Sunday, September 1, 2013. Three days of acclimating to 10000+ feet elevation have passed. Mount Zirkel lies 18 miles north of my camp at Luna Lake, perched atop the Continental Divide. The time is 5:15 am, and it is time to go.
I want to make it to the Divide in time for sunrise so I leave in the dark, armed with a headlamp, two water bottles, and a pack filled with calories and a few emergency supplies I have convinced myself will be worth carting over 36 miles. There is also a full water bladder in this pack too. This will be important later.
The previous three days, I have started the day with a time trial up to the Divide. Just to see how my fitness is improving (or not) as the days pass. Today is a long day so I take it easy and walk most of the way up to the Divide. The sky begins to light up as I approach the Wyoming Trail along the Divide, promising a stunning sunrise, the reward for my restless sleep and early rising. Sure enough... the sun does not disappoint (as Sol rarely does).
I continue along the Divide, heading toward the Lost Ranger, a 12000+ peak and, upon cresting the thing, I see my object on the horizon, dimly lit by the rising run, Mount Zirkel, flanked by the ever-so-slightly-shorter Big Agnes. Mount Zirkel is the namesake of this Wilderness and rightly so: it commands the Wilderness and the respect of those who wish to gain its summit.
So I run. I run downhill and I walk uphill what with my oxygen problem up at this altitude. The water on my back pisses me off though. Sloshing around, being all heavy and whatnot. Then I notice I am sweating. A lot. From my butt. This is strange as I have yet to sweat noticeably all week. It's so dry and the sun is so intense up here that sweat evaporates before you even notice its there. So why is my ass soaking wet? Damn water bladder broke! The junction between the hose and the bladder itself broke and now the contents are leaking down by backside. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise though? I hate that thing back there and now I have no choice but to empty it out.
And now I feel a million times better! My pack is several pounds lighter, it sits stably on my back, and my butt is refreshed. Onward! After traversing some surprising and beautiful high alpine meadows, the trail descends several thousand feet to about 9500' before the long ascent toward Mt. Zirkel commences. This is great, actually. At 9500' I can run! Uphill! Not a steep hill, mind you, but an uphill incline nonetheless. For the first time in four days, I am able to make about 12 minutes per mile on something other than flat or downhill terrain. Thank you Oxygen! But, the uphill incline is accompanied by a monotonic increase in elevation, as will happen in these things. So eventually I am reduced to sucking air and power walking. But this is also great! Because I am in the mountains!!! I came here to do this and now I am doing this and it's marvelous and wonderful and happy.
After an hour or so making tracks up toward the approach to My Zirkel, I find myself in a high Alpine meadow under the unwavering gaze of these high peaks. I think they are laughing at me and my pitiful attempt to scale them via "running." Anyway, see for yourself, it was a rather moving sight.
The approach up Mt. Zirkel is a series of long switchbacks up a barren slope into a pass in which the dirt is red. It's name is "Red Dirt Pass." Clever. From here the trail goes straight up several hundred feet onto a flat ridge that runs to the summit. I am always amazed by the boulder fields one often finds atop mountains... makes for slow going but damn its fascinating stuff! Anyway, I figure out which bumpity bump atop the mountain is the actual summit, pass some folks who like my bright yellow shorts, and find myself atop Mt. Zirkel.
And then I cry. For like a minute. This is the first time I actually realize that the past is past and that all I have left is the future. This is a stupid simple concept but I suppose it had yet to occur to me that I am in fact leaving Madison and going west. That I will no longer see the people I am closest to on a daily basis. But then of course, this is OK! Change is good and the future is a terribly exciting place where anything can and will happen. So I spend a few minutes atop Mt. Zirkel, think about all the people who have helped me get where I am today, the people I wish wish were with me right now, and eat a peanut butter-nutella-granola wrap. After sufficient pondering and reminiscing I take my leave from this amazing place and start working my way down the boulders and off the mountain.
The trip back is just a slog in terms of running. 18 miles back down off Zirkel, back up to the high meadows north of Lost Ranger, a tangle with a little bit of lightning atop Lost Ranger and, finally the long slow descent back into Luna Lake. I'd say more about this second half of the run but I was so overwhelmed atop Zirkel, so flooded with emotion once I realized just where I was and what was going on in my life, that I have so little to say about the second half. Except this: once I got the little bit of sadness out of my system, I was so filled with optimism and happiness about where I can go from here that I hardly recall what went through my mind for the next five hours or so. All I recall is a feeling that things aren't just going to be all right, they are going to be great. And not just for me but for all of us. So much lies out of our control but we can influence things just enough, I think, to always steer our lives toward excitement and happiness. Freakin' sweet!
OK, 36 miles down, about 8500 ft of elevation gain to go with it. All between 9500' and 12500'. A nice little cry in the middle to round it all out ha. Total time? Who even cares? I did this for fun, not for fast. But, for those who like to keep score (me a tiny bit), about 10 hours and 18 minutes on the move. Not a bad way to spend a day! After ending the day with a freezing dip in the lake, all I can do is sit, eat, drink, and contemplate the run and the events of the past 6 years. What a run it has been, literally and figuratively! I think the video atop Mt. Zirkel says it all - where would I be without my friends and family? I'd rather not even contemplate that. I am so grateful for all of you over all these years. And I cannot wait to share many more experiences with you all over all the years to come.
Now, go for a run or a hike in some mountains. Perhaps you cannot always move them but, I can assure you, they will move you.
Peace world :)
I want to make it to the Divide in time for sunrise so I leave in the dark, armed with a headlamp, two water bottles, and a pack filled with calories and a few emergency supplies I have convinced myself will be worth carting over 36 miles. There is also a full water bladder in this pack too. This will be important later.
The previous three days, I have started the day with a time trial up to the Divide. Just to see how my fitness is improving (or not) as the days pass. Today is a long day so I take it easy and walk most of the way up to the Divide. The sky begins to light up as I approach the Wyoming Trail along the Divide, promising a stunning sunrise, the reward for my restless sleep and early rising. Sure enough... the sun does not disappoint (as Sol rarely does).
Sunrise at 12000 feet.
I continue along the Divide, heading toward the Lost Ranger, a 12000+ peak and, upon cresting the thing, I see my object on the horizon, dimly lit by the rising run, Mount Zirkel, flanked by the ever-so-slightly-shorter Big Agnes. Mount Zirkel is the namesake of this Wilderness and rightly so: it commands the Wilderness and the respect of those who wish to gain its summit.
My first glimpse of Mt. Zirkel.
So I run. I run downhill and I walk uphill what with my oxygen problem up at this altitude. The water on my back pisses me off though. Sloshing around, being all heavy and whatnot. Then I notice I am sweating. A lot. From my butt. This is strange as I have yet to sweat noticeably all week. It's so dry and the sun is so intense up here that sweat evaporates before you even notice its there. So why is my ass soaking wet? Damn water bladder broke! The junction between the hose and the bladder itself broke and now the contents are leaking down by backside. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise though? I hate that thing back there and now I have no choice but to empty it out.
And now I feel a million times better! My pack is several pounds lighter, it sits stably on my back, and my butt is refreshed. Onward! After traversing some surprising and beautiful high alpine meadows, the trail descends several thousand feet to about 9500' before the long ascent toward Mt. Zirkel commences. This is great, actually. At 9500' I can run! Uphill! Not a steep hill, mind you, but an uphill incline nonetheless. For the first time in four days, I am able to make about 12 minutes per mile on something other than flat or downhill terrain. Thank you Oxygen! But, the uphill incline is accompanied by a monotonic increase in elevation, as will happen in these things. So eventually I am reduced to sucking air and power walking. But this is also great! Because I am in the mountains!!! I came here to do this and now I am doing this and it's marvelous and wonderful and happy.
After an hour or so making tracks up toward the approach to My Zirkel, I find myself in a high Alpine meadow under the unwavering gaze of these high peaks. I think they are laughing at me and my pitiful attempt to scale them via "running." Anyway, see for yourself, it was a rather moving sight.
Alpine Meadow Approaching Mt. Zirkel
The approach up Mt. Zirkel is a series of long switchbacks up a barren slope into a pass in which the dirt is red. It's name is "Red Dirt Pass." Clever. From here the trail goes straight up several hundred feet onto a flat ridge that runs to the summit. I am always amazed by the boulder fields one often finds atop mountains... makes for slow going but damn its fascinating stuff! Anyway, I figure out which bumpity bump atop the mountain is the actual summit, pass some folks who like my bright yellow shorts, and find myself atop Mt. Zirkel.
And then I cry. For like a minute. This is the first time I actually realize that the past is past and that all I have left is the future. This is a stupid simple concept but I suppose it had yet to occur to me that I am in fact leaving Madison and going west. That I will no longer see the people I am closest to on a daily basis. But then of course, this is OK! Change is good and the future is a terribly exciting place where anything can and will happen. So I spend a few minutes atop Mt. Zirkel, think about all the people who have helped me get where I am today, the people I wish wish were with me right now, and eat a peanut butter-nutella-granola wrap. After sufficient pondering and reminiscing I take my leave from this amazing place and start working my way down the boulders and off the mountain.
Atop Mt. Zirkel. It's been a long exciting road to get here and a long exciting road onwards from here :)
The trip back is just a slog in terms of running. 18 miles back down off Zirkel, back up to the high meadows north of Lost Ranger, a tangle with a little bit of lightning atop Lost Ranger and, finally the long slow descent back into Luna Lake. I'd say more about this second half of the run but I was so overwhelmed atop Zirkel, so flooded with emotion once I realized just where I was and what was going on in my life, that I have so little to say about the second half. Except this: once I got the little bit of sadness out of my system, I was so filled with optimism and happiness about where I can go from here that I hardly recall what went through my mind for the next five hours or so. All I recall is a feeling that things aren't just going to be all right, they are going to be great. And not just for me but for all of us. So much lies out of our control but we can influence things just enough, I think, to always steer our lives toward excitement and happiness. Freakin' sweet!
OK, 36 miles down, about 8500 ft of elevation gain to go with it. All between 9500' and 12500'. A nice little cry in the middle to round it all out ha. Total time? Who even cares? I did this for fun, not for fast. But, for those who like to keep score (me a tiny bit), about 10 hours and 18 minutes on the move. Not a bad way to spend a day! After ending the day with a freezing dip in the lake, all I can do is sit, eat, drink, and contemplate the run and the events of the past 6 years. What a run it has been, literally and figuratively! I think the video atop Mt. Zirkel says it all - where would I be without my friends and family? I'd rather not even contemplate that. I am so grateful for all of you over all these years. And I cannot wait to share many more experiences with you all over all the years to come.
Now, go for a run or a hike in some mountains. Perhaps you cannot always move them but, I can assure you, they will move you.
Peace world :)
Thanks so much for sharing this ... as far as I'm concerned, this was the most mysterious part of your trip. I'm glad I waited for this blog post! You are a fine young fellow, GSF! ♥
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