When I left work on Thursday the 6th, it had just started snowing. Big, fluffy flakes drifting lazily from the sky. When I got home, there was already an inch in the ground and it was falling hard. Nick shoveled at least four inches off the sidewalk when he got home later that evening. I thought we were only supposed to get an inch or two! Something John reiterated on his pre-race update - that the park was only supposed to get a few inches of snow. Enough to make things interesting for sure!
Friday when I woke up, there was almost six inches. I shoveled again, watching the snow pile up almost a quickly as I shoveled it off. Huh. Now things were getting even more interesting. I was supposed to mark Purple later that day - the longest and highest loop on the Stories course. Jokingly, I posted on Facebook that I might need my snowshoes for doing course marking! Throughout the day, as I was finishing my packing and pre-race weekend prep, that joke started looking more and more like a fantastic idea. Not really planning on using them, I non the less tossed the bag into my car. I added an extra layer into my course marking pack and dressed a little warmer then usual for running. And it was still snowing!
I was the first one at the park. The gates to Meadows were open and there were two strips plowed down the middle of the road - leaving a huge jump of snow in the middle! When the second course marker arrived we just stood there. SO MUCH SNOW!!! Then John arrived, followed by the front loader to re-plow the campground road. My first question for John was “are we still doing Purple?” When he responded in the affirmative, I knew I needed to get going. It was going to take more then a few hours to complete the entire lap. And there was no question - I was wearing my snowshoes. The snow at the Meadows was nearly to my knees. It would be much deeper up top on Cougar’s Shadow. I gathered my supplies - three rolls of purple tape, two laminated signs and my spare coat. I though I’d grabbed my headlamp as well, but didn’t double check. Finally, at 2:30 I was off.
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| Walking in a winter wonderland! |
As anticipated, I was the first person on the trail. The snow was up to my knees and still coming down. With the familiarity gained from so many times running at that park, I plowed through the snow. The trail was a mere suggestion - a faint depression against the rest of the snow. I hung my purple ribbons a little more frequently then I’d planned because of the snow, even though the trail was pretty clear. The broken trench in the deep snow... There was no running this year for course marking - I tried, but the untracked snow was just too deep. The first quarter was easy - the drop down on Boulder Run, circling above the Visitor’s Center to cross the main road. At the intersection where Blue peeled off to the left, I tried to stomp the turn a little clearly in all four directions. That intersection is a mind-fuck during the race - with Blue going one way, Purple and Green the other and then Purple doubling back on the return trip. Then it was off onto Zook and the upcoming hard work. The climb up Blackmere, across Cougar’s Shadow and then back down Blackmere.
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| Hanging signs for purple |
I still was making decent time - but breaking trail was hard work. Outside a few random hikers, I had been breaking trail for the last few miles. And the further I got into the park, the deeper the snow became. At the Blackmere junction, I posted up my first sign. There was no pounding the stakes into the ground this year. I tied the stake to the trail marker, digging out the snow so it was easy to see. Then up I went. Following the hint of the trail and using my knowledge of the conturs of the trail, I climbed up the Blackmere canyon. I tried taking the snowshoes off and going with just my kahtoolas, but the snow was just too deep. Well over my knees! Back on the snowshoes....
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| Just a little snow up high! This was on Blackmere! |
Where Purple headed west to Cougar’s Shadow and Green/Blue turned to the finish, I fixed up my last sign. Now just to flag the rest of the Purple lap. That meant finding the narrowest, most fun trail under two feet of snow. Would I be able to stay on the trail and figure out where I was going? Or would there be some bushwacking I didn’t know about? I knew the trail really well, but maybe not under that much snow. I tromped off into the snow, knowing that it was getting late and I still had miles for go. That was the slowest I’ve ever done Cougar’s Shadow - and some how I managed to follow the trail nearly to a T. There were a few times I had to stop, shake off some trees and regain my bearings. But I got it down. Only one problem - the sun was starting to go down and the darkness was gathering in the trees. I’d been out for over two and a half hours and still had to finish Blackmere! When I finished Cougar’s Shadow, I stopped to dig out my headlamp to finish marking. I had a lot left and it would be dark soon. Except... the light I thought I’d put in my pack wasn’t there. At all. I carefully pulled out the gear in the pack - nope. No light. I was alone, the darkness lurking. I had the entire Blackmere descent to mark, let alone the rest of the lap. At least most of that would be broken in. I was getting tired from breaking trail. I couldn’t go any faster because of the snow - again I tried running but the snow was too deep. Back to my slow march through the snow, hanging a purple flag every few minutes. The darkness was creeping even closer, the sun already hiding behind Cheyenne Mountain.
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| Fun but hard work |
Finally, I rejoined the packed trail. The moon was rising, nearly full and lightening up the fresh snow. It was absolutely amazing. There was plenty of light to finish my course marking, the air was still and quiet. Despite the snafu with my light, those last few miles were stunning. I was on the section of course where all four colors come together, adding my purple to the collection of colors.
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| Moonrise over the trail... |
When I finally returned to Meadows, almost 4 and a half hours after I’d left, the other volunteers were waiting for me. The campground had gotten plowed the time I was gone and some people were setting in for a cold night and early morning. But first, campfire and drinks under the full moon!
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