wasn't injured or in danger, I should have been
mentally stronger. I hope that’s a lesson I don’t soon forget.
Even if I simply
have to hike the 15 miles from Lightning Creek, I know I can make it. I’m
tired; no acute pain, just fatigue.
I pass
Rainbow Point and know that if I can keep moving well, I’ll get some good water
when I ford Roland and then it’s just a hike over Hidden Hand Pass, a descent
and some rolling terrain back to the car.
I’m still
moving well. I make it to the bridge over Ruby Creek and hike the ¼ mile up to
the car.
Done:
 |
| Rehydrated and downed some protein recovery drink, followed by ice-cold Mountain Dew from the Newhalem General Store and then Dairy Queen in Sedro-Woolley. Quality, no? |
I made the
day a bit longer by making silly mistakes: I blew right past the turnoff for
the East Bank Trail before Ruby Pasture, and ping pong-ed around for two and a
half (!?!?) miles (miles 2.5-5). Then after the Lightning Creek bridge crossing,
you need to take the right trail (labeled Hozomeen) for a few hundred yards
before reaching another fork; go left on the trail labeled Desolation. Oh well;
character
building.
It was a
fabulous day and I have to say thank you to the groups of people, and two National Park Service rangers, who I met along the trails and were very supportive, giving me great words of encouragement along the
way. It was nice to hear that they thought I was doing something cool, as
opposed to stupid/crazy/masochistic J .
Car to summit
(includes the three “bonus” miles while lost): 25 miles, 5:29:17
Roundtrip: 47 miles, 10:19:37, 10,100’ total vertical
gain (10:36 total time, including the 15 minutes spent on Desolation summit)
NOTES FOR OTHER RUNNERS/HIKERS
There are
many streams for water early on. There is only one small stream between
Lightning Creek and the Desolation Peak trail. I think it’ll dry up relatively soon,
so fill up from the Lightning Campground on the lake before heading to
Desolation, just to be safe. There is a bit of patchy snow, and 200 yards of
solid snow, below the summit, but it’s soft and melting.
Roland Creek
is the only ford, everything else is passable on rocks or logs.
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Enjoy the
trails!
