Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Green Mountain

Time: 1:03
Distance: 4.17 miles
Effort: Hard
Body: Good
Weather: Cold, Cloudy and Snowing



Got into the office early, worked a couple hours, then jumped out at 9:30 or so for a quick run up Green Mountain. Parked at the base of Gregory Canyon behind what had to have been Brandon's Hummer. After a too-brief warm up from Flagstaff Road to the trailhead, I slipped on my three-year-old pair of Yak Trax and ascended Green via the Amphitheater - Saddleback - Green Mountain route. 


The trail was in pretty good shape due to all the cold weather we've been having, keeping the trail from melting and icing up overnight.  So, traction was good the whole way up, with just a few 20 meter spots where snow had blown over the trail making the going a bit mucky. Hit the summit rock in 39:53.  Returned via the same route in about 23 minutes in order to get back to the office in time for an 11 a.m. conference call.  Made it with two minutes to spare. 


With a cold front moving in and a light snow falling, I had the trail pretty much to myself. Saw one guy at the summit studying a map and a woman hiking near the Gregory Canyon trailhead.  Other than that...it was sublimely quiet and beautiful in that gray winter monochromatic way.


2,282 feet of elevation gain.



2 comments:

  1. Yep, it was me. Up and down on Gregory/Ranger. That is my standard route. More runnable for my liking. Not sure I could have picked you out if I saw you but say hi if you can! Thought you were more of a lunch runner usually so I haven't bothered you. I usually post to Twitter/Facebook when I am on the way down there in case anyone wants to tag along.

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  2. I haven't run up the Gregory/Ranger route, only descended that way. Will give it a try next time. My daily running schedule is all over the map, depending on work/conference calls. I was in early yesterday, with a full p.m., so an a.m. run was the best/only option. See you out there one o' these days.

    JRP

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