Mount Timpanogos Update

I’m getting phone calls and emails from local runners wondering about the conditions up on Mount Timpanogos in Utah, my favorite altitude training area.  Mount Timpanogos (11,749 feet), is the most popular hiking destination in Utah.  During the summer months, thousands of hikers make the strenuous trek up the mountain, usually taking all day, a 10-12 hour adventure.  Ultrarunners make the round trip in 3.5-5 hours.  My PR is 3:43.  The round trip is about 14.5 miles and about 4,500 elevation climb/descent.  I almost always go up the TimpoonekeTrail from American Fork Canyon because it is closer to my house and more runnable compared to the trail that starts at Aspen Grove.

July 12, 2008 – Summit #50

I hit the trail at 3:00 a.m.   A group of young adults were assembling at the trailhead for their adventure.  I quickly jumped on the trail ahead of them.   Traffic on the trail is still light during the early hours.  I only ran into three groups on the way up.  I’m glad there aren’t more, because the conditions are still tough during the early morning hours.

Conditions: Below the basin the normal trail is almost entirely free of snow.  The exceptions are a few ravine crossings and the steep traverse area right below the basin.   This morning at this point, a group of young hikers were stopped there at about 4:20 a.m.  When I ran up to them a guy warned me that it was “treacherous.”  He warned me that I shouldn’t try it.  I assured him that I would be fine, that I and done this many, many times.   I then proceeded to run across the steep snowfield, prancing, putting my feet in all the foot prints without slipping once.  I was across it in less than a minute.   The group just stood there and watched me disappear up the mountain.   That section isn’t really that bad.   Even if you fell, the butt slide isn’t that bad.  I’ve slid down that section many times.  But I’m glad that young group didn’t try it because sections ahead are much worse.   The trail across the basin is almost entirely snow free.  As I reached the next steep slope, another group was stopped and asked my help finding the trail across the snow.   I explained where it was and they followed me as I took a short cut straight up a snow field, avoiding a switchback.   The shelf above is mostly snow-covered, which is nice because you don’t have to rock hop, but most of the steep slope below the saddle is snow covered.   The main problem is that the trail that traverses up to the saddle is not established very well yet with footprints.   During the day, the sections should be fine, you can dig your feet in, but during the dark it is solid and icy.   What I do, is slip on my Kahtoola microspikes over my shoes.  It only takes me a minute to slip those on and then I can scoot straight up any portion of the slope with very little slipping.  Once up there, you connect with the footprint trail that becomes more defined closer to the saddle.   Once up there, you are home free to the summit.  No more snow.  I noticed that the group that followed me attempted to make it up to the saddle, but as the sections became steeper and still very icy, they turned back.   Actually, for most of those sections, even if you slipped, the slide down isn’t a big deal unless their are rocks below.   I’ve lost it before during times of snow and just had a fun butt slide down until it leveled out.  I’m glad that group turned back.  They hadn’t been on the trail before.  Doing this trail for the first time in the dark is a bad idea.

My trip up was a very average 2:25, but my run down was a blazing 1:21.  When there is snow, I can run down faster because I can bound down some snow sections cutting several switchback areas.   My round-trip was 3:46, only three minutes slower than my PR.  That is a very good time because most of it was in the dark.

When I reached the snow slope where that young group had stopped, I noticed that they had been joined by others down below the slope and that they had started a campfire to stay warm.   They all watched me blast down the trail, including a fast run across the steep snow section.   As I ran fast toward them, I called out a greeting and then leaped over their fire that was right on the trail.   I left them behind wondering who that strange runner was.

Every day, more snow melts.  I expect after the weekend that the traverse up to the saddle will be more defined.   If this freaks you out, wait two more weeks.  It should be much better.  Newbees to the trail should really wait two more weeks and not attempt it during the dark when it is icy.

After finishing, I went and ran in the Big Springs 8k trail run which covers sections of the Squaw Peak 50 and Kacina Mosa 100K.   My legs were mushy and my heart rate soared at the beginning, but I finished in a pretty good time, mid pack.  Some runners noticed my muddy legs and asked me what I had been up to before the race.  It was a great speed run.  I was home at 10:00 a.m.

 July 11, 2008 #49

I also started this trip at 3:00 a.m. and completed the round trip in 4:06.  

July 9, 2008 #48

This was my first trip up for the season.  I started at 2:00 a.m.  I really stuggled in the dark to find a safe way up the slope to the saddle.  I didn’t have my microspikes with me.   I finally climbed up a dry section of loose scree.  Not too fun, but I made it up and down.    My trip took 4:25.