A Bloody (Good) Mountain Run
The Eastern Sierra is finally shedding its blanket of snow and greening up, yet somehow days are already becoming shorter. Summer solstice passed last week. We are just now entering prime alpine ridge running season after a record setting winter — better late than never.
Tomorrow, weekly errands have me driving into Mammoth — a good excuse to do something nearby. Eastside Trail Runners recently hosted a run in the area. Their routes avoid most snow. Pulling up the weekly Sentinel satellite tile set confirmed that. But what surprised me was a clean snow-free line heading up the ridge.
Arrowleaf balsamroot along the approach trail.
The trailhead sits at 8,900 feet. From there a dirt road cuts through a dry sage flat before climbing steeply into the trees. At 10,000 feet the trees open and the ridge becomes visible — a long granite line tilting upward to the summit block at 12,562 feet.
Dry trail becomes snow pitted deep with sun cups, some a foot deep and spaced for a stride that does not match mine. The light run makes another appearance, keeping it mostly aerobic.
The summit register showed four entries for the year. We added a fifth. On the way down the wildflower fields were in full light and the air smelled like sage and pine resin. Good reasons to come back.
