Soloing the Seven Summits Trail
What: Ride the Seven Summits Trail
Why: After two unsuccessful attempts in the fall of 2009 to ride the trail (due to rain and snow) I decided it was finally time to just suck it up and ride it.
When: 6am Monday August 1, 2011
Where: From the trail head at Nancy Greene Summit to the trailhead at Patterson (distance 35km)
Who: Just me
After getting up early on Monday August 1st and get dropped of at the north trail head at Nancy Greene Summit, I headed up the trail, hoping I could bite off a big chunk of the trail in the cool of the morning. After a 1 1/2 hr 7km ascent up Lepsoe Basin I reached the highest point of the trail (2200M) by 8:40 or so. After a 5 minute break it was onwards on a fast but rocky ridge ride for the next 10 km or so before a short climb to the saddle between Mt. Kirkup and Mt. Grey. After a short switchbacked descent that crossed the Long Squaw ski trail on Granite Mountain it was a rough climb to the top of White Wolf Ridge….my legs were bagged but fortunately the trail had enough switchbacks to make the trail climb-able. After reaching the top, the rest of the 12 or so kms were basicly a cross country bike ride along Record Ridge, with several short uphills to make your legs hurt more. Finally after 31 kms I reached the final downhill section which I was quite happy for…..rocky but fast. Total riding distance = 35km.
Overall it was a good but physically challenging ride that was long overdue. Glad I did it, even happy I did it solo.
7Summits Trail: trailhead at Nancy Greene Summit
7Summits Trail: view of Old Glory
& Summits Trail: lupins
7Summits Trail: snow on Mt.Plewman
7 Summits Trail: Record Mountain
7Summits Trail wildflowers on Record Mountain
Nice pictures. Who took that first one of you, Smokey The Bear? lol
By the way, you are looking, pretty fit!
I woke up Ang….so much for sleeping in on her day off!