Early Winter in the Highlands Part 3 of 4: Summitting Haley Mountain

Early Winter in the Highlands Part 3 of 4: Summitting Haley Mountain

By Kathy Vaughan

     The first of the cold temperatures each winter feel so extreme. When the single digit days came in late November, my friend Lisa and I decided it was time to attempt a climb on my back yard peak, Haley Mountain.  At just over 5,000 feet in elevation, this mountain presides over the Forest Service road and it's surrounding playground where I spend a lot of time year round. In the spring, summer and fall, I love to run and bike on this road and its connectors. In the winter, I put on my Fisher Back Country skis and make tracks. I feel so blessed to have this public land available for my use. It is even more fun when I have opportunities to share it with others, like during the Highlands Halloween Hundred Trail Un-run (H3) Ras and I host in October each year.  

     I felt stoked to have this adventure planned that I could share with Lisa. Our Chesaw Short-Tail Grouse Preserve hike had been so great that I wanted to have a day of at least equal excitement.

     The afternoon served up a good dose of excitement for us that equaled many of our other adventures. To start with, the day's high temperatures only reached about 9 degrees. It was chilly. It was the kind of cold that makes it so that you can't stop moving, you can't take off your gloves for more than a second and your water freezes shortly after you've left the warm comfort of your home or car.

     Lisa and I left my house and traveled along the snowy single track trail for about 1/4 of a mile before we reached the Forest Service road. We decided to hike to Haley Divide, roughly 4 1/2 miles away along a gentle uphill grade, gaining about 900 feet in elevation. We kept up a good pace to keep warm and chatted all along the way. Before we knew it, we had reached the divide. We decided to turn toward Haley and start climbing. 

      Earlier as we had climbed along the road, we could see a ridge line that would have taken us to the top. We could have approached this line by taking a number of different connector roads off of the main service road. We decided against this plan for two reasons. The first reason was that Ras and I had seen a huge hunter's camp being set up just a few days prior, in the area of these connector roads. The season was open for bow hunting. A camp that took several pickup loads of gear to set up was intimidating for Lisa and I to be too near. We did not want to cross paths with these guys. We are both courageous in the back country, but this seemed like asking for trouble.

     The second reason for just taking the main road straight to the base of Haley and climbing up from there, was that 8 degrees is bitterly, and even dangerously, cold. We were bundled up well, but we didn't want to waste any time exploring unnecessarily. It would be worth tackling any terrain we came across to take a straightforward approach to the summit.

     Lisa opened a package of Hand Warmers as we climbed over blowdowns and worked our way from the divide to the flank of Haley. We started our climb, carefully and confidently. I followed Lisa's lead. The snow was scant, and it didn't cause any problems for us. It was so cold that the snow was bone dry and had no icy or slippery quality to it at all. After about 10 minutes of climbing, we came to a band of large, stable rocks. Off to the right, we could clearly see cliffs. This was not the way to go. To the left, the grade was much steeper and the rocks were the same as they were directly in front of us. We had already been climbing over some rocks and were finding good, stable footing. We decided to continue straight through. 

     I was wearing my Altra Lone Peak 1.5 trail running shoes. I had thick Smart Wool socks on and my feet were staying warm. The wide toe box in the Altras allows for thicker socks in winter without causing the shoes to become too tight. I was finding good footing and I was impressed with the way my Altras were flexible enough to squeeze into tight spots between rocks. The grippy soles clung onto the rocks as I scrambled over the top of them, now on all fours. The lug soles grabbed into the frozen earth, topped with a skiff of snow, each time I stepped on solid ground rather than rock. I checked each foot placement a couple of times before committing; a mistake would mean big trouble up here in this type of cold. I never felt shaky. I moved slowly and surely. I watched Lisa up ahead of me. 

     The views from this vantage point, high on the side of Haley Mountain, amongst the huge rocks that made up this hunk of geography, were outstanding. I could see far below to the Okanogan River valley. I was surprised that I could see it from here. There were many other surrounding hills. The most dramatic of the views were those right in front of me though. The trees on this mountain were huge. Remains of silvered snags still stood; massive, withered and covered in bright green lichen. Old giant pine and fir trees towered around Lisa and I as we climbed towards the summit. 

     Finally, we came out of the rocks and the grade became easier. I was able to stand up and hike again. I felt powerful and brave. I was climbing up this peak I had only looked towards the top of for about 4 years now. I had always wanted to climb it but had never committed to it as I had on this day, with this adventure partner. We were doing it, despite the frigid air, the snow, the at first seemingly threatening rock band. We were now just hiking up through dried grasses and some of the most mystical giants amongst whom I had ever walked. We both slowed down and looked around in awe. We were quiet, almost rendered speechless. When we did speak, the only thing either of us could come up with with was, "There sure are some big trees up here." 

     Several of the bigger trees, mainly pine, had been struck by lightening. The character of these trees was interesting and added to the mysticism of our surroundings. There was very little undergrowth, as is common to these North Central Washington forests. We could easily hike under and through this forest of ancient trees, both living and scarred from either lightening, mistle toe disease, or wind damage. No logging had ever occurred here. I saw what seemed to be cattle trails. This interested me as I really thought we should find a different way down. I had a hard time imagining myself making my way down the steep rock band. Coming up it had been challenging enough. I pointed out these trails to Lisa and she agreed that we could check them out on the way back down.

     We kept climbing towards the true summit of Haley. There were many little basins to drop down into and hills to climb back up as we worked our way to the high point, and no clear views now that we were off of it's steep, lower flanks. The snow was getting deeper and the afternoon was drawing on. The sun was getting lower in the sky and the temperatures were dropping. We decided that we would turn around at 3:00 p.m., whether or not we had reached the top, so that we would have plenty of time to climb down before dark. We had headlamps we could pull out for the service road where navigating in the dark would be much easier.

     About 15 minutes after we made this decision, Lisa and I topped out.  We took a selfie and immediately turned in the wrong direction to start our descent. We realized right away that we needed to follow our earlier footsteps in the snow. I led the way. It was fun to scamper down the slopes. We were soon at the cattle/game trails. Cattle are allowed to free range in here , so it would not have been out of the question that they wander around up here in the warmer summer months. This is also an area where moose, elk, and deer travel and they could have created these paths.

     Lisa pointed out to me that the game trails might lead to watering holes rather than a direct way down the mountain. She suggested that it might be best to stick to the rocks, the same way that we had come up. I told her that I knew I could do it, but that it might feel a little bit intimidating to me once we got there. We also said to each other that it probably wasn't even that long of a stretch of the climb that we were actually in the steep, rocky area. It would seem like less of a big deal on the way down. And it was. I again followed Lisa's lead through this area. I liked the technical challenge to foot placement, the careful focus it took to work through this area and the overall sense of adventure I was experiencing. Before I knew it, we were out of the rocks and working our way back towards the divide. I felt giddy and joked with Lisa at how much easier it seemed to me than I initially thought. Then I slipped as I was getting ready to climb over a large downed tree. My knee came down hard on a frozen rock and because of the cold, the pain was riveting. I knew I wasn't injured and there was no time to mess around anyway, so I just took some deep breaths while Lisa made sure I was okay. I was just happy that it had happened where it did, after the technical rock scrambling, where a fall could have meant something serious. 

     We got back out to the service road and hiked fast towards the warmth of my house where I had red lentil soup waiting in the crock pot. I had also baked vegan pumpkin bars. Lisa had brought fresh spring rolls and this feast by the woodstove would warm us after our final 4 1/2 mile easy downhill hike. 

     Interestingly, our bodies felt warm enough in the cold dark as we hiked. The only place that got painfully cold on both Lisa and I was our hips and outer thighs. I guess the muscles in these areas of our legs were not having to work very hard during downhill hiking so they just couldn't stay warm enough. It was now about zero out. I decided next time I head out in these kind of temps, I will need another base layer for my lower body. I had on 2 wool hats, 1 fleece UltraPedestrian beanie, a Smart Wool neck warmer, the hood from my Smart Wool sweater, the hood from my Brooks' Thermal Hoodie and the hood from my down puffy. Head warmth is important and it is also easy to shed these layers as body warmth increases. I like to bring a dry pair of gloves with me as well. Even on really cold days, my hands will perspire from the work of uphill hiking, running or cross country skiing. It is important to have dry gloves for moving downhill, when your energy output is less and it will take more help from layers to keep warm. I like to bring my down puffy in my pack to put on for any pausing on the trail or for when my body temperature decreases on the downhill. Sometimes I might end up shedding it again after I'm warmed up. I try to keep in mind that in a situation where I'm injured, it will be well worth having this extra layer. If I am going to be out for more than an hour in the winter weather, I will bring along a pair of down puffy pants as well. I use my What An Adventure (WAA) pack which accommodates these extra layers easily. I like the front and side pouches for convenient access when I just don't have the ability to fiddle around in the cold. I had my Hand Warmers up front, just in case. It was easy to stow away my Black Diamond Ultra Distance Z poles in the back of the pack in outer mesh pockets when I no longer needed them on the technical down climbing.

    Five hours later, now sitting by the woodstove, Lisa and I enjoyed filling Ras in on the details of our climb and having a cup of hot tea. I felt exhilerated and was excited to tell him about the old forest and the rock scrambling. Our hips and outer thighs began to feel painful and burn as they warmed up again. We had the soup and spring rolls and began scheming on future winter adventures. 

     I like the idea of climbing some more local peaks in the winter. It creates a whole new level to approaching a local peak when the days are colder and shorter; the air is windier and carries with it a chilling bite; snow is underfoot; and the color of the sky imparts a sense of seriousness to the undertaking.     

H3 2013

H3 2013: The Second Annual Highland Halloween Hundred Trail UnRun

By Kathy Vaughan

     The home of Ras and I was filled with athletes on the early morning of Saturday, October 26th. Ras and I had spent the days leading up to this cold morning, preparing for their arrival. He had ridden his mountain bike about 16 miles along the 100 trail to mark it on Thursday night. Friday, he marked the single track on our property and drove his truck up the Forest Service road to place markers. The course was more thoroughly marked than last year. Next year, we hope to do even better with course marking. 

     I had spent Thursday and Friday preparing food for the aid stations and our home. I knew after driving all day Friday to get to our house, everyone would be hungry. I had a pot of garbanzo bean and coconut milk soup ready for their arrival. I also baked a batch of vegan banana muffins. The runners appreciated this sustenance when they arrived and the leftovers were added to race day fare.   

     I made a pot of African Peanut Soup and a pot of Harvest Pumpkin for the aid stations. The Harvest Pumpkin was popular and this made me happy as I had just made up the recipe on the fly. I like making soups, sometimes following recipes, sometimes just creating something with ingredients I have on hand. The peanut soup had been popular last year and I decided to make it again because of this. It is from “The Colophon Cafe Soup Cookbook”. This cafe is located in Fairhaven, Washington. The pumpkin soup was made with canned pumpkin, coconut milk, green chilis, green pepper, red pepper, corn, onion, garlic, cumin, black pepper, Bragg Liquid Amino Acids as a soup base, smoked paprika, onion powder and chili powder.  I think it fit the mood of a crisp autumn day.

L-R: Takao Suzuki, Kathleen Leonard, Andrew Dingwall, Anthony Skierkiewicz, Van Phan, Ben Brown, Lisa Eversgerd

     I also baked vegan chocolate chip cookies and made pinto beans for burritos Ras would be serving at the Whistler Canyon trailhead aide station at Highway 97. I made a pot of rice and put together supplies for him to make the burritos there. I included whole wheat tortillas and green taco sauce. Leaving the aide station, the runners would start a climb and it would be a good time for them to have something solid to eat. We also supplied Ziplock bags so they could take another burrito with them for later along the trail. These were well liked. The aide stations also had chips, soda, snacks they could take with them like raisins and packages of crackers, hard candy for quick energy, coffee, water and tea. Drop bags were allowed at both of the aide stations.   

     At 7 am, the runners lined up on a flour line Ras had made in our driveway. From there, the race would start on single track trail through our property until reaching the Forest Service Road which doubles as the Pacific Northwest Trail. This road takes them up a 900 foot climb to Haley Divide. From there, they will drop down to a large trailhead 1.5 miles away, with an outhouse. From this trailhead, the 100 Trail begins. It starts with a 3 mile climb to the first aide station at race mile 8.  After the aid station, the trail begins a 13 mile stretch to the aid station at Highway 97 where Ras awaits with the hot soup and bean and rice burritos. This is also the turn around. Runners reverse direction. After a 13 mile climb, with some mixed rolling trail, they hit the 3525 aid station, being run by the Hilton family, a second time. They next have the final 8 mile stretch back to our house. This stretch begins with downhill on mainly double track for about 3 miles, a short climb to Haley Divide and then the final gradual descent on Forest Service road for about 4 miles. At the bottom of the Forest Service road, course markers lead everyone back onto our property, where they meander along single track for about ¼ mile to our house and the finish.

     The route beings at an elevation of 3,500 feet. The 21 mile turn around point in the Okanogan River valley, just south of the small town of Oroville, is at an elevation of about 938 feet.  Along the course, the trail passes through forest mixed with tamarack, fir and pine. Black Bear roam these forests and I have seen a mother and her 2 cubs, that scrambled high into trees. I have also seen a yearling, running off in fright when he heard Ras and I coming.  The tamarack needles have all turned yellow and have not yet been blown to the ground. They look spectacular mixed in the forest. The trail also passes through areas with ponds and deciduous trees like aspen and alder. Moose like it in these areas. I once saw a mother moose and her two young ones. Another time, Ras and I startled a moose that ran off into the thick brush.  Other areas are rocky and open, with just a few pine trees and views of the river and orchards far below.  Before reaching the turn around point, the trail passes through a rocky canyon with steep walls marked in petroglyphs.  In the summer, rattlesnakes can be seen here. Big Horn Mountain Sheep roam the cliffs.

     As soon as the sun came up, the day became much warmer. The temperature was great for a fall run. The sun shone all day. The sky was clear, although the wind blew down in the valley.  Last year, Van Phan and Deby Kumasaka had run the course in snow. They had opted for a 100 mile finish because of the rough conditions, but that was impressive enough. They had both wanted to finish 126 miles this year, but Deby was still having lingering hip issues from a fall she had taken during Cascade Crest 100 Mile Endurance Run in August. With her expertise in running, pacing and crewing for 100 milers, she was a huge help to me and all of the participants.  

L-R: Lisa Eversgerd, Takao Suzuki, Kathy Vaughan, Deby Kumasaka

     The 42 milers that did the single out n' back were Lisa Eversgerd, Takao Suzuki, Anthony Skierkieweiz, Kathleen Leanord, and Ben Brown. Each had their own unique experience. Each of them had gone into the race with a different goal and a different skill set. It was fun to see the miles unfold for this group.

     Kathleen and Van ran together, for Van's first out n' back. Kathleen is an experienced ultra runner and did well, finishing with a time of 9:22. She rolled an ankle and experienced some back pain during her run, but despite these set-backs, ran an excellent race and finished 1st woman in the 42 mile distance. She enjoyed resting by the woodstove after a hot shower. Biofreeze helped her ankle and hot split pea soup warmed her up after a long, cold day on the trail. The autumn colors were amazing on the course and Kathleen wants to come back next year to have another great time at H3. 

     Anthony is also an experienced ultra runner and finished the race as the 1st male with a time of 7:47. His Garmin read 6,050 feet of elevation gain in the 42 miles. Anthony had a speedy run, feeling strong the whole time. He was super happy with how his day had gone. He also wants to return to H3 next year. He loved his schwaag and posed by our dried up flower bed after wards to show his elation at an ultra well run. After coming inside by the woodstove for some hot soup and cold Nuun, Anthony left to drive back home to his daughter and wife, who is 7 ½ months pregnant with their second child. This was his last running getaway for awhile, and he was filled with good energy as he left our home.

     Lisa took on her first ultra distance race. She is an “ultrapedestrian” in the true sense of the word. She is my cross-country ski partner in the winter. She and I did the Ultrapedestrian Wilderness Challenge in August, hiking the 45 mile Devil's Dome Loop in the Pasayten Wilderness in one go. This would be Lisa's first ultra distance solo hike. 

With no cut-off preventing her from finishing, Lisa's strength and endurance from working hard all summer as a trail crew supervisor for the Forest Service,  had her prepared to trek the distance out in an astonishing 13 hours and 2 minutes. She smiled the entire time, encouraging others and sending positive vibes along the course. She arrived in the morning with a basket full of homemade garlic bread, topped with her own homegrown garlic; and vegan oatmeal raisin cookies, that fueled Van in her final miles when nothing else was palatable.  The bread was delicious with the hot soup, and the combination offered comfort to the runners whether it was taken in at their finish or their turnaround.

     Takao is one of our great running photographers we are blessed to have in Washington. He had not completed an ultra for 7 months, but liked the idea of no cut-off. Ras and I were happy to have him come enjoy the landscape that is unique to North Central Washington. He had a great day on the trail, spending some time with Lisa and other time solo. In the end, they came across the finish line together in 13:02. He was happy with that as his finishing time and enjoyed a hot cup of coffee by the woodstove before he drove home to his family. He captured the true essence of the 100 Trail with some artistic and lovely photos. It was awesome having Takao participate in H3. He did not know what to expect, but he was pleasantly surprised. He pulled up on Friday night and got out of his car into the darkness of the Okanogan Highlands, the big night sky filled with stars, the Milky Way visible and mystical. He was impressed with this image and slept in his car, while frost built up on top of it. Anthony camped next to him in his car as well and in the morning, they came in for coffee and the pre-race briefing given by Ras.

Click here to see all of Takao Suzuki's beautiful photographs of the H3 course

     In the dark of the morning, my dogs barked to let me know another runner had arrived. As I went outside, I could see a headlamp high atop a head. I called out “Good morning” and the answer was a new voice to me. Andrew Dingwall had come from Penticton, British Colombia to run H3. We hadn't met him yet, but I was really happy that he had found our place and would be joining in the event. He was the only 84 mile runner so he would be running two of the 42 mile out n' backs. 

     Andrew had never run more than a 50k previously, and he had never done any night running during an ultra. He was great to have on the course. He had a very mellow way about him. Happy with everything being offered, he had arrived expecting little to no aid. The hot soups and aid stations were a big surprise. He was eating pizza he had brought with him and even had brought his own Coke. It was fun to be able to provide more for him than he could have imagined, helping him to achieve his goal in a supported way. 

     He finished with a fast time of 17:37 minutes. His girlfriend Magda arrived at the aid station that Ras captained, the Whistler Canyon Trailhead at Highway 97, to crew Andrew at his 63 mile mark. After he passed through there, she drove up to our home 14 miles away. I took her with me to see him in the middle of the night at the aid station the Hilton Family had been running during the day. He was surprised to see us there, but was happy to have a little bit of a hot potato and some cheering before his final 8 mile stretch. We drove back to our house and were there to see him finish. They both slept until the next morning, before driving back to Canada.

     Ben was the youngest runner in the event, at 21.  He had only run 18 miles in one shot in the past, so he was also tackling more mileage than he had ever done. He had worked all summer for the Forest Service on their Fire Crew with Lisa's husband Jason. Lisa told Ben about the race only the weekend before, and he decided to sign up. Ben stayed with  Anthony and Andrew up to the 21 mile point. He ran strong and did a great job of staying hydrated. He had eaten a bean and rice burrito at the 21 mile aid station and taken one with him to eat on the climb back up to the Highlands. He was very open to listening to the advice and wisdom of the experienced ultra runners in the group and this helped him finish with a time of 12:22. Unfortunately, he went off course at one point for about 6 miles. He kept a good attitude though, and finished anyway. He ran into Deby and Van in his final few miles, and Deby offered him some food and encouraged him to snack all the way to the finish. He needed this energy to keep moving and to stay warm, now that darkness had fallen. I had driven up the Forest Service road looking for Ben when he had not finished around the same time as Kathleen. Kathleen knew he had passed through the final aid station already, but after an hour went by, I figured he had gotten lost. After talking to Jason on the phone about a plan for finding him, I decided to drive up the road . I was really happy to see his headlamp and even happier to hear him say he was just going to keep moving. He has the true spirit of an ultra runner and I can't wait to see what he tries next.

     In order for Van to run the 126 mile distance, we needed to help arrange some pacers for her.  Deby was key in these arrangements. She put together a plan that would work, if the runners she came up with would agree to the pacing gig. First, Deby herself would run with Van 8 miles to the 3525 aid station. She would join Van after she reached our house, completing her first 42 mile out n' back with Kathleen. 

L-R: Kathy Vaughan, Jake Hilton, Shona Hilton, Deby Kumasaka, Steve Hilton, Lex Hilton

     When she reached the aid station, Steve Hilton would join her. He had been running the aid station, but she would accept less aid at this spot to have a pacer. I would still accommodate her and Andrew at this spot as much as I could.  Shona would need to go home and sleep so that she could be Van's pacer the next day. It was also time to put her sons to bed, who had been at the aid station all day, helping runners and playing around the campfire. Shona and Steve are neighbors of Ras and I, and also our running partners. Steve would run with Van down to the turnaround for her 2nd time reaching that point. Ras would still be there to offer her aid. Then he would close down that aid station and drive back home, take a nap and run with Van after they got back to our house. 

     It was impressive to see Van's reserve as she focused on what she needed to do to head out for her 3rd out n' back, having already run 84 miles. The house was warm and cozy and smelled of home cooked food. She was the only runner heading out on the course.  Steve had stuck by her side all night and done a great job of keeping her running just a wee bit faster than she might have chosen. This was his first pacing gig and he did really well. At 3:47 in the morning, after 33 miles of running all night for the first time, he was ready to be back at our house to warm up and enjoy the good feelings of his accomplishment and the support he had offered another runner he had not previously known.

     Ras quietly and competently prepared to head out with Van. They left sometime before 4:30 in the morning after a brief discussion about how they would travel on the trail. Van requested that he run in front of her so that she could just settle into her own pace behind him. She wanted him nearby for a feeling of comfort and safety on the trail in the still dark hours of the morning. She had made it through many dark hours of running already, and now had only about 3 to go. Van has run hundreds of ultras in her running career, and it showed as she arranged her pack, changed into appropriate layers and not once waivered in her plan of running 126 miles on the H3 course, being the first person to ever do so; an Only Van Time. 

     I laid down to rest for a couple of hours. I took a refreshing shower, trying to wake myself back up. I said goodbye to Deby, Kathleen, Magda and Andrew and then went down to meet Van and Ras at about 9:00 am the next morning. I thought of them many times throughout the rest of the dark morning, but I felt such confidence in the two of them on the course together. What a team they made, Van so small, yet with a strength powerful beyond words. Ras so tall and competent in the wilderness. He has traveled many miles alone to accomplish goals that seemed beyond achievable the past few years. They have inspired each other to reach into the unknown and formulate goals; each on their own, yet pushing the other just by coming up with new ideas of where to run and how far.  Now they were out on the trail together, Ras being there for Van while running 126 miles in the remote Okanogan wilderness, literally right out his back door.

     They appeared on the final switchbacks that dumped them into the river valley. They made their way down to my Subaru where I had Van's drop bag, warm robe and a chair for her to sit in out of the wind. I had brought some hot burritos and soup. It was very windy and the clouds obscured any sun that might be shining higher up as it was the day before when other runners were still on the course with Van. It seemed lonely and dreary, but she remained focused. Her hands shaking from the cold, she got her pack ready for her final 21 miles. Shona was ready to join her. She would be just right for Van on the trail. Shona has run this route many times. She and I have trained on this section for several races we've been in together and Shona had a solo run on this route just before Baker Lake. She is great at staying in tune with her running partner and although she had never paced before, she would be a good person to bring Van in to the finish. 

     They set off up the hill. Van took a burrito with her and had lots of snacks to keep giving her the energy she needed to finish the final 21 miles. With 105 miles completed, she was tired, but still moving well. I went home and rested some. I thought about what food I could take up to the final aid station. I decided to reheat some pasta from the night before, seasoning it lightly and making sure it was at least warm when the ladies arrived at the aid station. I put some of the African Peanut soup in a thermos, gathered some other snacks and a bottle of Coke, and hit the road for one last trip up to the 3525 aid station. 

     When I got there, the weather was surprisingly harsh. The wind was blowing, the rain was coming down hard and there was a chill to the air that felt like early winter. I went to work right away to build a fire so Van and Shona would have a place to warm up for a few minutes. Steve and his boys had stacked a good amount of fire wood the day before while running the aid station, so it was easy to get a nice fire going quickly. I kept my car running, as its been having trouble starting recently, and kept the heat going full blast. 

   Soon, I heard voices and then Shona hooted. I could see their bright rain jackets and then they got to the aid station. Van was visibly chilly and I offered her some hot food. She asked if she could sit in my car to eat and I was glad I had kept it warm. She got inside and I served her a cup of the hot noodles. Shona had some chips & coke and made a few adjustments. The ladies were there less than 10 minutes before they headed out for the final 8 mile stretch. The weather had become so miserable that it would be important for them to just keep moving steadily. While the warm time in the car had been nice for Van, this made it harder for her to enter the cold, rainy conditions. The rain now had snow mixed in with it. Van had a rain poncho with her that she put over her other warm layers and off they went.

     A few miles down the Forest Service road, I had a chance to see the ladies one more time. Steve and I met there and transferred aid station supplies to his truck. I had taken down the shelter and closed the aid station before I left. We waited at this intersection to cheer Van on once again. As they passed, they were focused on moving forward, one step at a time. They were cold and slowing down for any reason was not a good idea. Shona, like a mother hen, let us know they were just going to keep moving forward to stay warm. With about 5 miles to go now, the finish was near, yet still far away. They had about a mile and a half climb ahead of them. Van likes this climb and it made her feel good to top out at Haley Divide. After a gel with caffeine, the enjoyable climb behind her and the smell of the oats in the barn, Van got giddy. She chatted and with gas left in her tank, made her way down the final miles along the Forest Service road. 

     After 33 hours and 16 minutes, Van appeared at our front porch with a big, tired smile on her face. She had done it! The strength it takes to keep on running, while no other runner is on the course attempting the same distance, is really awe inspiring. I am honored to have been able to provide the venue for Van to have this experience. I am happy for Shona, Steve, Ras, Deby and Kathleen to have spent time on the course running with her.  Van is a legend in the ultra running community and I got to see first hand what it takes to maintain that status. 

     Congratulations to all of the awesome Highland Halloween Hundred Trail Un-Run participants of 2013.  Each person accomplished a new goal and reached beyond a point they had already reached in their endurance adventures. Hosting H3 was meant to have this as an outcome.  Ras and I couldn't be happier with how the race went this year. We are looking forward to the weekend of October 25th and 26th of next year when we will hold the 3rd Annual H3. See you there! 

Van Phan: First Ever and Only Ever Finisher of the 126 mile distance

Running Local: It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Running Local: It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

By Kathy Vaughan

     Hitting the ground hard, I was now suddenly both awake and surprised. I had tripped on the frozen, rutted mud only 2 minutes into my 31 mile self-supported training run. I had no choice but to shake it off, my right knee and elbow now skinned. I was due to meet my friend and running partner Shona Hilton and there was no time for delays. She would join me for some middle miles on this day of running. She lives just 5 miles away at the other end of the dirt road I live on with my husband Ras. This road is called Dry Gulch and it goes through quite an array of conditions throughout the year. The area is the Okanogan Highlands of North Central Washington at 3,500 feet in elevation.

     Right now, we are experiencing spring break-up. Snow has been covering the ground for months and now the temperatures are warming. Dry Gulch is great for driving when its compact snow and ice, manicured regularly and sanded by the snow plow driver. It then goes through a muddy stage when the snow melts, where even the best 4-wheel drive has to be fought with to keep on the road. After the mud dries, it leaves deep ruts, freezing at night in the early spring. During the day it becomes dust, referred to by locals as “moon dust”. Next comes the crazy “washboard” a wavy, rutted road surface which causes you to fishtail if you get up to even 30 mph.. The road is then horrible for running. A passing car kicks up more dust than is safe to breathe. The grader works to repair the washboard throughout the spring and summer, but dust is always there.

     On this day, the conditions were actually great for Dry Gulch. Frozen in the morning, the mud would be soft by mid day. Enough of the road had dried out that I could choose whether or not to run in the mud. My plan was also to get off of Dry Gulch for part of the run. I would enjoy some time on the forest service road that neighbors the 40 acre piece of property where Ras and I live in a rustic lodge we caretake. There is wonderful running, biking and cross-country skiing on this road, which doubles as a section of the Pacific Northwest Scenic Trail. Locals head up the road in the wintertime on snowmobiles. This makes a great pack for running or skiing. I was looking forward to running on it after some dirt road miles, knowing it would feel softer on my feet and be awesome to get away from any possibility of a passing car. Unfortunately, my favorite trails were still too snowy for running.

     Earlier in the week I had been looking at my Bryon Powell Training Plan for a 100 Mile Race. I noticed that at the end of Week 14 ,which I was currently in, I would need to run a 50k distance. Not being signed up for an official 50k race, it would be up to me to put together the route and run it on my own. Ras would be busy working his job as a carpenter, so he would not be able to join me. Pigtails Challenge 100 Miler around Lake Youngs in the Renton area, my first 100 mile race, was happening Memorial Day Weekend no matter what. I was determined to stick to my plan. It was actually fun to brainstorm all of the possible routes I could run to reach that mileage goal. I knew my biggest challenge would be to stay motivated for all of those miles on my own. Mixing up the terrain would be key to keeping it fun.

     The morning was cold and quiet as I ran. I soon saw Shona up ahead, moving towards me as we had planned and that made me smile. She called out “Good Morning” in her cute, Scottish accent. We kept on running to the end of Dry Gulch and then turned alongside a little creek, now visibly flowing after being covered in a layer of ice all winter. In the summer, cows range freely in here, mucking up the creek. It begins to smell like cow pies and the creek water is greenish brown. Right now, the water was looking clean and fresh, running through the snowy banks along its sides. This area would change drastically in only a few months. 

      Shona and I could see Bonaparte Mountain off in the distance and we chatted about the Bonaparte Ultra Ras and I are putting together for the weekend of July 6^th. What distance will we run? We should do hill repeats to train for the big climb to the lookout. We can run it faster this year with another season in us. Isn't it cool that Van Phan and Deby Kumasaka want to come run it? (Huge inspirations to Shona & I, Deby ran seven 100 milers last year and Van won the Washington Grand Slam & the women's division of the Pigtails Challenge 200 miler) They'll love it! . . . .  Ultra runners often spend at least some of their time running talking about other ultra runs they want to do and other ultra runners. Its pretty normal.

     We were on a 3.2 mile out n'back section. Then Shona would run back towards my car/aid station with me on Dry Gulch, to her turn around point. We could see the hardy neighbor ladies up ahead, regular walkers no matter what the weather, both in their early 70's. It took a while to gain on them and I was impressed with their pace. Nothing goes unnoticed in a country neighborhood and sure enough one of the ladies had seen me run by solo earlier and wondered why I now had a partner. One of their dogs was pretty unfriendly towards me, so Shona and I said goodbye and went our separate ways.

M.O.N.T. member and training partner Shona Hilton

     In less than a mile, I was back to my car. I drank half of a refreshing Red Bull, one of my indulgences during endurance efforts, and then decided to get my dog Jesse from the house. He would be fun to have along for some miles, but he was getting too old to join me for all 31. He was very happy indeed and we took off to run the other end of Dry Gulch road, a 4 mile out n'back section. We passed by Eden Valley Guest Ranch in its idyllic setting and another creek, flowing swiftly with snow melt. When I got done with that 4 miles, it was time to hit the snowy forest service road. Jesse loves this kind of running, so it would be fun to keep him with me. I'd completed a little over 15 miles at this point in my run.

     I spent 2 ½ hours in the forest, running on the snowmobile pack. Sometimes the snow was too soft and one or the other foot would sink down up to my knee, “postholing”. This would sometimes catch me off guard and I would fall. I actually enjoyed this though and settled into the idea that my traveling was now quite a bit different than it had been before. The sun was shining. I felt warm and comfortable. I could see young, bright green pines coming up in the old burn area where I was now running. Off in the distance, the rugged and rocky face of Haley Mountain was towering over the scene. I wondered about an access trail to the summit. I was moving towards its base and would then turn, running a 5 ½ mile lollipop trail through forest service land. Some of this trail is a part of the Highlands Halloween Hundred Trail Adventure Run (H3) that Ras and I hold Halloween weekend in October. I took a short break in here, nibbling on a nut mix.

     The snow continued to soften as I ran. By the time I got out to Dry Gulch again, I was postholing on almost every step. I welcomed the road. I was happy with how my Altra Lone Peak trail running shoes were performing in these mixed conditions, transitioning easily from helping me keep good traction in the snow & mud, to giving me the support I needed on the hard pack dirt. I ran ¼ mile or so to get back to my car again. Each time I got there, it was easy to change out water bottles or clothing layers, have something to eat, and resupply my Nathan running vest with Cliff Blocks, nuts and new Perpetuem bottles (a liquid, vegan nutrition drink I can easily sip while running, made by Hammer Nutrition). 

     I felt just right all day in a hat and gloves. I dried my sweaty gloves out in the car between visits. A merino wool sweater with a thermal running hoodie was necessary, even though the sun kept poking through. There was enough of a breeze to keep it a little cool all day. Now it was time to run Jesse back up to the house. The driveway was muddy and snowy. Intermittent puddles made for creative footing. This was the most technical section of the run! Our driveway is ¼ of a mile long, so this would add a half mile onto my route. Jesse was ready to be done and he went inside to lap up some water and lay down on his cozy bed. I was off for more running.

     Now I would repeat the 4 mile section of Dry Gulch. I felt good and relaxed, the benefits of so many hours of running through nature. With the spring melt, birds were returning to the highlands and I had seen my first robins and mountain bluebirds of the season. A bald eagle was perched high in an aspen, watching for the afterbirth the cows had been leaving behind. The sweet melodies of meadowlarks were nice to hear throughout the dirt road running. The mountain chickadees were singing their tunes also, preferring the forest with its large fir & tamarack trees.

     I needed some more mileage after my 4 mile out n'back, so I went back up the snowy road into the forest service land. I felt grateful to be able to mix up the terrain I was running on and enjoy the quiet peacefulness that I felt as soon as I entered the forest. I ran up the road for ½ hour and then turned around. Back at the driveway, all that was left of my adventure was to check the mailbox ¼ mile away, run up the messy driveway and back down the final ¼ mile to the car.

     The calm of late afternoon was surrounding me now. I felt a stillness in me like this time of day has, when activity comes to a close and dusk has not quite settled. The remaining daylight brought with it a sense of everything being just right. I had finished my self-supported ultra training run. It had been really fun and not as challenging as I thought it would be. During this same season, 2 years ago, I was just beginning trail running. I would steadfastly refuse to run the driveway at the beginning and end of runs for some reason, no matter how much Ras gently prodded. Now as Ras pulled up, finishing his work day, he was just in time to see me come running down the muddy driveway, a coincidence we could not have planned. 

     Done running for the day, I could now go in by the woodstove, warm up and cook a delicious meal of tofu scramble. Its really awesome being able to put together my own ultra distance run right out my front door. Turns out, staying happy and engaged in a run in my own neighborhood is not a problem after all.

My Ultrarunning Gear/Favorite Stuff List:

1. Nathan running vest (I have 2 sizes, depending on the distance & support available)
2. Nathan hand bottle with a spare bottle (or 2) filled & packed in my vest; if I will be filtering water, I bring a Sawyer water filter
3. Nathan 10 ounce flasks with Hammer Perpetuem, each flask holding a 2 hr. supply
4. Justin's nut butter pouches; baggies of nuts or seeds; peanut butter sandwich on sprouted grain bread; homemade peanut butter & dark chocolate energy ball; avacado
5. Clif Blocks (although I'm currently switching to Gu Chomps for the amino acid benefit)
6. Injinji toe socks (completely prevents blisters for me)
7. Altra Lone Peaks trail running shoes (zero drop design has been great for ankle stability & healing)
8. Smart Wool quarter zip, mid-weight merino wool sweater (perfect for layering, year round)
9. Brooks Thermal Running Hoodie (awesome warm outer layer with pocket for mp3 player)
10. KT brand kinesiotape (taping on both ankles has been giving me great support & confidence after having been prone to ankle rolls)
11. Black Diamond Z Poles (for runs with lots of climbing)
12. mp3 player loaded with Raggae Dancehall mixed tapes