It’s been a wet winter. In sharp contrast to last. Makes old things new. For today: hiking (not running) around Granite Mountain, for some time on the feet in C2m prep.

This is Mint Wash being crossed by trail 308. I’ve never seen any water here before today. Trekking poles proved essential for vaulting streams and balancing from rock to rock.

Pretty much every little wash was flowing after yesterday’s rain/snow. Again, I’ve never even seen a puddle in this little wash. The trail crosses just above the bottom of the frame.

The circumambulation of Granite Mountain (as opposed to the bike circumnavigation) takes trail, then jeep road, then older jeep road, then overgrown singletrack to well-worn trail again. Once I crossed the first pass (top of the following photo), I noticed an old two-track heading into the Wilderness, and couldn’t pass up the chance to cut out the road walking.

I got a half mile of fast walking, and then two hours of 1-1.5 mph bushwacking and boulder hopping.

What’s wrong here?

It went all the way through the toe cap, too. Next time I’ll head a mile further west, and try walking the wash (when it’s dry!). Fewer miles, more time, much more effort. Even so, instead of backtracking a hundred yards or so to Cedar Spring and the proper trail, I went straight up the wash (a creek today), rock hopping and bush bashing around when necessary. All in the name of new stuff.

It was fun, anyway.

I could have done without the mile of death-mud at the very end back to the car.

My hamstrings can feel the 4 pound ankle weights still.