The 8000

8000 meters that is. Vert. On foot. Traveling 38 miles.

Each year, JanSport issues a challenge to outdoor retailers who sell their products.

The challenge is to ascend three peaks in Southern California, with a combined total vertical of 8000m (24,000 feet), up and down. The winner of the challenge is the retailer who can get the most employees up all three peaks by the end of the day. (In the event of a tie, the winner is the retailer who donates the most money to Big City Mountaineers)

Backcountry.com CEO, Jim Holland accepted the challenge from JanSport, and passed it on to his staff with emails like this:

"Let's go tough guys. Who's in?"

Twelve of us accepted his challenge:

Brendan Gibson, Brad Tollefson, Bill Hartlieb, Jamon Whitehead, Cathy Sonnenberg, Eric Miller, Colby Gilmore, Ken Myers, Walt Walter, Joel Brazle, Chris Dunn, Brenda Leonard as well as Jim himself.

Liz Dean and Ken Myers stepped up to do the planning, so in the evening before the start, we got together with the other teams at Mt. Baldy Lodge for a free feed and Skip Yowell's slideshow about his long history with JanSport. This was followed by the lowdown on the course for the next day.

For the first mountain, Mt. Baldy (aka San Antonio), we were told to "just follow the headlamps in front of you". Which we duly did at 5am the next morning. The problem though, was that those headlamps weren't following anyone, and five of us had run 25 minutes the wrong way.

The five of us were together because we had split into groups aligned with which of the four cars we had planned to be in for the trip to the next mountain. You see, as well as running up and down these three mountains, we had to drive ourselves between them - about 3hrs of total driving.

With all of our training, and we had all trained hard, and despite the extra couple of miles, Mt. Baldy wasn't too much of a challenge with 3800 ft vert over 11 miles, and the temperature was very pleasant at five in the morning. I was with the group that had taken the extra couple of miles, so found myself behind 70 other competitors at the top of the mountain. Brad and Bill (because they're arguably wiser), hadn't taken the detour, so were well placed in the top ten coming down the mountain.

That had changed a little by the start of Mt. Gorgonio, the longest and hardest of the three peaks. More efficient road logistics by my car meant that we were not far behind those guys and by the chilly top of Gorgonio, Bill and I had moved into 4th and 5th. Brad was a short way behind.

It was much easier to write that last paragraph than to actually do it ... Gorgonio gave us 5499 ft vert over 17 miles. A lot of that was seemingly interminable switchbacks up a scree slope in an adjacent drainage. The last couple of miles were much flatter, but at 11,500 feet - nothing is flat!

Back at the base of Gorgonio, backcountry.com had 3rd, 4th, and 5th, and according to the marshals, the first finishers who weren't covered in blood. The first two runners took some risks coming down the descent that was pretty technical, as well as long and grueling.

Across the desert to Palm Springs where it was 109F in the shade, the route first took a tram to 8516 feet on Mount Jacinto, and then a further 2564 feet to the summit, crossing 12 miles.

Although this was the Jansport 8000m Challenge and not the JanSport 8000m Race - we are a competitive lot, and so when we got to the tramdock ten minutes before the half-hourly tram was due to leave, we spent that ten minutes staring at the entrance, willing that no other competitors would catch up to us for the ride.

Thankfully, we were alone for the ride and enjoyed the sites from the "world's largest" rotating tram. From the top of the tram ride it was a pleasant jog up to the peak of Jacinto. This was my favorite leg. The late afternoon sunlight on the white granite was beautiful, and the view from the summit across the desert was stunning. The relief of finishing 12,000 feet of vert didn't hurt either...

On the way down, Bill, Brad and I passed the remainder of the backcountry.com team. Of the finishers, we had eight of the first eleven, and from my reckoning every one of us finished in the top thirty-five.

Brenda and Chris chose to camp for the night on the mountain, but the rest of us somewhat wearily caught the tram back down. Nursing 38 miles worth of sore feet and legs, but thinking of next year, and how we might run, or cycle, or paddle between the mountains, rather than drive.

Or not...

Words by Brendan Gibson. Photos by Jim Holland. Video by Eric Miller.

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The Vacation Workout

A little more than a week ago I flew to California for the Michigan State vs. California football game. Arriving on a Thursday meant that my normal workout routine was interrupted.

Normally during the fall, I have yoga Monday, ski conditioning Tuesday and Thursday, ride my horse on Wednesday and Friday and go for a couple of big mountain bike rides on Saturday and Sunday. Exceptions to the rule are when I switch out a trail run in the mix.

Back to a week ago... I flew into San Francisco on Thursday evening and so Friday there were no plans - just whatever plan my mother and I cooked up to spend the day before the big game. It was only about 8:30 a.m. on Friday when I snapped. Away from Park City for only a day and I was craving an outdoor exercise outlet.

I hate the gym - the only reason to visit the gym in my mind would be during the months of November, December and January when it's not light enough to find your own car in a parking lot after work, never less share some quality time outdoors after 5 p.m.

So anyhow - before my mother had finished breakfast I was on my computer searching. This was tough - I was in San Francisco, California and I had absolutely no idea of where to go to get in the only outdoor activity that was feasible - a good trail run.

How many times do you go on vacation to a foreign state – never less a metropolitan city and wonder - where can I go and feel safe yet get in a good workout? Lucky for me my computer zoned in on the Tennessee Valley Trailhead located just off of Highway 101 on the scenic Route 1 in Marin County.

It seemed, at least on the computer, that Tennessee Valley had a labyrinth of trails along the Pacific Ocean. I told my mom we couldn't do anything unless I got in a good run first. She shrugged and went for a hike while I was running the "Golden Hills" and taking in the views of 200 foot cliff-bands meeting the deep blue sea.

I admit I thought it would be a snap to run there after coming down from the mountains to sea level, but to my surprise when the sign said “steep grade” it was serious.

The run that I did Friday morning was as steep as the Spiro Trail at Park City Mountain and had me puffing as much as I would have been on Puke Hill when we are hauling across the Wasatch Crest Trail from Deer Valley to The Canyons. I ran about 4 miles before finding my way back to the trail head. It was so beautiful I was almost sad for the run to end. And - since the game wasn't until 5 p.m. the next day, I was out the door early on Saturday morning to fit in another run.

I am sure that San Franciscan's have much better local secrets, but a tourist doesn't need 2000 feet of vertical when searching for a vacation workout. Instead a scenic and diverse trail system with lung bursting ascents and technical descents is more than enough to tide the tourist over until the plane lands and the tarmac is within site - sure beats the hotel treadmill any day!

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T-Minus 6 Days for Karl

Hiking the entire AT trail is an accomplishment. Running it? Some say insanity, others merely scoff. Setting a record by running it in 47 days? Certainly a heavy dose of hubris with some insanity on the side.

But the coolest thing about Karl Meltzer is that he is seriously lacking in hubris and seems to be quite sane. He's been antsy to say the least.

As his adventure gets closer, 6 days away to be exact, excitement is building. The new website WheresKarl.com is ready to go and you can check in on him and follow his progress via the SPOT satellite locater that he'll be using which interfaces with Google maps. Pretty nifty technology.

He's left Utah and is driving the Where's Karl van to the head of the AT trail in Maine.

If you catch a sighting of the van and manage to take a picture of it, send us a photo to: backcountryhorde AT gmail DOT com. I'll send you a Where's Karl tee shirt as thanks.

Good luck Karl!

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Being Inspired by Karl

Some things inspire action, others inspire awe. For me, the simple video below and what Karl Meltzer is setting out to do does both.



To say that Karl Meltzer is a "freak" (I mean that in the best of senses - the same way Michael Jordan was a freak) may begin to scratch the surface. As a competitive trail runner, perhaps greatest ever to lace up shoes and set out on a mountain trail, he is in a league of his own.

To be in awe of him and what he has accomplished should come as no surprise. The fact that he's doing this at 40 blows my mind.

But to be inspired by it? Watching it makes me want to get out there and run, reminding me of something Karl's running buddy Scott Mason once told me when he and I were out on a trail run. Upon urging me to repeat an 8 mile loop that we had just finished he said:

"You'd be surprised what the human body can endure if you'll only give it the chance. Problem is most people don't get that far with themselves."

I think Scott was spot on. Of this run Karl said:

"Never before have I set a challenge for myself like this one,” said Karl Meltzer. “I always thought 100 miles at a time was enough, but 2,174 miles should raise the bar a bit."

So it goes that on Aug. 5, 2008, the 40-year-old winner of 49 ultra-distance mountain races (including 23 hundred milers) will begin his attempt to break the record for running the entire length of the Appalachian Trail, end-to-end.

That is 2,174 miles in 47 days, and that (for the mathematically challenged among us) is an average of more than 46 miles per day – over some of the gnarliest terrain and during the most sweltering, most bug-filled season on the Eastern Seaboard.

Follow along when the adventure begins at WheresKarl.com, check it.

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An Uphill Downhill Adventure Story

My car told me it was 13C when I jumped in. Far too warm to snow, but as I drove north on I-80 and I-84, I watched the temperature slowly drop. 12, 9, 7C.

I think I may have been watching the temperature drop a little to closely, because I failed to notice one of Weber County's finest lying in wait for me on the side of the road.

Once again, I was going too fast.

"Where are you headed?"

"umm... Snowbasin"

"...and what are you going there for?"

"a race"

"what kind of race?"

"ah ... errr ... a running race"

"License and Registration please"

Inquisition over, I accepted my ticket and continued on to Snowbasin to take part in the 8th annual Uphill/Downhill.

I'd been in town for several weeks straight - without any weekend quests to the desert or mountains and I was itching to get out on an adventure - where ever it might be. Unfortunately, all of my mates flaked out and prospective trips to both Moab and the Uinta Mountains never materialized.

I had learned of this race when I was flipping through the paper on Friday afternoon, searching for alternatives to my foiled plans.

After watching Lipstick Film's latest telemark movie on Friday night, I was still hedging whether I would run. In fact I told myself, I'd either go out post-film drinking on Main Street with the other kids, or do the race. I was feeling a bit too tired and off-color for boozing, so I went to bed early and half-heartedly set my alarm.

Back to the dropping temperature. By the time I arrived at Snowbasin, the temperature gauge in my car showed 3C, and yes, it started snowing a few minutes after I arrived. To be honest, I was a bit excited. A race in the snow would definitely be more interesting.

I like skiing Snowbasin. The main reason I like it is for the steeps. Unfortunately steep downhill pistes translate into steep ascents if you are running straight up them. And that's what the course of the Uphill/Downhill did. Straight up the piste from the base of the resort to the top of the Needles Gondola Express - via City Hill, Porky Face, Waterfall, Needles Run, Porcupine Traverse, and finally Sweet Revenge. Not up any smooth switchbacking trails, but straight up the piste.

Despite the conditions, a reasonable group of runners gathered at the start. Some runners decked-out in racing tights, and some like me in a full tracksuit with gloves and beanies. Standing around, shivering in the snow was uncomfortable. We were all relieved when the hooter sounded for the start and we could get our frozen muscles moving to warm up.

A few youngsters sprinted out of the start gate but the going soon got tough, and they quickly dropped back into the pack. It soon got so steep that it became difficult to continue running, and a hike/climb became the most efficient means of ascent. I was reticent to relinquish my running stride, as it felt like a cop-out, but with long walking strides I was catching a runner ahead, so I think I had the right idea.

The snow continued. Heavy, wet flakes came down harder and harder. It was becoming difficult to navigate the route of the race, which had been marked with blue flags. I was wearing Smith Threshold glasses with the clear lenses in, but they soon fogged-up and had to be taken off for any visibility.

Up the mountain, there was no trail to follow. I had to pick my own way through the long grass, and loose rock and gravel. At times I looked up from my dragging feet to see the leaders up ahead, which gave me some idea of which way the course turned next, but often when I looked up, all I could see was swirling snow and cloud. All the way to the lodge at the top where the snow had started to settle.

If the "run" up was more like climbing ... then the descent was like the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling, but with 5km of it. The increasing snow, made the already treacherous task of negotiating the loose rock increasingly tricky. The more stable rocks were now being covered in snow making them slick land-mines. I slipped a couple of times, but thankfully didn't injure myself or roll an ankle. I fact, I took the route down pretty conservatively. That is, until I heard one of the ascending back markers cheer someone on just behind me. There was no way I wanted to be passed, so I told myself to concentrate and picked up my level of risk, and the pace.

The lower section of the course didn't have so much snow, but longer grass made identifying the hidden treasures lurking underneath much more difficult. Of course all the runners had the same difficulties, and I was able to increase my lead on the runner behind me. Unfortunately though, I couldn't quite catch the two leaders in the end, settling for third.

I ran this race in Pearl Izumi Syncro Float 2's. I've had these shoes for a few months now. I found them ideal for this race. They were lightweight enough for the uphill section, and stiff enough to provide protection on rough terrain downhill, particularly for my toes.

The Snowbasin Uphill/Downhill, despite its difficulty, is a fun 10km race to finish off the season. Now that I know what I am in for, I hope to come back next year and give it a real shake. I am sure my aching quads will have healed by then...

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