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Tag: Thurston Peak

Back to Francis, Thurston, Smith Creek Lakes

Back to Francis, Thurston, Smith Creek Lakes

Last minute decision to head up to Davis County and run the ridgeline portion of the Great Western Trail between Francis and Thurston Peaks – the highest 2 in Davis County. This is the trail where I first cut my teeth on higher altitudes and have some very fond memories of the place. MVH joined me and it was a great evening run. We went out to Thurston, then dropped down to Smith Creek Lakes on the return. There were…

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One last (blustery) Hurrah on the Great Western Trail (+ bonus Smith Creek Lakes)

One last (blustery) Hurrah on the Great Western Trail (+ bonus Smith Creek Lakes)

Knowing that the high-altitude season is quickly coming to a close (winter is coming!) I decided to do one last run up at the top of the mountains here in Davis County. I did a similar route last year at this time, but by then it had already snowed (and melted some) up at the top. We are still getting up into the 50s-70s this year in late October! So, it has been a nice month and I’m glad that…

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Pioneer Day Fun with 20+ miles, almost 6k elevation, 2 peaks, 2 Rattlesnakes, and Blisters Blisters Blisters

Pioneer Day Fun with 20+ miles, almost 6k elevation, 2 peaks, 2 Rattlesnakes, and Blisters Blisters Blisters

 Last year on Pioneer Day, a friend and I tackled Baer Canyon. It was only my 2nd trail run, and we were unprepared and it was rough. I thought I would continue that and make an annual tradition of pushing myself to do unwise things on Pioneer Day. On the top of my trailrun to-do list has been to bag Thurston and Francis Peaks. I have been to both, but only after driving up to Francis and then running the…

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Blood on the Snow and Running to the Sound of Rifle Shots

Blood on the Snow and Running to the Sound of Rifle Shots

With the family still out of town, I took a longer excursion up to the top of Farmington Canyon to run the Great Western Trail from Francis Peak to Thurston and back.  I had done this once before, and wanted to get it in again before the canyon road was shut down.  As I drove up, however, I noticed an oddly large volume of 4×4 pickup trucks going up and down the canyon.  Then, I noticed people in orange vests…and…

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Back on the Trails, Francis Peak to Thurston Peak, New Shoes

Back on the Trails, Francis Peak to Thurston Peak, New Shoes

In early September 2013, my next door neighbor and I went shoe shopping for me.  I tried on a few different pairs of trail shoes, but couldn’t commit.  A couple days later he came over with a pair of Brooks Cascadia 8s.  He had only used them a few times and they were only a size bigger than what I usually wear, and it turns out that lots of trail runners and ultramarathoners buy a size or 1/2 bigger because…

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