6/27 - 6/29 - Off. Took a few more days off from running to move into the new place and get settled in Stagecoach. It wasn't easy though as I soon discovered that there are trails EVERYWHERE in the area.
6/30 - 1.9 mile. Roadie.
7/1 - 4.x mile, xx:xx. ~200'v. Short run on the gravel path down to the Fire Station near the lake with a little side trip around a single-track loop I found along the way.
7/2 - 7.03 miles, 1:34.01, ~1500'v. First time running on the old Stagecoach Ski Area was a blast. I'm able to hop on a single track trail just a couple hundred yards from my front door. From there, I stayed on the single track but found a bulldozed road that meanders around the mountain. I got to check out a couple of the abandoned ski lifts. There seems to be a multitude of trails to explore so I'm excited to get up there more often and become more familiar with my new "backyard." On this day, however, I was more interested in summiting, so even though I did out-and-backs on a couple trails, I mostly kept working the climbs. I developed a terrible headache that seemed to get worse as I got over 9000'. It forced me to turn around before I had intended but after descending a few hundred feet, I definitely felt better. It's funny how changing altitude can still have an adverse effect on the body regardless of fitness or acclimatization.
7/3 - 6.28 miles, 1:19.01, ~1000'v. Silver Creek Trail. Just a short 6 mile drive down a dirt road from my house and I'm at the Silver Creek trailhead. This trail is a new discovery for me. It's a long, wooded trail that crosses the Sarvis Creek Wilderness Area. I'm not sure exactly how long this trail is end to end (I'm estimating about 12 miles). I only ran the first 3 miles of it because I forgot my water bottle and it was a very warm day. After the initial climb, on technical single track, the trail enters the Wilderness Area at mile 2 and follows a deep valley as the trail traverses a north facing mountain side. Fortunately, there were many streams flowing and I was able to keep cool by dunking my head and hat a few times and taking the occasional drink. (I figured it was better to risk the discomfort of giardia than die of dehydration.) This is a very "runnable" trail once you get past the initial climb. The single track is perfectly smooth and either rolls or climbs very gently, but stays pretty much around 9000+' of elevation.
7/4 - 10.05 miles, 2:06.09, 2000'v. Morrison Divide Trail to the "Muddy Slide." Just a few miles down Forest Road 270 from Silver Creek Trail is the northern trailhead for the Morrison Divide Trail. This awesome double track (motorized vehicles allowed) climbs through the woods (classic Colorado pines and aspens) for 5 miles up to an amazing erosion feature at 10,250' known to locals as the "Muddy Slide" or just "The Slide." I ran the trail as an out-and-back, but the trail continues south and back down to Lynx Pass. Again, I found this trail to also be very "runnable" and smooth, although there were a couple of downed trees, a few technical sections and, at lower altitudes, water crossings. The first mile or so featured a chance to do both uphill and downhill running but this section of the MoDiv Trail is hallmarked by a long, steady climb/descent through the forest.
Weekly Totals: ~30 miles, ~4700'v.
Managed to bump up the mileage and vertical feet thanks to a long weekend. I'm super excited about living in South Routt County now and looking forward to a multitude of trail running opportunities. Sure, the trails right here in the Stagecoach area are amazing but what really excites me is being within an hour's drive of the Flattops Wilderness Area. I bought a topographic map of the Flattops the other day and the number of trails, the distance they cover and altitude they reach is truly EPIC.
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