My Backyard: October 2015

Sugarloaf and Flagstaff

The past two weeks I haven't been able to get out and go on some of the last hikes on my agenda before winter due to weather and time commitments, but I was able to enjoy some nice quick scrambling along the ridge to Flagstaff for my first time, a rainy White Pine Lake, and snowy Sugarloaf. Two weeks ago it snowed the first time for the year in the mountains and it was awesome running in it. Over the past two months I have been able to average over 20 miles running in the mountains a week and have improved a lot in some areas but have been frustrated with the lack of growth in running up stuff 15-20% and steeper for long periods. I realized that this is because I get up to my VO2 max so quickly on steeper stuff and since I wasn't doing any super high intensity interval workouts my VO2 max is probably no better than it was 2 months ago. The last two weeks I have been going to the Brighton track and running 800's as fast as I can then walking two laps then running hard for two laps again as long as I can before I feel like I am going to die. I've been doing the same thing on the long hill by the La Caille restaurant and it seems to already be making a difference when I'm running in the mountains on the weekends.

Snow on the road!

Great views on Sugarloaf

Snow topped AF Twins and Mineral Basin

Devil's Castle

The valley of clouds

Baldy looks great with all the snow!

Moose up White Pine

White Pine Lake

Fun but short ridge up to Flagstaff

Looking back

Nice view of Superior

A patch of Fall

AF Twins, Silver Creek Peak, Red Top, Pfeifferhorn

Earlier this summer my dad, Tyler, James, Garrett,Thomas Thorup, and I headed up Snowbird's roads to the saddle above Gad 2 and headed up to Red Top, the AF Twins, and Silver Creek Peak. It was a lot of fun with the group and we had some great views. Being able to traverse across multiple peaks in a day definitely has a different feel than just going to one destination.

Headed up the saddle

GWB and Peifferhorn in the distance

A great place to ski next spring after Snowbird closes

It was so green everywhere!

Headed up the ridge

Another nice place to ski next year

Dad giving me a bean dip!

Garrett and my dad headed up to West Twin

Looking back at the journey so far

One of the Twins

Family bonding with Timp in the background

I miss the green!

Garrett decided to take a nap

Tyler headed down East Twin

So grateful for this family, only missing Jenna, my mom, Kristen, Avery, and Lyla!

Peifferhorn

Earlier this summer Garrett, Jack Johansen, Suzy from my work, and I headed up to Pfeifferhorn. Tyler and I did this one last fall, but it was a lot more pretty this time of year.