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Zion Nat’l Park Traverse 2012, aka “The Trans-Zion”, BPL Group Run-Round #2


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Home Forums Campfire Hiking Partners / Group Trips Zion Nat’l Park Traverse 2012, aka “The Trans-Zion”, BPL Group Run-Round #2

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  • #1289787
    Eugene Smith
    BPL Member

    @eugeneius

    Locale: Nuevo Mexico

    It's happening! The Grand Canyon R2R2R group run this past April turned out to be one hell of a weekend for the small band of endurance/trail running fiends that braved their ugly faces (*Mike Moore is exempt from my last comment inpart because of his mustache and the diameter of his arms).

    What: A full East/West traverse (~48 miles) of Zion National Park in a single day. This will be done in the fashion of a self supported run- this is NOT intended to be an overnight or multiday trip, so an honest understanding of one's physical condition and mental resolve before signing up should be seriously weighed in your planning.

    Zion Traverse

    When: Saturday, October 27th, 2012

    Where: Zion National Park, UT (Lee's Pass> E. Rim) *traverse direction TBD.

    Who: Anyone that fully understands the difficulty and commitment required in doing a self-supported wilderness run of this nature.

    Stoke inducing run reports and "ZT" beta:

    http://andrewskurka.com/adventures/zion-national-park-traverse/

    http://adventurerun.wordpress.com/2008/05/26/zion-traverse/

    http://www.citrusmilo.com/zionguide/transziontrek.cfm

    http://cedarandsand.blogspot.com/2010/07/trans-zion.html

    http://www.suluk46.com/adventure%20-%20Zion%20National%20Park.html

    *I will update this original posting and maintain an interest list of runners as time goes on, so click the "Watch this thread" button in the right hand corner to stay current as details get flushed out.

    #1876595
    Art …
    BPL Member

    @asandh

    for those who aren't aware, Eugene leads guided tours at Disney World during the non running season.

    Watch button activated, interest high,
    depending on what date you all come up with.
    the later you can make it the more likely I'll be able to show.

    #1876604
    Jeff Gerke
    Spectator

    @mtnrunner

    Locale: Utah

    I am highly interested in this. I did most of this traverse a few years ago. We did the 39 mile option ending at the Grotto.

    #1876606
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    Eugene- was hoping you would post this up- I'm in :)

    if it can be pulled off late Sept/early Oct the better for me (mid October and later gets into our big game season and I can't get time off)

    also have been reading two school of thoughts on east bound vs west bound- many feel east to west there is less climbing, but the tough climb comes near the end of the run (Grotto to East Entrance), others west bound feel that getting the tough climb out of the way earlier (Grotto to West Rim Trail) is better

    one other possibility is to do both, have two groups going opposite directions- this would make shuttling easier

    anyway I've been wanting to go to Zion for a long time, hope this is the time

    Mike

    #1876622
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    Oh yes. It's on and I will be there.

    As mentioned before, I would be good with either the last weekend of September or first weekend of October.

    I'm guessing it would be a similar affair to the R2R2R: get in Thursday night or Friday morning, hang out, run Saturday, and head home Sunday?

    #1876633
    Art …
    BPL Member

    @asandh

    Something to shoot for :
    new FKT on Zion Traverse, May 3 ?

    New Zion FKT

    #1876639
    brian blair
    Member

    @donkey

    Locale: Silverado Canyon

    I'm in. Any weekend is good for me as long as I have a few weeks notice.

    I'm getting excited already.

    BB

    #1876651
    Eugene Smith
    BPL Member

    @eugeneius

    Locale: Nuevo Mexico

    Last weekend of Sep. or first of Oct. is also ideal for me as well. I have a 50 miler the 3rd weekend in Oct and would like to have a small buffer to recover before going into that, but if necessary, I would totally pass on the 50 to run the Traverse with all of you.

    Any idea when the peak time is for Zion traverses? Mid Oct?

    Dan recently sent me a link from folks that are starting to offer support for adventure based running and apparently they plan to offer run support in Zion the second week of Oct.

    #1876674
    Joe Clement
    BPL Member

    @skinewmexico

    Locale: Southwest

    For some reason the Paul Simon song "Still Crazy" popped into my mind, unbidden, when I read this. No offense intended.

    #1876710
    Jeff Gerke
    Spectator

    @mtnrunner

    Locale: Utah

    When I did this before I had a non-running friend meet us at the Kolob Reservoir road crossing with aid. We also got water from springs at Potato Hollow on the West Rim. And of course Zion Canyon could be another resupply point.

    #1876742
    Adan Lopez
    Spectator

    @lopez

    Locale: San Gabriel Valley

    Awesome, another crack at the ultra distance, and with an awesome crew again. Super stoked. Zion looks amazeballs.

    Zion To do list:

    shift my schedule
    beg my wife
    heal my knee
    trick my boss
    keep up with Wisner

    I got this.

    #1876743
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    My Zion to do list (strangely similar to Adan's):

    Beg wife: Done.
    Vacation Time: Done.
    Heal my knee: in progress
    Keep Adan from getting faster than me: TBD

    Excited already.

    #1876806
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    begged wife- shakes head :)

    vacation- got a lot of that

    injuries- hopefully not too many between then and now

    I'm half way of thinking about driving (although flights to Las Vegas are usually very cheap), have a new Tacoma that would be fun to drive down

    also excited!

    #1877525
    Angelo R.
    Spectator

    @zalmen_mlotek

    Locale: Northwest CT

    I would love to be apart of this. I am quite new to trail running and I am not sure if starting a training plan now would give me enough time to get up to ultra distances by Fall (but maybe I am thinking too conservatively). I have done two 10K races, fastest time was 7min pace and I have a half marathon trail race over Mt. Greylock (MA) next month. What are your thoughts? Is this achievable for me? I think I have a good base, I just haven't done this long of a run in one go.

    #1877605
    Art …
    BPL Member

    @asandh

    Angelo – its not about speed so much as it is about survival.
    if you are healthy and already in good shape then 5 months should be bordline enough time to get in the kind of shape this event requires.

    I would not be concerned about 7min pace 10k's.
    rather get out there and slowly jog/power walk 20 miles, then 25 miles, then maybe even 30 miles.
    do this at least once every 2 weeks. do it every week if you are in good enough shape so that you won't injure yourself.
    do not be concerned with time on these runs, just be concerned with doing them, with maybe a 5-8 lb pack on your back.

    #1877631
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    I was (am :)

    If we run east to west, there is a good bail out @ the Grotto, still a long way (~37 miles), but less than 47 :)

    I say go for it!

    #1877666
    Angelo R.
    Spectator

    @zalmen_mlotek

    Locale: Northwest CT

    Thank you for the support. I am going to mull it over, look over logistics ($$) and hopefully I can join you. Watching the thread and will keep an eye on what date you pick.

    #1877677
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    as you check into logistics, assuming you're flying (kind of a long drive for you :)), look into flights into Las Vegas- you can often find cheap flights to Vegas and you're only 160 miles from Zion NP

    #1879587
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    should we at least tentatively set a date? last week of September work? I know a few guys have something going on in late October, having a month in between might be more advantageous than 3 weeks????????

    #1893834
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    Is this still happening?
    Anyone out there wanna do it still?

    #1893893
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    Craig- I'd certainly like to do it. I'm wondering if we would be better off waiting until spring. It's a fair bit of travel for me (and expense), I have a better time convincing the boss if the adventure runs were to happen once a year :)

    My thought was maybe we can pick a different spot each year to get together and run- this would certainly be a dandy, no doubt about that.

    How's the IT coming along? I'm making some progress w/ my achilles (and possibly underlying problem of overly tight calves).

    My Bridger Ridge Run is one month out and am planning a full course recce for the weekend following this one.

    Mike

    #1893907
    Art …
    BPL Member

    @asandh

    I am interested in principle, but have Wasatch Sep 7-8 and will probably be a physical and mental blob for a few weeks after that.

    by the way is the Craig Wisner with the IT problem the same one who just spent a hardcore week in the Sierras ?

    #1893935
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    Thanks guys….The IT band *seems* under control now. I can manage 35+ MPW and it did really well on some steep quad-buster stuff in the Sierra.

    So we'll wait and see if anyone else rears their head for this run and see what they have to say…Seems like it's losing momentum. We'll see.

    As for spring, I was thinking about the Rae Lakes loop, but it's all flexible.

    Hope you're doing good guys.

    #1893963
    Art …
    BPL Member

    @asandh

    there's a good chance John and I will be doing Rae Lakes Loop in about 4 weeks (Aug 10-12) if anyone is interested.
    we are looking at an East Side approach via Onion Valley. but the extra 12 miles and 4,000 of elevation gain is a bit daunting, so not certain of which approach we'll use.

    #1894074
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    Craig- glad the IT is doing better! I'm pretty flexible as well. I'm definitely down for a spring run- Rae Lakes would be just fine by me. Guessing it would probably be pretty late spring (even early summer?) for Rae Lakes?

    Art- how is your achilles coming along?

    Mike

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