Summer is coming, right?

Memorial Day is the traditional start to summer.  Eh.  It's hit or miss around here.  This past weekend was a decided miss.  Oh well.  The non-stop rain kept us from working much in the yard (I did take down most of a very large shrub) and it was nice to have some time to clean and organize in the house.  I'd rather go for a nice long trail run. 

Even with the less than ideal weather, we still had a go of a favorite trail.  This run, we did last year on July 4th.  I was really looking forward to going back.  The alpine lakes along this trail were stunning and relatively easy to get to for a trail runner. 

It was raining and 45 degrees when we set out for milepost 47 along I90.  Pratt Lake Trailhead has a lot of different option for runs/hikes.  All of them require going straight uphill for some miles but that's just what it's like out there. 

The rain isn't nearly so bothersome under the tree cover and the trails weren't as muddy as I was expecting.  With the weather not so nice, there was hardly anyone at the trailhead which was an extra bonus.  All streams were running pretty heavily with both rain and snow melt.  I was just loving life. 

Climb, climb and climb. Stop to take photos and climb.  Pay attention to how much time has passed (45 minutes).  Ok, take a gel and have some water.  Climb some more.  I'd been dropped by my running mates since I was stopping to take photos. No biggie. 

Then, they are all coming back towards me.  Uh oh.  That can only mean one thing.  Snow!  Sure enough, they'd encountered snow which made it tough to go on.  I debated for about half a second and then realized I really wanted to make it to the lookout over Oallie Lake.  Then I could see an alpine lake and be quite satisfied.  The snow level was round 3600.  Oallie lookout was around 4000.  How bad was the trail?

 CO had been going back to the car but decided to join me on my quest to see an alpine lake.  That was good.  Company was better once we hit snow.  And soon enough Coach T and speedy E had caught up to us and passed us.  The snow was deep in places but packed down.  Post-holing was a danger in places.  Under the trees, the trail would often be open.  It just amazes me how quickly one can be somewhere so remote and wild feeling.  Careful, it's easy to slip and the trail drops off steeply.  I think everyone had a bit of a slip and slide with shrubs. 

And we made it!  What a contrast this view was to last year.  It's breathtaking in it's own right.  But I'll show you the view from last year. 

Ok.  I was happy.  I'd seen an alpine lake.  Breaking trail in these sort of conditions is both fun and challenging.  If it's in your mindset that it is miserable than it will be.  I approach it with the idea that there is no way I can get any type of this sort of experience and workout anywhere else.  It's mentally challenging and physically challenging and I do enjoy it.  No, I wouldn't go do this every day but I had a huge grin on my face much of the time. 

Of course, you are going slowly in those sort of conditions.  I'd brought gloves and hat (could've used a heavier shirt) but was still starting to get cold.  We had just the steepest section to go and realized that it just wasn't going to be possible to make it point to point on the course and so we headed back.  Sorry Rainbow Lake but I'll make sure to try and catch you later this year. 

Of course, what goes up must come down.  Oh that sounds good doesn't it?  An all downhill run?  It certainly is easier than the trudge uphill but at this point, you are tired and really needing to pay attention.  I should've stopped to have more of the food that I'd brought.  I was fantasizing about the coffee and snack I'd brought to munch on. 

The trail is pretty rocky and it's easy to fall and that I did.  I took a pretty good tumble and turned my ankle.  For all the trail running that I've done, I've never really had an ankle sprain.  Yikes!  That hurt.  We were just a bit out from the car so I was able to hobble, then walk and then eventually slowly jog and ankle felt better by that point.  I had ice and a wrap on it probably within 20 minutes of the fall.  A mild strain is my assessment as it is very slightly swollen and a touch bruised.  It feels stiff but two days later feels fine to run on and walk around on at work.  And a good lesson.  EAT!  I probably wouldn't have fallen if I'd taken the time to eat earlier.  I knew i needed the calories as we were out for 4 hours! 

Even with the tumble, it was so worth it.  Instead of moping around at home, I had a blast outside doing challenging fun things.  I wasn't going to see this view in my living room.