Dumb title huh? I know. Unfortunately it's awfully true. Today I "ran" up Kendall Mountain, which began with 3.5 miles of running uphill, and then another mile to the top, hiking up 2000 vertical feet. The total run was 9 miles with 3700 ft. vertical, topping out at 13,000 ft. Like it or not, that's what Silverton is like.
What really matters now, what everybody is wondering about, is the amount of snow in the San Juans. Like everywhere else across the West, the Rockies got a lot of late season snow that could provide extra difficulties for running. Since arriving in Silverton a week ago I've managed to get up above 13,000 ft. several times, but not without a large amount of postholing each time. Still, my honest opinion is that the snow will not be an exceedingly large obstacle. The incredible weather that continues to shine on the area is melting the snow unbelievably fast. On Kendall Mtn. alone, drifts that were waist-deep just six days ago are now essentially disappeared. The snow line is ascending the mountains faster than we can keep track of it. Indeed, on many peaks the deepest snow is not on the high slopes, but in the trees which block the sun. Every day is beautiful, and the rivers are raging.
Still, the amount of late-season snow is a serious consideration. Despite the rapid melt-rate, almost none of the high basins I've seen are passable. The first fifteen miles of the Hardrock course - containing the first two big climbs - are still under deep snow above about 11,000 ft. Certain aspects will be slower in melting out, which could create serious dangers in areas like the top of Little Giant Pass. My best guess is that the course will hold a lot of snow on steep northern aspects, but overall the amount of snow will not be much greater than in years past. The best indication of this is that the level of the Animas River seems to have peaked four days ago, and is now decreasing. In the words of Blake Wood, "Hardrock is ON!"
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