Clocking the miles on Crow

Saturday a group of us ladies ran Crow Pass. For a couple of the ladies it was their first time traversing the 24-mile trail - and like the rest of us - immediately fell in love with the glacier-caked peaks, wide braided river crossing, lush tundra and in some weird way even the long stretch of overgrown devil's club and cow parsnip.

I'm a bit bummed to be missing the Crow Pass Crossing race this year. It was initially scheduled for last weekend, but then they bumped the date back a week - and I flew out of Alaska last night. So it goes ... Should be a good race this year. Some pretty fierce competitors are signed up.

Conquering Crow

Running Crow Pass was the closest I’ve ever been to dreaming while I was awake. My vision focused only on the trail, and everything in the peripheral became blurred and ephemeral – in the same way a fish-eye lens distorts a photo. Time stood still and spiraled away uncontrollably. Rather than a fluid, connected, continuous sense of my being, my conscious mind beat in and out like a strobe light. Thoughts became short and staccato: “Fireweed. Root. Mud. River crossing. Water. Gu shot. Keep moving. Ladder. Steep hill. Untied shoe. Branch. Bird. Raspberry. Rock. Bridge. Whoo hoo!”

The feeling is the most insane form of sanity. It’s the razor sharp line between total freedom and bodily captivity. It’s discovering that the secret to running is not training, eating or sleeping – although those help. No, the secret to running is knowing that at any given moment you have a choice. You can either allow the full feeling of the moment to wash over and energize you, or you can succumb to the thudding pain coursing through your feet, legs, torso, arms and head. If you choose the former, you find moments of oneness with the trail and yourself ­ – and ultimately the reason for taking on 24 miles of rocky, rugged, ridged terrain.

Coming across the finish line with a time of 4 hours and 11 minutes - good enough for a fourth place finish among females. Next year it would be super cool - and doable - to shave off 11 minutes and go sub-four.

Pure elation

A hug from my neighbor and fellow runner Hugh at the finish

Hosing the mud off my legs

(A BIG THANK YOU TO DANIEL SHEPARD FOR THE PHOTOS!!!!)

More photos from Saturday's run

Images courtesy of Ron Nicholl

Rockin' and Runnin'

A few months ago I got it into my mind that I wanted to run ... Yes, I've always been a runner, but I decided I wanted to do it everyday and train for some longer distances ... This decision coincided with Zippy's appearance in my life ... so I've not only had motivation, but also someone to hold me accountable.

This morning Zippy and I went out with some fellow runners for a 26-mile run. It was my first long run of the season, and it felt great ... really great. I enjoyed every step of it, even the long, grueling, last uphill mile. We left from the Eagle River Nature Center, which is a stone's throw from my cabin, and headed up toward Eagle Glacier ... breathtaking scenery and a beautiful sunny day.

Now I'm even more excited about the races I have planned for the summer ... mostly longer distance mountain races ... cheers to lots of great days on the trail still ahead!

(Photos courtesy of Jane)

Packrafting Crow Pass

Last weekend Brad, one of Alaska's packrafting gurus, took me out to show me how to packraft. We climbed up over Crow Pass from Girdwood and packrafted out the Eagle River to the Eagle River Nature Center -- a 26 mile trip total. It was a great day!

I wrote up a first-person account about the trip; it'll come out Thurs. as my next Outside the Ordinary column.

Packrafts were developed several years ago by an Alaskan. It's been a well-know, well-explored niche activity in Alaska for a while, but it's just starting to catch on Outside (our term for any place not in Alaska). Basically packrafts weigh 4 to 10 pounds and can be carried in a backpack, along with a lightweight, breakdown paddle.

Packrafts open up the backcountry in a whole new way -- all of the sudden you can combine walking trips with river trips, mountain traverses with white water adventures. Try it once, and you'll never look at a map in quite the same way.

Check back next week for the play-by-play of our adventure, aka my article.

The hut on top of Crow Pass

Bear tracks

Raven Glacier on top of Crow Pass

Fall colors and water falls

A very cool bridge crossing

Brad, stopping to take in the view, as we descend toward Eagle River

Getting the raft ready to launch

Me on the river

Check out those class I rapids ; ) It was a really peaceful float out. The views of the huge cliff faces descending off of craggy Chugach Peaks, splashed in fall colors were... well, spectacular!