Anchorage Mayor's Marathon

I finished marathon #172 today. It was a tough race for me, because I really haven't been diligently training. My two week hiatus from hiking while waiting for Bella to heal, has not been very helpful either. I knew I was not in tip-top running shape. But I never am lately. I have been worried that it would be too hot, since it's been in the 70's all week. That's hot for Alaska, even in summer. I had to get up at 3:30 am to have time for breakfast, a dog walk, and to deliver Bella to friend, Mark who agreed to watch her for the day. I caught the 6 am shuttle from the finish line to the start line and was freezing cold for an hour and a half waiting for the start. Being too hot was not a big worry at that time. In fact, dark clouds were moving in obscuring what little sun we had. Soon after starting, it began to rain. I hoped I could keep warm by running but I was still a little chilly. By the time we left the coastal trail and reached the lagoon, the rain stopped and it gradually warmed up. By the end of the race it was 70 degrees, but there was enough breeze that it really didn't bother me. However, my feet were really bothering me. Running on the hard pavement of the bike trails seemed to cause sharp pain to the bottom of my feet. I took a couple breaks at the porta potties, just to get off my feet for a minute. That actually helped. I was still mostly able to keep my typical running speed but the pain was definitely slowing me down. At mile 10 I considered dropping out. But I never like to quit. So, I toughed it out somehow. I knew I was going to be very close to reaching the 3 pm finish limit, which gives us 7 hours and 30 minutes. At mile 24 I caught up with a guy named Mike who said he had been using me as an inspiration to push on, when he was getting pretty discouraged. We ran together from that point on, encouraging and challenging each other. In the last 100 yards his wife was yelling at us both over his cell phone to keep running and not walk!  We pushed with all we had and crossed the finish line at almost exactly 3 pm. My finish time according to my chip was 7:29:58. I finished with 2 seconds to spare! We both had gun times of 7:30:30. I still got first in my age group of Female 75-99+ but of course I was the only one in that category. I got a gold medal and still finished last. 

I was so glad to get out of my running shoes after my drive home. I'm not sure if I will register for this race next year when I'm 80. But knowing myself, I'm sure I'll be crazy enough to do it. I will want to be a lot more conscientious about training though.

Finish Photo

Gold Cord Lake

 They finally opened the gate to Independence Mine and we were able to drive all the way up. I tried to hike up to Gold Cord Lake last week but there was so much snow that I gave up before reaching the lake. It really wasn't much better today but Bella and I went for it anyway. It was a definite snow slog up to the old miner's cabin. Bella often fell into the post hole footprints made by previous hikers. But we made it up to the cabin. The tracks are not following the actual trail. It follows a meandering route with a gradual ascent. But folks have been just going straight up to the cabin over the snow. Above the cabin, the route was more defined and packed down. So, we were able to easily make our way up. Near the lake, parts of the actual trail are showing and we could follow it. It was very muddy in places, but not too bad. It was spectacular up at the lake. It is still mostly snow-covered and frozen. But parts of the lake are open and water is flowing from the creek. The water has a beautiful glacier blue color, which I found delightful. We found a nice rock to sit and had some snacks and just enjoyed to cool temperature. I had really wet feet but it was so worth it!

Lazy Mountain Climb

 Bella got her stitches out on Tuesday, and we can finally do some real hiking. It was not very good weather yesterday but today was gorgeous. So, we climbed Lazy Mountain up and down the steep side on the Lazy Mountain Trail. I kept her on her leash until we reached the picnic table at the halfway point because the brush was now very high and a bear could easily be hiding in there. I didn't want Bella chasing them or anything else. The trail was in perfect condition. Sometimes this trail is so slippery and muddy that I need to hang onto the trees to keep from sliding down. But today it was beautifully dry. Above the table, I let her run free and we got to the top easily in under 2 hours. She beat me to the actual summit as usual. We stayed up there for a while and enjoyed the sunshine and the view. We ran down most of the way. Many people take the longer Lazy Moose switchback trail down, but we went right back the way we came. We only took 3 1/2 hours. I usually expect to take 4 hours. Bella and I had some pent-up energy that we needed to finally let out! It was an amazing day to climb the mountain. Lots of beautiful wildflowers too. 

Bella on the summit

Wolverine Creek Run

 I haven't been able to do any significant hikes or be very far away from my dog, Bella for the last few weeks. She had to have some surgery and I really couldn't leave her alone while she recovers. But her stitches come out on Tuesday and she is quite well healed. So today we ran together to Wolverine Creek and back. I really needed to do some running because of the upcoming marathon next Saturday. The run felt great. This was the best I've ever run going up and down the steep hills to the creek and up to the big carrot sign at the top of the canyon. I also needed to put more time on my new running shoes. Bella seemed to really enjoy getting out and running as fast as she could. It was a beautiful day too.

Perch & Dew Mound

 Today was our Saturday Valley Wanderers Hike. We started at the Eagle River Nature Center and hiked to Echo Bend, then along the river to The Perch for the amazing view of the river and the mountains. On the way back, we took the trail to the Dew Mound, making for a nice 9-mile loop hike. It was raining in Palmer when I left home, and also, most of the way to the trailhead. But once there, we had no more rain. It was quite cloudy and cool, but at times we even had a bit of sunshine. We were all pleasantly surprised at how nice the trip was compared to the unsettled weather we all found as we left our homes. It's very green and lush along the trail right now, and we didn't encounter any mud or snow. We started with 14 hikers, but 2 returned at Echo Bend, and Pam chose to avoid the section through Dew Mound. I quite enjoyed this fairly easy gentle hike, and Bella enjoyed romping along in front as usual. 

Matanuska Peak Birthday Hike

 I turned 79 today. The plan was for me to lead the Valley Wanderers up Matanuska Peak, the 6103 mountain near my home. Only 1 of the Valley Wanderers responded that they were coming. Nan joined me and my friend Pam. Nan couldn't do the whole hike but was with us to the picnic table. Pam and I and our 2 little dogs hiked the rest of the way. We took the McRoberts Creek Trail because it's a little shorter, although a bit steeper than the Matanuska Peak Trail. The guys who told me on Tuesday that Virginia and Karen were coming, must have misunderstood because they did not come. Although Virginia did leave a birthday card on my car that I found when we got down. It was really tough due to long stretches of steep snow that were too soft for spikes to be of value. Instead, I ended up kicking steps up the snowfield until it got too steep for comfort. Then I made a diagonal route over to the rocky ridge. Snow was obscuring much of the actual trail, so at times it was difficult to figure out the best route. We found that our best route was to follow my dog, Bella, who seemed to always find a good route. Until, of course she decided to take off to parts unknown resulting in long periods of me screaming "Bella" until she would finally come back into view. That was quite infuriating and a little scary. I didn't relish the thought of spending the night up there hoping to find her after she was done chasing a squirrel across the slopes. We were very slow up on the rocky ridge that seems to go on forever. Pam took a couple of falls and was slowing down. I stopped to wait for her at one point, while sitting on a huge rock. That rock decided it wanted to roll down the hill. It knocked me off and I fell onto another huge rock, smacking my right ribcage. After that, Breathing was uncomfortable but I was able to carry on. Then the clouds started rolling in. We could see that it wouldn't be long before the peak would be totally obscured in clouds. The best part of that climb, or any big climb, is the view from the top. So I was getting discouraged and both of us were in some degree of pain. But we knew we were very close to the top. A young couple that had been ahead of us finally descended, and as they passed us, they told us that couldn't make the top because of lots of deep snow and ice, so they turned back. Even though we had less than 1/4 mile left to go, that was very disheartening. We decided it was probably best to leave the summit for another day, and we turned back. It was really tough going down. Pam had hurt her leg on a rock and was having lots of trouble walking. I kept trying to find the best way to avoid the long snow slope we had climbed on the way up. Bella led the way, but there didn't seem to be a method to avoid the snow. Then we saw two teenaged boys stumbling through the snow on their way up. It looked pretty miserable, but when I saw they made it to the rocks, I just said - Forget it! I'm taking that route. The snow was so soft that I often sank into snow well above my knees. Poor Bella kept falling into the foot holes and having to climb out. I put her up on the unbroken snow and for the most part, she was able to stay on top. Once past the snow, I waited for Pam. She was having a terrible time through that mess because her injured leg kept buckling. She fell a couple of times and had blood on her arm and her face. Somehow we happily made it back to the picnic table. We took a much needed break and ate whatever we had left and tanked up on water. Then off to the long trek down the Matanuska Peak Trail. We took that trail over the McRoberts Creek Trail because, although a little longer, it is not as steep. But it was a very long very slow trip down, with poor Pam hurting and the dark clouds and thunder threatening to douse us with rain. Happily, we made it to the car just as the storm finally hit, so we just got a few drops of rain. It was a downpour by the time I drove the 5 miles back to my house. We hiked 9.6 miles round trip on a trail that is 10 miles round trip. So we were certainly very close to the summit. Last time I climbed the peak I took 9 hours. We took 12 hours today! That gives an idea of the degree of difficulty compared to my sunny solo Labor Day climb last September. It was crazy, but it was spectacularly beautiful, and I can't wait to give it another try once the snow is gone. Pam swore to never set foot there again. But I bet she goes with me next time! Well, maybe not, but for sure Bella will. I will need her to do the route finding!! She was amazing for such a tiny thing.

I plan to celebrate my 80th climbing it next May!

Our Navigator, Bella

The rocky ridge

clouds gathering

Thunderstorm getting ready to drown us!

McRoberts Creek Trail Recon Hike

 My birthday is Saturday, May 24 and I plan to lead the Valley Wanderers on one of my favorite hikes, up Matanuska Peak. Judging by the amount of snow I can see from down below, it looks like it might be quite the challenge mainly due to lots of snow. I've been mainly worried about the area across the valley between Lazy Mountain and Matanuska Peak because the snow can get pretty deep through there and it is quite sheltered from the wind. The hardest part of the hike is the steep scree and rock trail up the far ridge. But that appears to be mostly clear due to exposure to the wind. I wanted to try to get a chance to hike up there to see what the actual conditions were, so I could advise the others who might want to go with me on Saturday. But it has been raining every day, and I worried that more snow would be building up in that valley. Today I finally got a break in the weather and decided to hike up the McRoberts Creek Trail to the metal tripod that joins the Matanuska Peak Trail to the McRoberts Creek Trail. I want to use the McRoberts Creek Trail on Saturday too, because it is a little shorter and less busy. I always feel a little nervous back in that area because, especially on a weekday, I won't see many people. Bears are now waking up and moose are having their calves. I wore my bear bells and carried my bear spray and tried to make a lot of noise. I kept Bella on her leash most of the way too, so she didn't go chasing the wildlife. The trail up to the tripod was fabulous. Mostly dry and clear of brush. I did run into a couple of guys who told me that they knew a couple of Valley Wanderers who planned to hike with me on Saturday. Virginia and Karen, who are the two host hard core of the group. They haven't officially told me they are coming, but I'm thrilled that they are. If they come, I know I can follow in their footsteps, because if anyone can make it up Matanuska Peak, it will be those two amazing women. I had just planned to go to the tripod to assess the conditions, then turn back, But when I got there, I found the trail was pretty good, so I kept on it towards Matanuska Peak. The tripod is at marker 14500 feet and I continued to just past the 18000 marker. At that point I did start encountering long patches of slushy snow. But snowshoes were not needed. I couldn't tell if conditions would get worse, and hoped to make it to the picnic table then turn back. But the wind started getting really strong and the clouds were getting lower and lower. I really didn't want to get caught in a big rain or thunderstorm up there, so I turned back at that point. Instead of following the McRoberts Creek Trail back, I stayed on the actual Matanuska Peak Trail all the way back to the car, so I could assess the conditions on it. That trail is also in very good, mostly dry condition. So however we choose to go on Saturday, we should be fine at least until we get past the 18000 marker. I really enjoyed this 6.5 mile little solo excursion with just me and Bella. I know she enjoyed it too. 

McRoberts Creek

Matanuska Peak

The Tripod

The trail at 18000 Marker

Lazy Creek Bridge

Blueberry Knoll

 This was a Valley Wanderers hike, but most of the Valley Wanderers were either biking in Denali Park or off traveling elsewhere. Today it was just Sarah and me, and of course Bella. The trail is in pretty good condition, considering how extremely muddy it is everywhere else. There were definitely some nasty muddy spots, but it was easy to navigate around them. By the time we reached the ridge, we were cloud walkers. The clouds and fog were swirling around us. We didn't get the pleasure of the amazing view from up on the knoll, but it was still mysteriously beautiful. Almost all of the snow is gone up there now. I had a great time hiking with Sarah. I enjoyed having the chance to get to know her better since I wasn't competing with the rest of the group for conversation. It was a really pleasant little 3.22 mile hike. My dog is a muddy mess and will be going directly to the kitchen sink for a much needed bath. 

Gold Mint Trail

 Most Fridays I hike with my friend Pam and our two dogs. She didn't have a lot of time today so we chose a short hike on the Gold Mint Trail. I warned that it had looked pretty awful last week when I checked it. But we gave it a try anyway. The first half was lovely, with no snow or mud. But gradually it deteriorated to slushy snow that was built up in the center and sloped off each side. We kept slipping off the snow. We had to avoid mud where there wasn't actual snow. About a mile and a quarter in, we came to the old avalanche that had crossed the trail. The gigantic snow pile had barely melted at all. We had to very carefully climb up over it. There were now some deep holes that we had to be careful avoid as we found our way up and over the pile. Bella and Pam's dog, Dahla, raced up over it as if it wasn't even there. But we humans had to be a little more careful. We walked a little farther then found ourselves in deeper snow with lots of very wet areas. Together we decided this trail was not rated very high on the fun scale, so we turned back. We both concurred that folks should wait a couple more weeks before hiking the Gold Mint Trail. But in spite of the miserable conditions, it was still really nice to be out in the fresh air enjoying nature. I know those 2 little dogs still thought it was great fun. We still walked over 3 miles thorough that mess. 

Pam on the avalanche debris

Bella on typical trail conditions