After a couple of days respite, even with some scattered rain, SLC was right back up in its nonsense with triple digits for the weekend. This of course involved getting up with (or before) the sun to do outdoors things (walking, trail-running, road riding, weeding) and then hunkering down indoors with A/C and cold drinks, grumbling all the while.
But on Sunday, A did her early morning walking up at Alta, this time putting together a nine mile effort. I pulled into my parking spot around 6:40 a.m., noting 61F and fewer cars than the last time I was up there. We're now 2-3 weeks past peak wildflowers and that (thankfully) has cut down on the number of photo shoots and looky-loos. I mean, it's still busy but it's not quite as busy.
Since I was looking to do nine miles, my route was like last time (8 miles) except that I would take the high road to Cecret Lake (adding another .5 miles) and going out and back a little bit up atop Supreme to make the mileage. After two miles, I'd seen three mule deer, four hummingbirds and one fake "service dog." No brides, though. Just over three miles got me to Catherine's Pass and the sky was noticeably smoky - not terrible but definitely a yellow/gray tinge.
At the top of Supreme, I did a .25 mile out and back on the trail up to Devil's Castle, turning around just when it started to get some exposure. On my way back, I passed a couple of hikers who were intending to do Devil's Castle; I wished them well and did not at all wish I was going with them. Five miles found me halfway down Rock N Roll, just before turning off the cat track/dirt road onto the hiking/MTBing trail that goes under the Apron to the lake. I had to pause for a couple of minutes there under the Apron when a very brave pika ventured within a couple feet of me. Unfortunately I didn't get a photo - I didn't want to move and startle the little guy - but SO CUTE. Bigger than a hamster but smaller than a guinea pig, and looking like a cross between a mouse and a rabbit.
6.2 miles brought me to not-so-Cecret Lake and the hordes of people on its shores and making their way up and down the rocky switchbacks. It is fantastic that the mountains are so close to the city (that's why we moved here, of course) but I sure do wish some of these folks understood trail etiquette. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Luckily, it was all downhill and I finished up the last miles without incident, getting back to the car with a distance of 9.05 miles and a time of 3:36. A bottle of Gatorade, a sneaky beer and a packet of trail mix later, there was nothing left to do but go back down into the heat. Can I put together ten miles next weekend?
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