I had a chance to get up on the Rim this weekend for some Zane Grey training mixed with Mogollon Monster sections. Ran from Pine Trailhead (start of the race for both Zane and MOG100) and headed east up the Highline Trail for about 7.25 miles where it meets the Geronimo Trail. Zane Grey runners continue on to Geronimo AS but Monster runners would be leaving Geronimo mile 93 and hitting this intersection. I headed up the Rim left at the Turkey Springs intersection and climbed 1500 feet to the top of the Rim on West Webber. Short section on the forest road to what would be Mile 100 of the race and the steep, rocky, bastard of a descent down Donahue to the final 1.5 miles back to Pine trailhead.
Lots of new trees across the trail on West Webber which I'll need to remove but the Highline is in great shape (which is almost like saying a 300lb man looks "slim") and Donahue was super fun with such wide, expansive views while you tried to maneuver through the boulder field of rocks after you come out of the forest. It got a little sketchy for a bit there...but was so beautiful I didn't mind. You might mind a bit more if it was say...dark..and mile 103...
Saw a massive female elk on West Webber I almost ran into. I only saw this big black shadow so my first thought was, "Great, I'm going to see the freaking Mogollon Monster and it's of course the only time I went alone. Nobody is going to believe me..." But it was just an elk and it scared the shit out of me nonetheless as my head was down and they are massive and make a TON of noise when startled.
It's all but a guarantee that you'll encounter elk on this course. I'm probably 19 for 20 in trips up there since last summer alone. Ton of smaller game and lizards. Everything very much alive and excited to have the warm temps up there.
Hadn't made it back up on the course since the winter snow. Still some patches up above 7,000ft but everything is accessible. So beautiful up there, almost to the point you just forget just how incredible an area it really is.
Zane Grey 50M is April 27th and after that we'll try and make it up for a Cabin Loop 20 miler or so if anyone is interested in seeing part of the course.
Here's a link to the route I ran this weekend if anyone is interested.
http://app.strava.com/activities/47567392
Lots of new trees across the trail on West Webber which I'll need to remove but the Highline is in great shape (which is almost like saying a 300lb man looks "slim") and Donahue was super fun with such wide, expansive views while you tried to maneuver through the boulder field of rocks after you come out of the forest. It got a little sketchy for a bit there...but was so beautiful I didn't mind. You might mind a bit more if it was say...dark..and mile 103...
Saw a massive female elk on West Webber I almost ran into. I only saw this big black shadow so my first thought was, "Great, I'm going to see the freaking Mogollon Monster and it's of course the only time I went alone. Nobody is going to believe me..." But it was just an elk and it scared the shit out of me nonetheless as my head was down and they are massive and make a TON of noise when startled.
It's all but a guarantee that you'll encounter elk on this course. I'm probably 19 for 20 in trips up there since last summer alone. Ton of smaller game and lizards. Everything very much alive and excited to have the warm temps up there.
Hadn't made it back up on the course since the winter snow. Still some patches up above 7,000ft but everything is accessible. So beautiful up there, almost to the point you just forget just how incredible an area it really is.
Zane Grey 50M is April 27th and after that we'll try and make it up for a Cabin Loop 20 miler or so if anyone is interested in seeing part of the course.
Here's a link to the route I ran this weekend if anyone is interested.
http://app.strava.com/activities/47567392
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