Silverton Running and Preparation for the San Juan Solstice 50M

Como Lake

We have now been playing in Silverton for 2 weeks, with a short two day trip over to Lake City last week.
We have enjoyed this last two weeks the most.  The high alpine lakes, creeks, rivers, forests and awesome mountains towns of the San Juans are really what we love the most.

Some Snow 

I have done a handfull of GREAT runs in the last few weeks.  Brendan Trimboli came up from Durango and camped with us for a night and we did a great run from just a few miles up the road from our camp on Cement Creek.  We dropped over a pass down to where highway 550 runs and tried our best to find a non-road route to Red Mountain Pass where we were going cross back into the drainage we were camped and parked.  Unfortunately we got a little confused, couldn't find a good trail up to the pass and we made our way back via pipeline trail and up Corks Screw pass.

Going Up

After the run with Brendan, we hit Velocity Basin and the lake at the foot of the awesome chute "The Great One" at Silverton Ski Area.  The lake is at just over 11,000 feet, the water perfect for soaking and an impressive place, just miles up from our camp.

Velocity Basin with "The Great One" in view

Hanging out at Velocity Basin

Brendan attempting to kick his anemia...

Sunday after the run with Brendan, I did a nice run up Maggie's Gulch (great name!), to the continental divide and then on the Continental Divide Trail for some mileage at altitude.

Had to both run and drive this one!  The toilet wasn't that impressive though. 

Falls in Maggie's Gulch 

The Taco does it all

Another great run wasn't even on trails but instead on a jeep road.  I ran from Hwy 550 up Ophir pass, down to Ophir for 6 miles and back.  The start was at about 10,000 feet with the pass at 11,750 feet and Ophir at 10,000 feet for 3,500 feet of climbing.  The views from the pass down to Ophir were phenomenal and again I had to share this one with Maggie and Felix via our truck.  

The frequent Marmot

Looking down Ophir Pass

The road down to Ophir 

Ophir

My wonderful wife!

 We are really having a blast.  We went to the "Taste of Silverton" where we enjoyed some food, music, dancing and fun out on Blair Street in Silverton.  We have been hanging out with Dakota Jones along with some running.  I am in taper mode for my race this weekend in Lake City, the San Juan Solstice  50 Mile. I am really, really excited for this race.  First off, the loop race will be amazingly fun, beautiful, challenging (12,000+ feet of climbing) and I can't wait.