Changing Seasons, Changing Focus

Penguin Peak from Bird RidgeThe weather warms, the snow softens and melts and attention turns to the next objective. There's still skiing to be done here in Alaska but I have to drive a little farther to find reasonable conditions. So, the after work agenda changes and mine turns to running. 

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Death Canyon to String Lake Trail Run

Dropping off Hurricane Pass into the South Fork of Cascade CanyonThis past Saturday I ventured out onto one of the area's classic trail loops, the Death Canyon to the South Fork of Cascade Canyon. This run climbs over 6,000 vertical feet in about 24 miles. It travels from the White Grass trailhead, past the Phelps Lake overlook, up to the Death Canyon patrol cabin, hangs a right up to Static Peak divide, summiting Static Peak, then down across the basin on the west side of the range, into Alaska Basin, over Hurricane Pass and finally down the South and Main Cascade drainages to the String Lake parking lot. We traversed an amazing amount of alpine terrain on mostly runnable trails.

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Running Different

Luke Nelson running the way it should be doneBarefoot running. It conjures images of loin-cloth-clad indigenous people running effortlessly through the wilderness and drinking from streams on the fly. Their feet have never been shod and their soles bare the leathery skin to prove it. They run smoothly over varied terrain with an efficient stride honed from a life-time of practice.

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