Flag Rock – Professor on the Run

Centennial Bushwhack

March 17, 2015 professorontherun

I recently took a new job about 50 miles from home. This means long train commutes. Until my family moves, I am working Tuesdays and Thursdays at home. This means that if I put in extra hours on MWF, which I inevitably do while working 1.5 hours each way on the train, I have a little time to run during the days on T/Th.

Today, I decided to combine work + play. I took a large pile of papers that I needed to review, put them in my pack, and ran to the top of Flag Rock in Farmington.

At Flag Rock there is a nice bench. So, I sat and worked for 2-3 hours. It was amazing. Best day at the office ever.

When I finished working, I decided to keep climbing, rather than go straight back down. From Flag Rock the Centennial Trail supposedly goes all the way to Farmington Peak – above the Steed Creek Cliffs – intersecting with the Farmington Spine Trail. Knowing that rattlesnakes are coming out, I figured that this [likely] bushwhack wouldn’t be advisable for much longer.

Up I went. The trail was marked with flags, but the higher I got, the fainter the trail was. Finally, It was just a bushwhack following flags.

Steed Creek Cliffs (1) — 1 Mile up Centennial, you hit a clearing with a tree and can finally see the Steed Creek Cliffs to the south.

After the clearing, the flagging got spotty. They led up and around some small rocks cliffs that stand at the top of the ridge between Rudd Creek (to the north) and Hornet Creek (to the south). Above that, I lost the flagging fairly quick. Had I just continued bushwhacking up and slightly south along the ridge, I would have intersected with the Spine trail – maybe less than a mile away. Bummer. I should have soldiered on.

Instead, I cut south, bushwhacking down to Hornet Creek, making a very sketchy snowy crossing, and then eventually picking up the Steed Creek Trail at the north flank of the cliffs.

Then, I bombed back down to the car.

Steed Creek Cliffs “Hole”

If Centennial was better flagged and had a couple trail maintenance parties – head up with loppers and a couple picks – this could be a REALLY cool route to the top. You could loop it down the Farmington Spine, or Steed Creek. Speaking of which, Steed Creek needs to be flagged from the cliffs – up to the overlook and road at the top of the Spine.

Sweat-a-palooza 2014

September 7, 2014 professorontherun

It wasn’t even that hot today but I have sweat like this for a while. There are a few close-by trails here in Farmington that I have yet to explore so I picked one today. The fire trail 03 that goes south from just above flag rock down into Hornet Canyon.

4.8 miles in 1:18:00 @ 15:14 min/mile and with 1,431 ft. Elevation gain.

I started at the Davis Creek TH and took the BST past Steed Creek and then up the south access trail to flag rock. This intersects with the ascent trail I usually take right below Eagle Rock. That part was bad and the nice rolling traverse over to the Patsy’s Mine cutoff felt great. Then the switchbacks. Baking in the sun. Ugh.

At the top I took the Centennial Trail up to where the fire trail turns. I wanted to see what centennial looks like, because it would be a very fun route to take to the top. Way overgrown. Bummer. I bombed down the fire trail 03 and soon found that it was more overgrown than I had heard. Lost it a couple times. To make matters worse, friends have been seeing lots of rattlesnakes lately and I wasn’t too excited about Bushwhacking. Luckily – no encounters – but I was nervous the while time. The lyrics to a Lateef and the Chief song about snakes lurking in the grass kept running through my head. (Read about they on my music blog, Desert Island Mixtapes).

The Hornet Canyon Trail was a bit of a let down too – lots of loose gravel skree. Doesn’t make for a fun descent. By the time I got to the car, it felt like I had gone a lot farther than 5 miles.

I blew through about 1.5 liters or water. I should have filled it with the full 2 liters.

Flag Rock for Breakfast

July 29, 2014 professorontherun

With grey clouds in the sky, trails fresh and damp from overnight rains (no dust!) I started the day out with a quick climb up to Flag Rock. The south ascent is about 1,500 ft of climbing over 1.5 miles of trail. I was low on energy, but happy to be up there. When I got home to shower and head to work torrential downpours hit, so I got it in just in time!

3.7 miles in 1:00:47 @ 16:20 min/mile and with 1,521 elevation gain

Good Morning America: Farmington, UT edition

Flag Rock with a Friend

May 14, 2014 professorontherun

On the 24th of July last year, I took a friend and co-worker on my 2nd ever trail “run,” and we hiking up Baer Canyon. It killed us, neither of us was in good enough shape to do it, and probably not coincidentally, he hasn’t joined me on another outing since. Until tonight! I took him up to Flag Rock in Farmington which is a short, but steep hike. It was a lot of fun – hopefully I can get him hooked. My ankle felt great, and IT bands weren’t too bad. I have been rolling them with the foam roller a lot.

3.7 miles in 1:11:01 @ 19:04 min/mile and 1,528 ft. elevation

Flag Rock “Ascent Training”

September 4, 2013 professorontherun

One thing I was quickly realizing is that if I could strengthen my lungs and legs, I could go farther and enjoy more trails. I decided that I would try to regularly run the trial up to Flag Rock. It is steep and short, about 1,400 ft. in 1.5 miles up. So – great for training my climbing legs. It was a great run, much better than the first time I tried with sans water. 4.9 miles, 16:13 mile/min pace, 1,500+ ft. elevation.

A 3D rendering of the trail and elevation

Old Glory a’waving in the Wind

A few days before there had been a fire up on the hillside. It still smelled like burnt wood.

First Trail Run, Flag Rock, Rattlesnakes, and Dehydration

July 8, 2013 professorontherun

On the evening of 8 July 2013 I went up for my first trail run.

It was in the 90s, and the evening sun was beating on the exposed face of the Wasatch Range that I decided to ascend. I took the trail closest to home – a set straight up from Farmington to Flag Rock – an outcropping about 1,500 ft up from the valley floor with a large American Flag. I started “running” and quickly realized that my Nebraska lungs (and legs) weren’t prepared for the climb or lack of oxygen in the air. To make matters worse, about 1 mile in, I almost stepped on a rattlesnake. With the snake behind me, I figured I should soldier on, but was incredibly paranoid for the rest of the run. I even picked up a walking stick to use to ward off future snake friends, should we cross paths. I was a little freaked out. To make matters worse – I quickly realized that I needed water. I had a large bottle in the car, and had figured that the 3 mile hike/run wouldn’t require water on the trail. The 90 degrees quickly sapped by strength and the trail turned out to be 4.7 miles.

When I got back to the car I chugged the full 24 oz. bottle.

Though hot, dehydrated and freaked out about snakes – it was fun. And, I was immediately hooked. I got a great workout (the whole reason for trying to run in the first place) and got to be in the mtns. Win win.

On my way to the top, on the north trail. The entire time I was taking moments to crouch and hide in what little shade the scrub oaks provided.

The Flag

Me, dehydrated and red-faced.

Professor on the Run

The Trail-Running Autobiography of a History Professor Who Thought He Hated Running

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