2013 2nd place finisher Gabriel Szerda coming down the Turkey Springs Trail
Next Saturday, July 11th, I will be headed up for a long run on the first miles of the course. It's solid 6 hour loop, 25 some miles. (You can always assume I'm off 2-4 miles, I don't pay much attention to the finer details of exact mileage.)
We'll head up the first miles of the course on Pine Canyon Trail from the start of the race on Pine Trailhead. We'll head almost 9 miles up the canyon to what is the first aid station of the race, Pine Canyon. That's 2,300 feet of climbing by that point.
We'll take General Crook trail out to the Milk Ranch Point forest road and take the rolling, generally downhill miles on the dirt road to Dickerson Flat. This is the location of the second aid station in the race and 13 miles into the day (and race.) We can split off from here depending on people's time restraints. The 23.1 mile example below shows taking the road past Dickerson Flat and going another mile to where West Webber trail pops out at what is mile 100 in the race. Continuing another mile on the road past that takes runners to the entrance to Donahue Trail. The singletrack continues down off the Rim, down some infamously dangerous switchbacks and rocks from hell, to the Highline Trail. A right turn follows the Highline Trail about 1.5 miles down some seriously fun downhill back to the cars at the Pine Trailhead. As the segment below was run from the town of Pine and back, it's really more like 19 or so miles if you did this.
If you want to go the route of the course with us, we're going to drop off the truly EPIC (while seriously overused, this descent is why the word was created in the first place) descent off Turkey Springs Trail. We'll descent almost 2000 feet to the intersection of West Webber Trail and head straight back up the Rim. After another awesome climb up some unrelenting switchbacks in the forest, we'll top off back at 8,000 ft and hit the Milk Ranch Point road. We'll head left, down Donahue and the Highline Trail back to the cars. Again, somewhere about 25 miles/6 hours/5500 ft climbing, give or take depending on the group and any other unexpected delays.
If you are in the Phoenix area, you can meet at the Wendy's parking lot in Fountain Hills at 4:30am Saturday. It's on Shea just west of the Bee Line Highway 87. I can fit 4 additional people in my truck and everyone is welcome to pile in. I have runner proofed my truck with seat covers. Anyone else that wants to drive themselves, feel free to meet us there and follow us up.
If you want to meet us there or are coming from the Flagstaff area, meet at the Pine Trailhead at 6:30am. Same start as the race, same start as Zane Grey. Easy to find, just about 1/2 mile south of THAT Brewery and Pine, AZ on the 87. Takes about 90 minutes from the Wendy's. We will be starting the run at 6:30am so don't be late.
Bring plenty of water. There is nowhere to resupply water for the entire route. I know, that sucks. There are several unreliable streams, but best to pack it in just in case we don't come across any additional water.
Please email me/text or somehow let me know you are coming I know who is coming. This is a rugged, course regardless of the route or section we do. Please come prepared for some tough trails, elevation, rocks, getting cut up by manzanita, and be prepared to be self sufficient on the trail.
Hope to see some of you out there!
Jeremy
We'll head up the first miles of the course on Pine Canyon Trail from the start of the race on Pine Trailhead. We'll head almost 9 miles up the canyon to what is the first aid station of the race, Pine Canyon. That's 2,300 feet of climbing by that point.
We'll take General Crook trail out to the Milk Ranch Point forest road and take the rolling, generally downhill miles on the dirt road to Dickerson Flat. This is the location of the second aid station in the race and 13 miles into the day (and race.) We can split off from here depending on people's time restraints. The 23.1 mile example below shows taking the road past Dickerson Flat and going another mile to where West Webber trail pops out at what is mile 100 in the race. Continuing another mile on the road past that takes runners to the entrance to Donahue Trail. The singletrack continues down off the Rim, down some infamously dangerous switchbacks and rocks from hell, to the Highline Trail. A right turn follows the Highline Trail about 1.5 miles down some seriously fun downhill back to the cars at the Pine Trailhead. As the segment below was run from the town of Pine and back, it's really more like 19 or so miles if you did this.
If you want to go the route of the course with us, we're going to drop off the truly EPIC (while seriously overused, this descent is why the word was created in the first place) descent off Turkey Springs Trail. We'll descent almost 2000 feet to the intersection of West Webber Trail and head straight back up the Rim. After another awesome climb up some unrelenting switchbacks in the forest, we'll top off back at 8,000 ft and hit the Milk Ranch Point road. We'll head left, down Donahue and the Highline Trail back to the cars. Again, somewhere about 25 miles/6 hours/5500 ft climbing, give or take depending on the group and any other unexpected delays.
If you are in the Phoenix area, you can meet at the Wendy's parking lot in Fountain Hills at 4:30am Saturday. It's on Shea just west of the Bee Line Highway 87. I can fit 4 additional people in my truck and everyone is welcome to pile in. I have runner proofed my truck with seat covers. Anyone else that wants to drive themselves, feel free to meet us there and follow us up.
If you want to meet us there or are coming from the Flagstaff area, meet at the Pine Trailhead at 6:30am. Same start as the race, same start as Zane Grey. Easy to find, just about 1/2 mile south of THAT Brewery and Pine, AZ on the 87. Takes about 90 minutes from the Wendy's. We will be starting the run at 6:30am so don't be late.
Bring plenty of water. There is nowhere to resupply water for the entire route. I know, that sucks. There are several unreliable streams, but best to pack it in just in case we don't come across any additional water.
Please email me/text or somehow let me know you are coming I know who is coming. This is a rugged, course regardless of the route or section we do. Please come prepared for some tough trails, elevation, rocks, getting cut up by manzanita, and be prepared to be self sufficient on the trail.
Hope to see some of you out there!
Jeremy
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