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

Eastbound and down!

@Mike,

I hope you can be here for this, as with everyone else. I know last winter heading into April you had a nagging injury and adverse training conditions with that Montana winter. With your upcoming race and a solid block of cool, not frigid, fall weather coming you will probably cruise right past the Grotto.

When is your race?

Hope you can make it Mike.

…also hoping my knee holds up in training. So far, so good.

Let's do it gentlemen.

I'm definitely on more terra firma as far as training goes vs last spring, my weekly mileage is now solidly in the mid to upper 30's and I've got a couple of 20 milers under my belt as well

race is coming up shortly- 8/11, I'm headed there this coming weekend- hoping to run the entire route w/ a buddy who ran it last year (but got nixed on the drawing this year)

if I can make it happen I'm going to be in Zion, had a great time this past spring running and visiting with everyone!

Mike

I have reservations about my ability to focus enough on this trip to be properly prepared, but Im with Eugene in being interested in a good beginners C2ZT training plan. Ive been hiking a lot, running a little. I always train better with a goal, so put me down as a big maybe.

I have a 12.8 mi 6,000ft elevation change hike tomorrow up Old Baldy Trail that should kick my butt.

The ability to bail at the Grotto makes this seem surmountable. I'll look through your R2R2R thread for mileage expectations.

Hit me up and we'll hike or run Baldy or some other locals together Brandon. Hope you can make it.

Sounds like a plan. I am still at the point where my "long runs" will have to be hikes. I wanna hike the Three T's (~14mi), maybe Mt. Wilson (~15mi), or Iron Mountain (~15mi). I am hoping the 'time on your feet plus elevation' wisdom works out.

Here we go again, maybe this time without snow! I am 95% in, I will not be near as ready as the r2r2r but this is too good to miss.. I am looking forward to meeting the whole crew again. Will talk to the mrs after our move and see if she want to join the festivitie. Hope we have a few more folks as well. For all of you on the fence this was a great event with fabulous people in April. Wait…. I see what's happening, this has been pushed to late October to allow a better chance of snow. I see a trend. Thanks Craig for giving this the energy to happen.

I was being tongue in cheek Brandon. This will be my first TZ rodeo and the distance is substantial, so I will definitely prepare as I would for any ultra distance.

My volume is down, but not the quality. I've been trying to run when it doesn't feel forced. Haven't been doing any "long" runs, not tracking miles, but usually get in x3 1.5-2 hr runs a week and one or two short/intense climbing specific runs.

Weather stats for Zion in Oct. are optimal….. but let's not jinx it. shhhhhh.

Now, where did I put my tights and gloves?

Not trying to psyche anyone out, just being realistic about this run and some possible differences between it and a R2R2R…just some food for thought for those considering it.

From what I've looked at on maps, it strikes me that you better be a bit more on your game on this one. You can't get lost on a R2R2R and you have anywhere in the first 20 miles to turn back if you're not feeling it. With the TZ being point to point, you sort of have to finish the whole enchilada, or at minimum make it 50K to the Grotto. In addition, while it's a marked trail system, there are FAR more opportunities to make a wrong turn or take a side canyon. I also suspect there's less human traffic than in the canyon in many spots. Due to likely having to shuttle all the way to Lee's Pass on the morning of the run, we might have to start later, basically guaranteeing the back of the packer's will be out well past dark.

Despite our crazy weather on the R2R2R, it seems a good mapset/navigation tools (which I didn't even carry in the canyon) and emergency kit are far more necessary on this one.

If you haven't already checked it out, Skurka has a great mapset ready to download for this route- only drawback for me is that it doesn't include UTM coordinates. I'd likely want to carry a simple GPS on this run just in case.

we'll want to research the water situation pretty thoroughly as well- no man made pumps here :)

Eugene- when you get a chance, might want to update your first post w/ the date, danke

Again, Skurka put some good information together there…

http://andrewskurka.com/wp-content/uploads/zion-databook.pdf

His databook combined with his map pack is great; his maps are annotated with water sources and mileage markers. Gonna go down to my printers and make some copies.

Craig- good stuff :) I do wonder if his water sources hold true in late October, I know that in more arid areas Spring sources don't always equate to reliable Fall sources. Might not hurt to bounce some of the more questionable sources by one of the local rangers as we get a little closer.

from that pdf if everything is flowing looks like water ~ every 5-7 miles, w/ the exception of Beatty Spring till the next water source which is 12 miles- although he makes note that it is FAIRLY reliable :)

Mike

I will be out in Utah and Arizona for the week prior to the Oct. 27th date. I have been training for either Trans Zion or a R2R2R during that week, and think I would enjoy doing this with other people.

What kind of total time should be anticipated for Trans Zion?

Kevin, glad you're interested, hope you can make it out with us.

Regarding time? I'm expecting to be out on my feet for at least 12hrs, probably closer to 13hrs. This is all based on pure conjecture having looked at the Zion traverse map and knowing my slow pace over this distance.

Every runner is going to have highs and lows throughout the day and come into this with varying levels of fitness and experience, so I imagine individual times will run the gamut as they did this past April for our R2R2R.

looks like we'll have roughly 10.5 hrs of light at the end of October, a good lamp is going to be a must (unless your really fast :))

Thanks for the feedback… I am attempting a 26 mile trail run/hike in the Adirondacks this weekend, weather permitting. That should give me a good gauge of my pace. Although the ADK's aren't like a lot of the parks out west with "runnable/joggable" trail, some will be and I can power-hike the rest.

.

Bump.

I have a small list of names from those who have expressed interest. Keep em coming.

Anyone care to throw in ideas for shuttling?

Im going to call "El Wisner" this evening to mull over the vehicle situation.

Also…. How are those runs going?

I'm feeling the urgency now and the 90-100f heat we've had the last two months or so is losing steam.

Eugene- I’ll have a little better idea as we get closer, but if I bail at the Grotto- I could grab a vehicle and pick up at least some of the crew

I’ll likely be driving this time, so I’ll have a vehicle available that can probably haul 5 semi-comfortably

I completed the Bridger Ridge run this last weekend, it’s really hard to put into words how brutal this was :) but my conditioning is above where it was on our R2R2R adventure because of it

Mike

Yes!

Look at that guy!

Great photo Mike and nice run. I will be trying to keep up with you.

Uh Oh, look at the quads on that dude…

Congrats Mike, looking forward to running again.

I was just in southwest Utah for a few weeks and had time to check out some of the Zion trailheads and talk to backcountry rangers. It seems we might need quite a few cars out there….I'll post all the possible details after talking to Eugene later.

Great job Mike … you look strong.

Since I'm about 50-50 on this one I won't get involved in the planning. Whatever you all come up with is fine. I'll be in shape, just a matter if I can make it.

much thanks gents! I can tell you that the last 3 miles of the course drops 3000' and when I got to the finish line it turns out someone had completely stolen my quads :)