First Ever Arizona Trail Race

[krefs]

Jefe, how are you getting down to Tucson?

[wookieone]

Pretty sure I got a very generous friend giving me a ride? Let me me know if I can help, think we have room?

[tRoy]

You all will be able to RUN across the Grand Canyon while carrying your bike.    Why?  Because you will be damn fit from carrying it through mud and snow from Payson to past Flagstaff.   
I went skiing 2 days ago and even the south facing slopes of Hart Praire still have 1-2 feet of snow on them...

[krefs]

Wasn't everyone planning on running across the Grand Canyon already?    It is a race afterall. 

But all this mud and snow isn't sounding terribly inviting.

Jefe, I think I might have travel to Tucson worked out...I'll bug you if something falls through, though.

[OurManInTheNorth]

Dang this was supposed to be my dry desert adventure after a record snow year here in northern Europe! Anyone able to give a lift Flagstaff to Tuscon, or want to share a hire car?

[wookieone]

I might be going thourgh Flagstaff, not sure yet, I'll know more soon.....

[tetontodd]

Alright, I'm in--not for the full monty but for the 300!! I fly into Tucson from SLC on Thursday afternoon...If there are any rides to the start I would love to jump in! What time? And Where do I meet?? Anyone have room email me tetontodd@hotmail.com

Accomodations? Crash pads?

Thanks/see everyone soon!
Todd

[ScottM]

Here's an encouraging pic.



"North Facing Mt. Elden"

Pic from 4/5/10.  Off Josh Kelley's blog.

From my reading of the snow models they definitely underestimate things.  There is still a bunch of prohibitive (to trail travel) snow in several mountain ranges down here in southern AZ.  But the models don't even show a single pixel of snow depth on any of them.  For the most part it is all north facing, I would say, but still.  My friend Brett Tucker reported miles of post holing in the Santa Ritas and skipped a trip to the summit due to slippery, crusty snow.

My friend in Payson says everything in that area is dry (and that our route is still fine).  He doesn't know about conditions up on the rim, but will be up there a bit this weekend, so he'll report back.

Overall, it's not too encouraging.  I have to admit that I am having thoughts of reverting to the 300 this year and saving energy for other endeavors.  I really want to race the full AZT, but not if it's going to be a snow/mud fest or require us to detour more than the north rim.  At this point I think it's pretty much guaranteed that some of the AZT on the peaks will still be under deep snow.  Hart Prairie is the alternate and will likely still be quite snowy even itself.  If Mormon Mountain and other areas are still snowy and/or muddy.... well shoot.

Reschedule to May and suffer in the deserts?  The north rim will still be snowy.  Fall?  Maybe.

I'll wait for the Mogollon Rim report, and also see what I think based on what I see in Prescott this weekend.  So at this point I am still "in" for the full.

[dream4est]

Pretty sure I got a very generous friend giving me a ride? Let me me know if I can help, think we have room?

I am still looking for a ride Jefe. I can get to Gunny from Idaho Springs if I could hitch a ride with you to Tucson. Let me know.

Mark C. 720-545-4791

[wookieone]

Thanks for all the info, and Mark, I hope to be leaving Gunny early wednesday morning, my ride is coming in from salida, pretty sure we have room and all, not sure where Idaho Springs are at? I'll check in with my ride, she is super duper cool, so shouldn't be a problem....I was afraid all the snow was gonna be a pain! I thought this was a race through the desert!!! Oh well, thnaks Scott, keep us posted..

[dream4est]

Thanks for all the info, and Mark, I hope to be leaving Gunny early wednesday morning, my ride is coming in from salida, pretty sure we have room and all, not sure where Idaho Springs are at? I'll check in with my ride, she is super duper cool, so shouldn't be a problem....I was afraid all the snow was gonna be a pain! I thought this was a race through the desert!!! Oh well, thnaks Scott, keep us posted..

Jefe- I am right outside Denver- about 3 hrs away from you. I could be there early AM Wednesday or Tuesday evening.
That would work great for me- I can hitchhike from the finish to Gunny and my car- that is what I have done for 3 straight CT's and Grand Loop efforts. I

[pro_out]

For those concerned with the snow up north, how about an AZT 300 out and back (AZT 600).

[ScottM]

I thought about a 300+ version, either out and back or looping back on other trails.  A big part of the appeal of this, though, is the cross state, end-to-end nature of it, and the whole grand canyon experience.

Speaking of that, I am laid up with an ankle engulfed in swelling right now.  I twisted it while hike-a-biking during the AES race this weekend.  I am hopeful it will be ok relatively soon (I did ride a couple more painful hours after injuring it) but the future of me hiking across the canyon is looking a little dim right now.  Even the 300 might be questionable in less than 2 weeks.  We'll see.

I have a final version of the full GPX to post, and am part way through the cues.  I'll try to get them wrapped up soon.

[ScottM]

Yeah, my ankle is worse than I thought.  It's bruising now, indicating some more serious damage.

At this point consider me 100% out for the full AZT.  There's always a chance, but with snow doubts and now this, I'm starting to put it out of my mind.

There's no reason the race cannot go on without me and I will certainly do everything I can to 'support' it, meaning cues/GPX/SPOT/logistics.  But if others want to try a fall or 2011 reschedule instead, I understand.

[AZTtripper]

Scott

That's a major drag sorry to hear about your injury.

[wookieone]

So Just a wondering....do we still go for the AZTR 750, snow and all? Or any ideas? I am curious if anyone else has a strong opinion? I would still like to do more than the 300, although I am in for that for sure, but I don't want to just mess up some trails, my bike, etc. Woud be more encouraging if others were out there too. Scott, man that sucks, hope you heal up, It wouldn't be the same without you out there, 300 or 750!! But do what you need to do, there's always another chance, race, etc.

PS I was also thinking of doing a bit of an out and back on the 300 course(back to Tucson atleast) if the 750 looks too snowy, but who knows

[krefs]

I think I'm out for the 750.  There's a bit of snow in the forecast for Flagstaff today and tonight (down to 6k'!), and I spent a couple hours on Saturday postholing through deep snow with my bike and reaffirmed that I don't want to do that for miles upon miles.  Maybe next year, assuming the winter isn't quite so snowy.  Odds are I'll do something like what Jefe is thinking instead, hammering out the 300 and then maybe a bit more if there's anything left in the legs after a greasy meal in Superior. 

[ScottM]

Makes sense Kurt.    300 then back to Tucson would be a fine ride... maybe going up the control road instead of Oracle Ridge, then hitting singletrack back into Tucson.

Anyway, wanted to point people to this new town guide, published less than two weeks ago:

http://www.aztrail.org/resupply_041310.pdf

Should help for planning purposes.  There is a bunch of other good info on aztrail.org.  Just remember that it's all written for hikers and we take different routes due to the wilderness detours!

[wookieone]

I think I am out of the full 750! I am quite sad, but I have a small window to get to Utah and back to Gunny(work) and with all the snow it just doesn't look possible, Hate to say it but Damn That Snow. Oh well, I would be interested in a fall attempt at the full monty!? If that works, what time of the year would be best for that? Maybe a North to South?

I am in for the 300 for sure.....maybe more after the finish....

[OurManInTheNorth]

Darn, I go away for a wedding in Scotland and come back to all this! Sorry to hear about the sprained ankle Scott, they were always my achilles heel (well you know what I mean) when I used to play soccer, too much time off the bike from that. I got hit by bronchitis but am well on the road to recovery.

Has anyone been able to determine exactly what the snow will mean? I'm happy playing in mud, and have been doing a fair bit of pushing and postholing this winter in Finland and the UK! My main concern was whether the Grand canyon descent and especially North Rim ascent is likely to be icy, as cycling shoes plus bike on back plus ice don't make for the best balance combination... Has anyone done any of the riding from i.e. the Mogollon Rim to Flag, Flag to GC, or the Santa Ritas Scott was concerned about?

I can probably squeeze a few extra days into the time I can give to this, so if it is relatively short distances of pushing (5 mile stretches or less say) I should be fine. If daily mileages have to drop from 75-100 to say 10-20 then I'm not going to make it! I'm still very much in for the full route at the moment though as there is no way I can get over to the USA for another bash, probably in the next few years! Who's joining me? :>)