This morning’s trail run on Dowdy Draw was hard, like running through sand. We all wore YakTrax so we wouldn’t slip on the ice, though after a while I completely stopped worrying about ice and just tried to lift my feet out of the thick powder.
I brought my camera and stopped to take pictures. The first one was in the parking lot at the Dowdy Draw trail head while we waited for everyone to arrive. Nice outfits, right!
Me and Beth sporting our "twinsies" look... matching pink jackets, green layer underneath, black gloves, black pants, and YakTrax. We did not call each other to coordinate outfits!
The Boulder trails have been covered in snow and ice for several months now in a total uncharacteristic winter. Thus, this is the first time I’ve been on this trail in a LONG while. We headed up the trail and I stopped to take a picture of the landscape. The clouds were low-lying and the mountains were completely cut off. Someone commented that it felt like we were “under glass, fogging up the place with our breath”. I like that.
Headed toward that big hill, it's covered in fog...
As we continued on we caught sight of a coyote. He was trotting along the same trail, and I watched his paw prints disappear under my feet, mesmerized by the sensation of forward motion and an unending trail that had miles to go. I tried to get a picture of him a few times, but the camera couldn’t distinguish his form for all the fog, though my naked eye could see his cuteness far ahead. Finally, we dipped into a slight valley and I saw him come out of the ravine, and snapped this picture. The ladies were right behind me so I held up the entire party for this photo-op.
Coyote trotting out of the ravine
And then we headed up the hill. This is a bi-level switchback; you run south for half the hill, then abruptly turn north. I dropped back so my picture-taking wouldn’t hold up the line.
The stillness of the trees. Up close and personal, the branches are encased in ice.
And finally, my favorite section of the trail.
What's to come...
I should have worn sunglasses to give serious differentiation in the pure whiteness of the morning. Several times I almost stepped off the trail because I didn’t see the ground drop away.
At the top of the mesa we decided against doing the “tree loop” for two reasons: 1. our legs were TIRED after the hard work of running through the snow and 2. we weren’t sure we’d be able to find the trail. We’ll have to wait for the snow to melt or the clouds to leave us before we attempt the loop. I have to admit, I’m going through some serious trail withdrawal. Today’s trail run was good for the soul… so, so good. As hard as it was to run through the snow, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. I’m actually considering another attempt tomorrow morning… hmmm. We ARE supposed to get more snow tonight…
Oh my, one of my biggest fears running trails in mountains is misstepping and falling off the mountainside. When I read about the snow illusion, my heart skipped a beat. Then again, I always was told seeing coyote on a run is good luck, so maybe there’s some truth to that.
Anne, I would probably be well-served to have a little voice like yours inside my head, telling me when danger is close. As it is, I just correct and keep going, figuring that if I haven’t fallen and gotten hurt yet, my angels must be watching over me and allowing me to go further on whatever foolish thing I’ve thought up!
wholly crap you ran in all that snow? WOW! You are my hero! I think it’s hysterical that you guys had on the same outfit! Are you sure you didn’t call each other???
At some point we just have to suck it up and RUN, regardless of the weather, otherwise we waste the entire winter waiting for better conditions. This winter has been especially hard because the temps have stayed uncommonly low (20′s-40′s) instead of warming up into the 50′s and 60′s periodically. The snow has stuck around and it’s CRAZY! I miss seeing the trails!