McDonald Forest 50K

"Well, I'd better get going!"

Mom and I were still walking up to the start when the crew from Best in the West timing started ringing the bell to signal the start of the first wave of runners.  I crossed the start line about 20 seconds behind everyone else, but with the race being chip timed my starting time was just 20 seconds after everyone.  But now I had 59 people ahead of me, and the course was going to neck down to a trail in less than a quarter mile.

Fortunately, Calloway Creek Trail is wide and I know it well so I was able to get by quite a few people pretty quickly.  Inside corners and the high side of the trail served me well and soon I caught sight of the lead back.  Or at least that's what I though, turns out there were still half a dozen people ahead of them too.

Once we left Calloway Creek and turned right onto 540 Road, I got to run with Ian Sharman and Katie Asmuth.  Pretty good company at an ultra!  Ian will be running Leadville this summer looking for his 5th win there and Katie just earned a spot into Western States by winning Bandera in January.  I got to talk with Ian and Katie for a few minutes and really enjoyed the time I spent with them.  It would have been run to run with them a little longer, but it was a race after all.

It's runners like Katie and Ian that make ultrarunning special.  There's a lot of incredible runners out there, but Katie and Ian are great people too!  Katie was positive and excited and Ian relaxed and kind.  It was great to get to know those two a little bit, and hopefully I'll get to share some more miles with them in the future.

Starting the climb up Powderhouse trail with Ian Sharman and Katie Asmuth
Photo: Bill Hopkins

Photo: Bill Hopkins

Soon we left 540 road and started the climb up Powderhouse trail.  I pulled away from Katie and Ian, and by the top of the climb had moved into 2nd place.  Descending down Powderhouse and Dave's Trails, I though Ian might catch up as he's know to fly on the downhills.  I held him off for the time being, and when we hit the next section of gravel road, I caught sight of the lead runner.

Over the next mile, I slowly caught up, but didn't want to push too hard early on.  My right achilles tendon had been a little bit bothersome the last few weeks and fast, flat running was the most irritating for it.  The 2nd half of the course featuring some tougher terrain, so I knew I'd be good to go if I made it to Baker Creek (mile 15.3) feeling alright.

I took the lead on the descent down Old Growth Trail, but shortly before there I passed one of the three runners going for their 25th finish.  Jim Roy had taken the early start and his calm confidence on the trail ensured me that he was going to finish number 25!

I reached Lewisburg Saddle, mile 7.8, running stride for stride with Ryan McLaughlin.  My friend Ken Ward told me to keep an eye out for him.  He was a friend on Ken's who would likely be at the front of the race.  I led briefly after Lewisburg Saddle, but mostly followed Ryan until we reached the bottom of Dan's Trail near mile 12.  Ryan is a great guy and it was fun to chat with him a little bit as we climbed up Bomb's Away Trail, then descend High Horse and Horse Trails.

Bomb's Away and High Horse were new additions to the 2021 Mac and these dirt trail were in terrific shape thanks to mostly dry conditions leading up to the race.  The descent down Horse Trail was pretty nice too as the gravel based trail was still a little bit soft from a touch of rain a week earlier.  Halfway down Horse, I passed Karen King who was running her 25th Mac!  So impressive!

After following Ryan down Horse, I let him lead up Dan's trail.  The race was still getting started so I wanted to remain patient.  On the initial climb up Dan's though, Ryan's paced started to slow a little bit, so I decided to take the lead on a short descent before the main climb.

The bottom of Horse Trail
Photo: Teri Smith

Photo: Teri Smith

At the base of the main Dan's Trail climb, I caught up with the legends!  Clem LaCava, Steve Loitz, Jamshid Khajavi, and Randy Law!  They were all in great spirits and were excited when I ran by.  Clem is the one who started the McDonald Forest 50K 25 years ago and we wouldn't have the race without him!  Jamshid was working on his 25th finish, Randy on his 22nd, and Steve on his 21st!  What a crew!

The climb up Dan's felt good and I slowly pulled away from Ryan.  I just wanted to give a solid effort on the climb, but by the top I had built a minute lead.  McDonald Forest is a small race and I have my sights set on some longer races this summer, but it's my hometown race.  It means a lot to me!  I really wanted to run well on Saturday and taking the lead into Dimple Hill aid station, mile 13.8, felt great.

I filled my bottles and got out of the aid station as quickly as possible.  I didn't want Ryan to catch up at the aid station after I built a lead on the climb.  The descent from Dimple Hill was 1.5 miles of gentle gravel road followed by half a mile of more technical trail.  The 600 Road decent was the last section of concern for my achilles tendon.  I ran well down the road and had no issues.  I thought someone might catch me here, but I didn't see anyone when I looked back up the road at the U-turn shortly before the Baker Creek Trail turnoff.

Baker Creek, mile 15.3.  My achilles tendon was feeling pretty good, we had a short section of downhill singletrack ahead, then more trails leading us through The Maze and on toward McCulloch Peak.  I couldn't ask for more.

The Maze is a defining part of the Mac.  After miles of logging roads and faster trails, the narrow, twisting trails of The Maze, and their short steep climbs, quickly slow things down.  The Maze holds a lot of my memories about the Mac and on the climb up Shave and a Haircut Trail, I found myself reflecting on years past.  No matter how many times I run the trail in The Maze, they always have a different feel on race day.

The first pass through The Maze was pretty short and soon I popped out on Alien Road and began the flat section over to Extendo Trail.  I had pushed a bit harder up the Shave and a Haircut climb and that felt good so I wanted to continue to run hard up to McCulloch Peak.  The rollers on Extendo went by quickly and soon I was on Innuendo Trail.

Running up Innuendo I caught up with my friend Josh who had taken the early start.  He told me there was just one more early starter ahead of me and then the course was all mine!  I thanked him for the update and wished him well.  He was looking good, even with 18 miles on his legs and a tough climb ahead.

After Innuendo, I followed 700 Road to the top of McCulloch.  The road has a few steep pitches, but levels off at the top.  I felt good running uphill and kept pushing on my way up.  At the McCulloch Peak aid station I saw a few friends up there which put a smile on my face as I began the descent down No Secret Trail.

No Secret, Secret's Out, and Playtime were all new trails used at the 2021 Mac.  Team Dirt and a lot of local bikers and runners have put in countless hours building these trail, so I felt thankful to be running on them on race day.  These trails were built with bikers in mind some of the rollers and jumps are not the fastest to run, but the trails are always a lot of fun.

After leaving Playtime, I headed down a short section of gravel road before entering The Maze, mile 23.1,  for the 2nd time.  A short descent, a short climb, then a longer descent down Lovely Rita Trail took us back across Baker Creek.  From there we just needed to climb up out of The Maze and head back to The Saddle before getting to some easier terrain leading to the finish.

Getting out of The Maze is easier said than done.  We had a couple short uphills leading up to the final climb up Knucklehead Trail.  Knucklehead is short, but steep.  I hiked most of this climb which led to the end of 640 Road.  I stopped briefly to fill my water bottles at the Knucklehead water-only aid station, then continued on to The Saddle.

Lower Bomb's Away and Ridge Trail went by quickly and soon I was greeted by cheers at Lewisburg Saddle, mile 26.3.  It was nice to get the encouragement before the final push to the finish.

I headed onto Vineyard Mountain Trail and remember previous editions of the Mac.  The first time I ran the Mac, we left the Saddle and ran roads for 3 miles before the final 1.6 miles of trail down to the finish.  Vineyard Mountain Trail was added in a few years later, and after that, the trail was extended all the way to Lewisburg Saddle.  Now Dave's Trail takes us another mile on trail leaving just 1/2 a mile of gravel road between the Saddle and the finish.

The climb up Vineyard is pretty gentle and pretty short so it went by quickly.  However, I did make sure to see the Mission Bells along the right side of the trail.  There's not many of these flowers in the Mac so its a good day when you see them!

After Vineyard, Dave's trail winds along for another mile.  There's a few too many switchbacks in this section for my taste as you frequently have to slow down to round another corner.  But Dave's Trail sure beats the road!  Dave's and Vineyard are two more recently built trails, so again I found myself thinking of all the hard work and time that went into building these.  Thanks to all the volunteers and OSU for getting these trails built!

After leaving Dave's, I hit the final stretch of gravel road.  I knew I had been running strong the last few miles, but I did look back at one of the slight bends on the road to make sure no one was coming.  Who knows?  Easy downhill on a road is one section were I expect to give up a little time and with people like Ian Sharman on my tail, it'd be nice to know if they are closing fast!

I didn't see anyone, but looked back one last time as I made the right turn onto Section 36 and the final 1.6 miles to the finish.  There's a couple minutes of climbing which always feels tough at this point in the race, but the wide single track that follows allows you to fly to the finish.  The final downhill is alway great.  Like The Maze, I have so many good memories from previous races from this section.  But every year is special and as I drew within sight of the cabin I couldn't help but smile.  I was so nice to run the Mac again!

The Mac is a community event.  So many people care so much about this race.  It's that passion that makes the Mac special.  Countless dedicated volunteers commit their entire Saturday to make the race happen and many help in the days before and after the race as well.  My Mom and Mike Rosling are the race directors, so I've seen how much effort is needed to make the race happen.  It's a lot.  Next time you run a race, make sure to thank the race director.

COVID made the race more complicated this year, but the community was up to the challenge.  With extra precautions in place, the 25th Mac was a go.  There were a lot of hurdles along the way, but when there is a will, there is a way.  Thanks to everyone who was involved in making the Mac happen.  The race directors, the volunteers, and the OSU staff in charge of forest recreation!  It would not have happened without you.

The podium: Ian Sharman - 2nd, myself, and Katie Asmuth - 3rd (1st woman!)

Jamshid Khajavi after his 25th Mac!  My tally is much less impressive.
Photo: Teri Smith

Clem: The one who got it all started.  After 10 years of race directing, Clem has now earned his 10 year finishers plate.  While my Mom (above) and Mike are the race directors, I'm know Clem is just as worried as them on race day.  The Mac means so much to him!
Photo: Teri Smith

Here's what I used on race day:

Salomon Sense 4 Pro Shoes

Salomon Sense Shirt

Salomon Sense 5 Pack

Salomon Agile 5 Shorts

Injinji Run Lightweight Crew Socks

Squirrel's Nut Butter Anti-Chafe

VFuel Energy Gels

Winter 2021

January brought a new routine of riding through Soap Creek Valley to see the elk herd.  Numerous injuries over the past few years lead me to biking as a low impact alternative to keep building fitness.  There's no doubt running is my focus, but 3 or 4 times per week I will ride after I finish a run.  Mountain biking is the most similar to trail running as I end up tackling the same climbs and descents but with abundant winter mud, I've been staying off the trails on my mountain bike.  Braking hard, especially on steep terrain trashes the trails, so I've been riding roads until the trails dry out a bit more.

Pure road riding doesn't really appeal to me all that much as there's constant traffic unless I detour onto a more secluded road.  Soap Creek Road is one of those that offers a respite from traffic and conveniently is a favorite morning haunt of the local elk herd.

February brought freezing rain to Oregon.  On the morning of the 12th there was a quarter inch of ice above 1000 feet.  Steady rain in the proceeding weeks left the trail muddy and soft leaving them nearly unaffected by the ice.  The gravel roads offered enough purchase that running was not an issue, but I was a bit wary to ride my bike in the conditions.  There was enough exposed gravel that braking and cornering were pretty predictable, but the conditions were a bit variable.

More freezing rain was supposed to arrive on the 13th, but temperatures rose just enough to keep any more ice from accumulating.  As I toured the forest Oak Creek, McCulloch Peak, and Dimple Hill were largely free of ice.  Soap Creek Valley didn't warm up enough though and dozens of trees were down on the roads and trails in the area.  The next day I would bike down Tampico Road and see the damage further north was much worse.

After putting gravel tires on my bike in the fall, gravel roads have provided a reliable escape from traffic.  McDonald Forest and Starker Forest have abundant gravel roads and all the access points are gated limiting traffic to an occasional authorized vehicle.  Gates aren't necessary to find solitude as gravel roads typically remain unpaved because paved roads nearby provide a shorter, faster route.  And with most people opting for a shorter drive, the gravel roads remain largely deserted.

Periwinkle is one of the first flowers to show up in McDonald Forest.  After months of clouds, rain, and anticipation, they finally emerge.  Trillium are next to follow, then the fairy slippers.  Amidst the dark ground with only a few spring leaves starting to bud, fairy slippers stand out like beacons.  After the first fairy slipper breaks through the ground, the second one can take more than a week to show up.

With the recent warm weather, more flowers have been showing up.  Along Calloway Creek there are hundreds of trillium and a few clusters of fairy slippers are scattered throughout the forest.  The trails are also benefitting from the warmth and are staring to lose their coat of winter mud.  There are still some slippery sections, but most of the mud is tacky giving the trails great grip and making running fast.

 

The Trinity Alps

Mom and I were able to get in a short trip in the Trinity Alps last weekend.  The end of October is getting pretty late in the mountains, but we were lucky to have warm weather and no fresh snow.  Also, all my classes at OSU are taught online and are recorded.  This allowed us to leave Thursday as I was able to watch a couple pre-recorded lectures before we left and catch up after the trip on Monday.

If you'd like to follow our path through the mountains, here's a link of a Caltopo map of the area: https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=41.02284,-122.97302&z=14&b=f16a

Thursday we drove to Big Flat trailhead up Coffee Creek road and started hiking just before 3pm.  The first half of the climb was all in the trees and we made pretty good time hiking as the trail was smooth and the grade moderate.  When we reached Brown's Meadow, a little over halfway to the Caribou Lakes basin, the air was getting pretty smoky.  We could smell the smoke a bit and all the mountains were blurred by haze so we debated going on.  We decided to push on to Snowslide Lake, the nearest lake in the Caribou Lakes basin, and spend the night there.  We reached Snowslide Lake at 6:40 and the lighting was getting pretty dim.  After a quick dinner, we headed to bed, unsure what tomorrow would bring because of the smoke.

A little ice on the trail on the climb up to Caribou Lake

Smoke rolling in on day 1

Fortunately, Friday morning brought clear skies!  Given the clean air, we pressed on over the pass to the Stuart Fork drainage.  The climb up from Caribou Lakes to the pass is fairly short, but the descent down to the Stuart Fork was quite a bit longer.  This section is all "use trail", but the trail is well established the whole way.  After reaching the Stuart Fork, we took a quick snack break in the shade, then pressed on toward Emerald Lake.

Looking back at Caribou Lake

There is trail all the way to Emerald Lake, so it didn't take too long to get there.  The is a use trail along the North side of Emerald Lake, but we didn't find it right away.  The North side was brushy and I though the talus-hop along the South side would be just as fast.  So that's what we did, but it turns out that talus hopping was quite a bit slower than taking the trail.  After reaching the end of Emerald Lake, we reconnected with the trail and pressed on to Sapphire Lake.

We intended to head on to Mirror Lake, so we took the use trail along the North shore of Sapphire Lake.  This trail was very brushy and we lost it once or twice, but it got us to the far end of Sapphire Lake.  From the end of Sapphire Lake, there was some more bushwhacking and scrambling to get up to Mirror Lake.  Climbing up to Mirror Lake there was a faint trail in spots, but most of the time we were looking for cairns which marked the route.  We reached Mirror Lake around 5:30 so we had time to enjoy the views and watch the moonrise.

Mom along Emerald Lake

Old mining equipment below Sapphire Lake

Emerald Lake

On the use trail along Emerald Lake

Looking back down on Emerald Lake

Climbing up to Mirror Lake

Smoke behind Emerald Lake

A smoky moonrise

Friday afternoon was a little smoky, but Saturday morning brought the clearest skies yet.  This lead to some great reflections off of Mirror Lake!  Our plan was to head over Mirror Pass and then traverse cross country back to Caribou Lakes basin where we spent the first night.  We knew that Mirror Pass would be doable and most of the route on the far side of the ridge didn't look too bad.  The one tricky spot was "Point 7400+", but I thought that we could probably get around that.

So, we began the morning with the steep climb up to Mirror Pass.  The climb wasn't too bad, although we ended up a little too far to the right to get over the pass.  We were at the low point of the pass, but the only way off the backside was farther to the left and a little higher up.  We lost a little time traversing to get to a point where we could cross the pass, but soon we were headed down the backside of the pass.

Mirror Lake

Sunrise above Mirror Lake

Climbing to Mirror Pass

The top of Mirror Pass

After getting off of Mirror Pass, there are long granite slabs which made for easy cross country travel.  We hiked along these for a while before we headed into the trees to descent to a tarn above Little South Fork Lake.  The descent to the tarn was fairly easy, but as I looked at Point 7400+ as we descended, I couldn't see any good way over it.  We had a couple maps and a short description of how to get around this spot, but the route didn't look very promising.

We scoped out the route for a few minutes from the tarn before we began the climb.  We ended up heading a couple hundred vertical feet up steep loose talus before turning around and head back to the tarn.  We spent a little more time looking for a better route, but we couldn't find any.  At that point, we took a few minutes to assess our options and decided that heading back to Mirror Lake was our best choice.  It would leave a long haul for Sunday, but at least we knew we could get back.

Granite slabs

Frost

Steep terrain below "Point 7400+"

Looking back at Point 7400+

After turning back from Point 7400+, we made our way back across the granite slabs to Mirror Pass.  I thought if we could reach Mirror Lake before 5:30, we may be able to hike down to Sapphire Lake.  The climb down to Sapphire Lake involved some scrambling and route finding so we knew we needed to be through there before dark.  We made it up to Mirror Pass in good time, but we would have to get down to Mirror Lake pretty fast to push on.  We descended pretty quickly to Mirror Lake, but it took a bit too long and we got to the lake around 5:50.  We still had about 1 hour of light but it wasn't going to be a smart move to try and get to Sapphire Lake.

Afternoon smoke rolling in

Ice

The backside of Mirror Pass

Climbing Mirror Pass

Descending into Mirror Lake

Sunday morning we got up early as we intended to get going as soon as the sun was up.  We were ready about 15 minutes too early, but once we had enough light we started the scramble down to Sapphire Lake. The top of the descent involves a bit of scrambling and we had to go backward and use our hands a few times.  The lower part of the descent is more brushy.

It took us a while to reach Sapphire Lake, which assured us that we made the right call to stay at Mirror Lake.  The trail along Sapphire Lake was just as brushy as the previous day and again we managed to lose the trail a couple times.  After getting to the far end of Sapphire Lake, we would be back on good trail until the car.  We headed down past Emerald Lake, taking the trail this time, and then down the Stuart Fork to the climb up to the pass to Caribou Lakes basin.  Part way up the climb, we saw two people which constituted all the people we saw on the trip.

Leaving Mirror Lake

Leaving Mirror Lake

The end of Sapphire Lake

The climb up to the pass is south facing and exposed so it got a little hot by the time we reached the top around 1 pm.  We spend just a minute on the pass then descended down to Caribou Lake where we got some water and had a snack.  The traverse across Caribou Lakes basin was pretty and so was the short climb up from the lakes.  After that we'd be in the trees until the trailhead.  We took in our last good views in this section as we hiked along.  Once we were in the trees, there wasn't much to see, so we hiked quickly, trying to get to the car as soon as possible.  We got out around 6:10, threw the packs in the car and were driving about 6:15.  It took about 7 hours to drive home, but it was a great trip so the long drive was worth it.

The Stuart Fork side of the pass to Caribou Lakes

Caribou Lake

Hiking out of Caribou Lake