The Cloudsplitter 50K

 
Location: Pine Mountain State Scenic Trail, Elkhorn City, KY
Date Run: 10/3/2015, 0800 start
Duration: 5:38:50
Place: 1 out of 50
Average Pace: 10:54
Elevation: 800' to 3042'
Weather: 50-60F, rain and fog
Race Website: http://www.cloudsplitter100.com/CSHome.shtml

Elkhorn City lies in the far southeast of Kentucky right along the border with Virginia deep in the heart of the Appalachians. The Russell Fork of the Big Sandy River provides class IV rapids running right through town in a beautiful rural mountain setting. Think Deliverance. A ten minute drive up the hill from Elkhorn City leads to Breaks Interstate Park and the home of the deepest gorge east of the Mississippi River. Often referred to as "The Grand Canyon of the South", The Breaks provides breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and the Russell Fork 1000' below. 

The Race

Breaks is also the northeastern terminus of Pine Mountain, a 125 mile long ridge along which the Cloudsplitter 50K, 100K, and 100 miler run. The course starts in Elkhorn City climbing continuously for the first 8 miles along a broad rocky trail up to the ridge line.

Historically, October is the driest month in eastern Kentucky. The incessant rain did not care. The rain started about 20 minutes into the race and did not stop for about 3 hours. One particular section of the trail 8 miles into the race was in the process of being logged. As a result there was an enormous unavoidable half foot deep mud pit. Beyond the speed trap, the race really started living up to the name. Whereas in town it was cloudy, atop the ridge runners entered the clouds. There were several exposed slab crossings providing open views of the surrounding mountains along the fault line. 

But these views were completely obscured for most of the race. 

Along the ridge, the trail undulated from these exposed rock crossings to dipping a couple hundred feet below into the woods. 

All races were out and back courses. For the 50K, the midpoint of the course was the Birch Knob tower. Two miles from the turn around at the Birch Knob aid station I was the first runner to go through. Climbing a gentle incline with my head angled down I suddenly heard a low growl. By the time I lifted my head all I observed was a big furry butt 50 yards ahead disappearing into the woods on the right side of the trail. Smoky sent my heart rate through the roof. I cruised into the aid station and maintained the momentum through the rest of the race to come in first and set the course record in the second year of the Cloudsplitter 50K. 

It took the race organizers a moment to realize I had finished though. The finish through town was not very well marked. I navigated to the finish line simply by knowing the location of the park. Upon arriving at a locked gate on the opposite side of the ball field holding the finish line, I navigate through another gate that was not the intended course. I think a lot of the people there hardly noticed I finished. After about 30 seconds someone said, "Oh, wow... that's the first 50K finisher!" before giving me the hardware. The finish line had delicious pulled pork sandwiches on hand and plenty of pop. In the future some fruit and gatorade... and beer would be nice additions (although Elkhorn City seems to be a dry town). 

Ratings

Race Organization (5=phenomenal, 1=atrocious): 3/5
Some runners felt the course was poorly marked but I think it just required careful attention. Without the rain, it would have been much easier to navigate. The aid stations were generally well stocked with Hammer gels, water, HEED, and fruit although one aid station ran out of water on the return trip through. And the marking for the end of the race through town left something to be desired. I imagine the rough edges will be ironed out in future years.

Course Difficulty (5=Pikes Peak Ascent, 1=a flat dirt road): 4/5
 The rain made everything a little bit slick. The 8000+' of total climbing was difficult, but being at such low altitude made it completely manageable.

Course Scenery (5=engagement proposal backdrop, 1=concrete walls): 5/5
 The ridge line unleashed gorgeous gorges through the brief breaks in the fog. The vegetation was lush and diverse. I saw a frickin' bear.

Schwag (5=a tech T, embroidered towel & warmup pants, 1=a cotton shirt): 3/5
Got a long sleeved tech tee and some decent coffee. Impressive medal.

Overall: 4/5
Despite the rain and the views obscured by an eerie white, I really loved this race. An agonizing relentless climb to start with,  exposed slab crossing, and fast technical single track really made it enjoyable.  The course had a unique character of its own. This race is worth the trip to the Kentucky-Virginia border.

Keller Mountain East Ridge

Access: Rock Creek TH
Start: 0930, 7/11/2015
Climb Rating: 3+
Duration: 4.5 hours
Total Distance ~10 mi R/T
Vertical: ~3500'
Summit: 13,085'
Weather: 45-65F/mostly cloudy

Despite being only 1.5 hours east of Denver, the Gore Range remains one of the most isolated mountain ranges in Colorado. No 14ers. No roads traversing it. Rugged. Scarcely mined. And extending over 40 mi from I-70 at Frisco to Rabbit Ears Pass on Rt. 9. The range was formed by a thrust fault of the same type found in the famous Tetons resulting in steep spires bridged by serrated ridge lines. Glacial erosion carved out narrow valleys thousands of feet below. Eastern Gore Range valleys are teeming with lush foliage, big game, and they're peppered with tarns, lakes, and waterfalls. But all this drainage also yields some of the wettest valley floors imaginable saturated with mosquitos.

Keller lies east of the main ridge crest of the Gore Range. It is one of the few summits easily accessible from the Summit County side. The Rock Creek TH is accessed on your standard pock marked dirt road with ample backcountry camping all along it. But on peak summer days expect the lot to be overfilled by 11. The trail head provides access to the Gore Range Trail and by extension many of the eastern drainages that the it intersects.

"In the spirit of exploration and discovery of the eastern Gore", I will not go into a whole lot of detail about this climb. From the Rock Creek TH, continue a few miles past the intersection with the Gore Range Trail along a well trodden trail that climbs gradually to one of the few abandoned mines in the Gore - the Boss Mine.

Valhalla's east ridge from Boss Mine

Along the base of the mine tailings there is a small line of rocks overlying the trail marking a STOP. From here a faint trail forks right, climbing over and around the mine tailings. The trail fades in and out but the route is obvious.

Typical trail segment above the tailings

Occasionally a small cairn may be seen near treeline in a vast meadow devoid of any other signs that a human has ever been there.

Continue upward and onward to the east ridge line. Above treeline, with the first false summit in sight the fun part of the climb begins.

The first false summit from treeline

A class 2 talus field serves as a warmup for the class 3 climbing ahead.

From left to right - 1st false summit, 2nd FS, true summit dressed in white

From the top of the first false summit, the second false summit looms directly ahead with the true summit of Keller lying innocently behind it. To keep the climbing at class 3, carefully consider the route and do not be afraid to drop left or right off the main ridge.

Holy Cross in the distance from the 2nd FS with North Traverse on the left

The down climb from the top of the second summit can be tricky. It can be made easier by climbing left and hugging the ridge. Once the ridge line is regained the summit is a brief class 2/3 climb away.

For a variation on the descent, an old trail not shown on most maps can be accessed by staying along the ridge line past the Boss Mine. The trail eventually intersects the Gore Range Trail.

Left to right: Valhalla, Grand Traverse, North Traverse, and Keller

Boulder Creek drainage from the summit, the XYZ ridge in view

Peak Z

Looking SE into the Rock Creek drainage from the east ridge

The Rock Creek drainage with Valhalla on the right

 

Cadillac (Tiptop Peak)

Access: Montezuma (summer road 264)
Start: 1000, 1/4/2015
Total Distance ~3.5 mi R/T with a car shuttle from the Peru Creek TH
Duration: 3 hours
Vertical: ~1700'
Aspect: N
Weather: 20F/mostly cloudy, 30 mph NW gusts above TL
Conditions: powder

Tiptop Peak is a low 12000' peak just north of the booming metropolis of Montezuma in Summit County. Cadillac is a north facing avalanche path that runs into the Peru Creek drainage.

The Approach:
The skin track generally follows a summer road that switchbacks on the SW ridge.   At tree line, leave the summer road and cut across the western flank of Tiptop to the first avalanche path facing north with views of Lenawee (i.e. backside of A Basin), Grays, Torreys and Grizzly Peaks across the Peru Creek drainage.

Looking south with Santa Fe Peak in the background

The Line:
There are a few different options to drop into the path. If the avalanche hazard is considerable it's advisable to avoid the above tree line northern face of Tiptop, as it has a 35+ degree pitch that flushes into Cadillac. The skier's left, western edge of the slide path is a safer option to avoid undercutting the section that is more prone to sliding. An alternative is to skin above the steep section and drop in skier's right. This side of the gully has thicker trees.

Top of Cadillac looking north with Lenawee, Grizzly, Torreys and Grays Peaks across the Peru Creek drainage

Regardless of entry point, the terrain naturally funnels into the gully below tree line with sparse young trees scarred by flagging.

The incline is a consistent 30 to 35 degrees until the bottom of the line where the trees thicken and the gully flattens. Skier's left through the thick section leads to a sub-gully with sparse trees and a slope of similar incline - this gully descends to the valley floor and the Peru Creek Trail.

The exit is west along the well-traveled Peru Creek Trail for ~1 mi to the Peru Creek TH where you should have your shuttle parked.

Although Cadillac can and does slide, it is not as likely to avalanche as some of the other lines in the area (e.g. Corkscrew). With careful consideration of conditions, it offers a reasonably safe option for mid-winter skiing.