Monday, December 13, 2010

C2M Trail Work/Run

Saturday was the first of our usual 3 annual trail work trips pre-Coyote Two Moon.  Our goal was treadwork and brush clipping on Pratt Trail, and we had a great turnout.  14 people x 6-7 hours can get a lot done.  Trail work is definitely not my favorite activity (it's hard!), but I feel strongly that as users of the trails, we have an obligation to help maintain them.
^ Chaparral is a pain.  I was making the trail W-I-D-E !! ^

We are trying to get every C2M trail to look like this (haha), but I think it will take awhile...
On Sunday morning, 7 of us did Sisar/White Ledge to the top of Topa and back.  Weather was gorgeous, with temps topping out at 82 degrees.  (In December!)  This is the same peak that was covered in snow 3 weeks earlier.  In my quest to run up all the C2M trails to the Ridge Road, I am now down 4 trails, with 3 to go.  Sisar/White Ledge was ~3500 feet of vert in ~6.5 miles, with another 1000 feet and 1.3 miles to the summit -- not easy after running 100 km. last weekend!  I did stop to rest "a few" times and wasn't exactly banging out 7 minute miles, but I didn't walk any of it.  What does this mean for race day?  Absolutely nothing!   :) 

4 comments:

Laurel said...

Nice work! When I just ran and hiked I didn't get involved in much trail work. Now that I do a lot of mountain biking, I do quite a bit of it. It is hard work, but it makes such a difference!

Olga said...

You guys are making a trail an easy highway! What about wild and scenic? Let 'em suffer through the barbwire! :)

Amber said...

Thats so awesome that you take time out of your weekend to do things like that. I never thought to myself that people maintain these - but it make sense right!
Awesome!

RunSueRun said...

Thanks Laurel. When I lived in Vermont, I was the adopter a 2.5 mile section of the Appalachian Trail in the Whites for many years but had to give it up when I moved West.

Olga, don't worry: with ~27,000 of vert and a lot of rougher terrain than the photo would suggest, the C2M course is plenty challenging. One of the hardest 100s out there, IMO.

Amber, most trail work--at least the easier maintenance stuff--is done by volunteer labor. Try it sometime! :)