Leor Pantilat's Blog

Coastal Trail Scenes

pantilat — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:25:36 +0000

The Coastal Trail traversing the steep slopes of Mount Tamalpais and Bolinas Ridge is one of the best stretches of trail anywhere. The stupendous views looking down at Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon nearly 2,000 ft below, combined with the shimmering azure of the Pacific Ocean filling the horizon, never cease to inspire and delight. The terrain is quintessential northern California with steep grassy meadows punctuated by clumps of oak woodland and Douglas fir forest. On a clear day one can gaze north toward Point Reyes, west to the Farallon islands, and south towards San Francisco and the Santa Cruz Mountains. If there is a must-do for any trail runner or hiker visiting the Bay Area, it would have to be the Coastal Trail. It is no surprise that parts of this beautiful stretch of trail is utilized on some of the most famous trail races including the Miwok 100k and the North Face Endurance Challenge 50 mile championship race. A word of caution: avoid venturing here on a stormy day as the exposure on this high ridge results in strong winds, driving rains, and little to no visibility. Here are some photos from a recent run along the Coastal Trail and a description of the trail below. The complete photo album can be found here or here.

In order to access the Coastal Trail, one must travel along the Matt Davis trail from Pantoll. This section of the Matt Davis Trail features pleasant forest of Douglas fir, Bay trees, and oak woodland with a few nice waterfalls for the first 1.2 miles and then breaks out into the open grassland with dramatic views. Another 0.3 mile later is the junction with the Coastal Trail, which heads up the grassy slope while the Matt Davis trail descends into the forest and ultimately Stinson Beach in a steep 2.5 mile descent. Continuing up along the Coastal Trail, the views improve with the entire crescent strip of Stinson Beach coming into view. The trail hugs the steep hillside and contours narrow gullies with a plethora of interesting photography opportunities.

After 1.8 miles from the Matt Davis trail junction, the Coastal Trail reaches the junction with the Willow Camp Road. A left turn takes one on a jarringly steep 2 mile descent to Stinson Beach along the Willow Camp Trail, albeit with more magnificent views of Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon. A right turn pops one out at Ridgecrest Blvd which can be crossed over into a large network of beautiful trails in the Marin Watershed, including the famous Cataract Falls. Continuing straight provides more fantastic scenery along the Coastal Trail. This next 1.1 miles features a slight descent and the ascent ending at Ridgecrest Blvd with more delightful contours along the hillside. A short stretch on pavement brings one to the McKennan Gulch trail junction.The continuation of the Coastal Trail for 2.5 miles beyond the McKennan junction is perhaps a notch below the scenery of the preceding portions, but is a very worthy stretch of trail in it’s own right. After some pleasant meadows, a large portion of this section is under forest canopy and even includes a lush redwood forest near its end at the Bolinas-Fairfax Road. Note that since this trail is infrequently traveled so it is more faint than the preceding portions and usually includes more trail debris and/or downed trees. Beyond Bolinas-Fairfax road, more trail miles can be found along the Bolinas Ridge Fire Road.

The complete photo album can be found here or here.

Saratoga Fatass 50k

pantilat — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 03:00:13 +0000

Every year shortly after New Year’s (this year January 7th) there is a great low-key run along a fantastic 29-mile loop in the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains known as the Saratoga Fatass. There is no official start time although most start between 7:30 and 8 am. There are no course markings and only one aid station along China Grade at the top of the Butano Ridge cross-over into Big Basin Park. I have run this loop several times before but never on the date of the fatass so it was great to see other runners along the route (usually I see nobody) and chat after the run. I’m a big fan of names that accurately describe things so I like to call this the “Pescadero Watershed 50k” or “Upper Pescadero 50k” since this route completes a giant and aesthetic 29+ mile single circumnavigation loop around the upper part of the magnificent Pescadero Creek Watershed.

With idyllic weather conditions, I got into a nice solid rhythm and let my feeling dictate the pace. The unusually dry early winter also resulted in great trail conditions which helped as well, although there was a large area of blowdown (giant old growth redwoods over the trail and lots of messy debris) heading down the Slate Creek Trail and a few down trees on other parts of the loop. I made sure to leave enough in the tank for the 6+ miles of climbing at the finish (toughest part of the course at the end!) but it is never an easy stretch. Overall, conditions were fantastic and it was great to complete one of my favorite loops in 3:50:45. The remainder of this post is a written description of the loop that might be of interest:The loop around the Pescadero watershed is quintessential Santa Cruz Mountains, with all the things you expect to see in these mountains wrapped up into one pleasant loop, including spectacular vistas from grassy ridgelines, ancient douglas firs, chaparral with stately knobcone pines, and lush redwood forest. The route passes through a collection of parks and preserves, including Saratoga Gap Open Space Preserve, Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, Portola Redwoods State Park, Pescadero County Park, Big Basin State Park, and Castle Rock State Park. 99% of the loop is on trails, almost all of which are delicious single track.

The route starts at Saratoga Gap and follows the Saratoga Gap trail for 2 miles before crossing Hwy 35 and entering Long Ridge Open Space Preserve. The next section along the Hickory Oaks Trail includes open viewpoints that provide a great overview of the Upper Pescadero Creek Watershed and you can essentially see the entire route. After a sharp descent along Ward Road (becoming single track), a right turn is taken on the Slate Creek Trail. After more descending you cross Slate Creek and are treated to a fantastic rolling section among mature redwoods with a lush carpet of redwood sorrel and the cascading Slate Creek nearby. A slight rise brings you to a trail camp and the intersection for the Peters Creek Grove Trail – continue on the Slate Creek Trail. After a pleasant traverse near the ridge crest, you leave the Slate Creek Trail and make another steep descent on the Summit Trail. At the bottom of the Summit Trail, run along the park maintenance road (the only real pavement on the entire route) for about a quarter mile, crossing Pescadero Creek and (if needed) refilling water at the maintenance building.

A short steep climb above Pescadero Creek puts you at Old Haul Road. Cross Old Haul Road and take the Portola Trail, which makes a gradual ascent up toward the Butano Ridge Trail, including a nice section next to Iverson Creek. The climb continues along the Butano Ridge trail, at first gradual, but then steepening in an area known as “40 corners” due to the plethora of tight switchbacks. From Pescadero Creek to the top of the climb up Butano Ridge is around 1,600 ft of net vertical gain. At the top of the climb there is a junction – the Butano Ridge Loop continues to the right and the Basin Trail starts to the left. Go left and traverse below the crest of Butano Ridge, passing by a viewpoint that is becoming obscured by trees (you can still see Pescadero and Skyline Ridge). Eventually you enter an easement section of property owned by Redtree logging company. This area can be a little confusing with old logging roads crisscrossing the forest so look out for the small signs directing the path of the easement. A short steep climb leads to the top of China Grade and Lane Camp in Big Basin State Park (2,280 ft). You might feel like you have come a long way from Saratoga Gap, but this only about the halfway point of the loop.

Route map by Jean Pommier

Elevation Profile by Jean Pommier

From Lane Camp/China Grade, continue on the Basin Trail, which has sharp contrasts from redwood forest to chaparral. The trail also passes through a nice knobcone pine forest with a technical section along sandstone. This trail is becoming overgrown in places as the chaparral is starting to encroach. The technical nature of the Basin Trail along with the brush make it a relatively slow three miles to the junction with the Skyline to the Sea Trail and China Grade crossing. From this point you remain on the Skyline to the Sea Trail all the way up to Saratoga Gap – 11.2 miles. The first portion to Waterman Gap is generally rolling in a nice redwood forest and goes by relatively fast. The final 6.5 miles is a real slog with 1,700+ ft of total climbing (~1,350 of net gain) with Hwy 9 always nearby.

Overall, this is one of the finest loops in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the entire Bay Area. While not quite 50k (about 47k or 29 miles), you will feel like you ran 50k or more by the time you make it back to Saratoga Gap. While the ~4,500-5,000 feet of total elevation gain does not seem so daunting, a good chunk of the gain comes in the final stages of the loop and sections like the Basin Trail are tiring despite not having much elevation gain. The route is largely under forest canopy which makes it a good choice during the summer months and the trails generally drain well making it a good wet season choice as well.

Here is a map from the Saratoga Fatass website.

Sonoma Coast and Kortum Trail

pantilat — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:49:31 +0000

A magnificent stretch of rugged coastline is protected by Sonoma Coast State Beach. The northern portion of the coast features a spectacular hike along the Kortum Trail. Highway 1 is never far away and there are numerous access points and parking lots along the trail, but the hike is situated right above the bluffs providing close views of this wild stretch of coastline that is otherwise not visible. The rugged rock formations and spectacular sandy beaches are breathtaking and make this one of my favorite stretches of California coastline. In all, you can piece together about 3.5 miles of easy trail (7 miles as an out-and-back). In particular, Furlong Beach, featured heavily below, is one of the most striking beaches I have seen. I will surely be back here to explore other portions of the Sonoma coastline. Here are some photos from two trips, one during the day and one for evening light, with the complete photo albums here and here.

Complete photo album here.

Long Ridge Sunsets

pantilat — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 04:18:54 +0000

Long Ridge Open Space Preserve has some of the best vistas in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The combination of meadows and forest on a high ridge overlooking the Pescadero watershed to the Pacific Ocean produces some awesome photography opportunities. Here are some photos from a hike to the Stegner Bench at Long Ridge last summer and a recent run through the park.

Full albums here and here.

2011 Adventure Run Recap

pantilat — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 05:29:37 +0000

2011 was another great year for adventure running with lots of trips to the High Sierra and a couple in the North Cascades of Washington State. It was great to venture into some of the most remote regions in both ranges and see terrain I have never seen. I’m already looking forward to adventures in 2012 but here are some photos and links to full reports from the adventures of this past year. See 2010 recap here.

Cone Peak “Sea to Sky” - January 29th: Second annual trip from the Big Sur Coast up to 5,155 ft Cone Peak with spectacular views and a redwood canyon. I’ve dreamed of doing this run when there is fresh snow atop Cone Peak so we’ll see if I can get lucky with timing this year.
Winter Alta Peak – January 31st: Amazing views of the Great Western Divide on this snowshoe trip out of Wolverton in Sequoia National Park.
Bear Creek Spire & Mount Dade – July 3rd: My second visit to this lovely basin with picturesque alpine lakes and rugged alpine beauty.
Mount Sill – July 4th: My second time up 14,159 ft Mount Sill, known as the best viewpoint in the High Sierra. The route features a crossing of the Palisade Glacier, largest body of ice remaining in the Sierra Nevada, surrounded by the towering walls of Mount Sill, North Palisade and Thunderbolt Peak.
Mount Lyell & Mount Maclure – July 9th: Improved my time by 65 minutes to 8:50 roundtrip for the climb of these two peaks that are the roof of Yosemite!
The Whaleback & Big Wet Meadows – July 23rd: A 50 mile adventure run up Cloud Canyon and Big Wet Meadows to climb Whaleback, one of the most remote spots in the High Sierra. Incredible!
Primus, Austera & Eldorado – July 30th: Colin Abercrombie and I toured the Eldroado Ice Cap climbing Primus Peak, Austera Peak and Eldorado along the way. We started at 2 am and finished at 5:40 pm for a 15:40 day. It has been since 2005 that we explored the ice cap towards Austera so it was nice to return to this scenically stellar region and explore a new area beyond Austera to the North Klawatti Glacier and Primus Peak.
West McMillan Spire – August 1st: Awesome climb of this impressive summit in the Southern Pickets in a new FKT of 8:14 roundtrip.
Northern Yosemite 50 Mile Loop – August 6th: An “instant classic” adventure run of a 50+ mile loop in the remote Northern Yosemite region beginning at Twin Lakes, and including five passes, the Benson Lake riviera and a summit of Volunteer Peak. I’ll definitely be returning to do this one again!
Milestone & Midway – September 3rd: An adventure run to climb Milestone Mountain (13,641 ft) and Midway Mountain (13,666 ft) along the Great Western Divide, two of the most remote points in the High Sierra. Milestone Creek and Basin are exceptionally scenic with lovely alpine lakes and tarns, polished granite, and the towering peaks of the Great Western Divide.
TRT-Flume Trail 27 Mile Loop – September 10th: Great 27+ mile loop in the northeast part of Lake Tahoe with nice trails and awesome views.
Eagle Scout Peak & Kaweah Gap – September 25th: An adventure run to Eagle Scout Peak via Kaweah Gap in 9:38 roundtrip from Crescent Meadows. Eagle Scout Peak is located just south of Kaweah Gap along the Great Western Divide in a remote region of Sequoia National Park. The climb of the 12,000 ft peak entails over 45 miles roundtrip and 8,000+ ft of elevation gain. While it’s a long way just to Kaweah Gap along the High Sierra Trail (21 miles from Crescent Meadow), the scenery is phenomenal and well worth the effort. The sapphire blue of Hamilton Lakes and the towering granite walls of Angel Wings and the Valhallas are truly magnificent.
Mount Dana – October 16th: A quick climb up this summit near Tioga Pass for early morning light on freshly snow covered peaks of the Yosemite high country.
Vogelsang Peak – October 16th: The afternoon part after Mount Dana was a climb of Vogelsang, with great trails and nice views.
Mount Conness via Young Lakes – October 23rd: Another spectacular fall day in the Sierras with an extremely scenic and pleasant climb of Mount Conness via Young Lakes. The route we took is one of the longer approaches to the mountain, but the views of Tuolumne Meadows and gorgeous Young Lakes along the way more than compensated. I did not have any expectations for Young Lakes but they turned out to be one of the highlights of the day and we spent considerable time at the main lower lake both on the trek in and on the way out. New snow on the surrounding cliffs of the Young Lakes cirque added to the beauty and this is a place I will definitely be returning to explore.
Mount McDuffie & Ladder Lake – October 30th: My favorite adventure run of the year, Ladder Lake along the way to Mount McDuffie is one of the most rugged and wild corners of the High Sierra that I have seen. While the ascent of Mount McDuffie might not be the most aesthetic, the summit provides a magnificent vantage of most of the Palisades, the Ionian Basin, and Le Conte Canyon

Brazen Racing Summit Rock Half

pantilat — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 05:49:09 +0000

The Brazen Racing Summit Rock run was another great Brazen event at Sanborn County park in the hills above Saratoga. I ran at this gorgeous venue in June at the Trail Quake event and couldn’t resist running these lushly forested trails one more time this year. The course is different than the Trail Quake event as it is a pure out-and-back with a couple extra climbs thrown in along the Summit Rock Loop. It was a solid effort for me and I felt good throughout finishing in 1:31:47.

It was another beautiful December day with crisp conditions pre-race but very comfortable once the run got going with warm sunshine piercing the redwood forest. The San Andreas trail switchbacking up to Skyline is lovely mix of redwoods, douglas fir and madrone. There was a thick coat of needles and leaves on the trail providing an ultra cushioned surface and a very autumn feel which is not always manifested in coastal California. Once atop Skyline Ridge, there was copious branch debris on the trail from recent winds and a few trees down, but thankfully not too much of an encumbrance. The turnaround was on the single track just past the dirt parking lot for the Summit Rock Loop. Once I crested the hill out of the Summit Rock Loop I knew it was largely downhill and I got into a great rhythm on the Skyline Trail. The descent through Sanborn Park back to the finish area was interesting with tight switchbacks and runners from the shorter events to pass but it seemed like everybody was enjoying the morning on the beautiful trails. Congrats to all the participants!

As usual, Brazen Racing did a fantastic job organizing the event, including superb course marking, awesome volunteers, great photography of all the participants, a tasty spread at the finish area, and a super cool shirt design with an eagle on the front and back. Thanks to the organizers and volunteers for a super fun morning at Sanborn Park!

Brazen Rocky Ridge Championships Report

pantilat — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:30:45 +0000

Last weekend I ran the Brazen Racing Summit Rock Half Marathon at Sanborn County Park outside of Saratoga, but before I get to that report, here is a report from another Brazen event I did a couple months agao, the Brazen Racing Rocky Ridge Half Marathon Championships at beautiful Las Trampas Regional Wilderness outside of San Ramon. The Rocky Ridge course is known as the most difficult of the Brazen series. The half marathon course was actually about 13.75 miles long and featured nearly 4,000 of elevation gain. Some of the ascents along the way are some of the steepest inclines I have ever run and one half mile climb in particular about half way through is affectionately known as “The Wall”! All the climbing and terrain made this a true mountain course and it would be idyllic for a mountain running championship venue.

Due to a prize purse being offered, I suspected some fast runners would show up, and indeed, one of the fastest road runners in the nation, Sergio Reyes toed the starting line. At the start I settled in near the front and tried to be as comfortable as possible entering the first major hill. At the first ultra steep ascent Sergio asserted himself and took the lead charging up the steep in good form with me in pursuit. It seemed as if he might run away with it from the start, but I caught up at the high point near Las Trampas Peak. On the downhill portion, Ivan Medina blew past both of us and continued to push an incredibly fast pace with Sergio in tow that I could not sustain. I would not see either of them until near the end of the large loop about three quarters of the way through, but I maintained a good pace and ran the entire way up the Wall. As I started the descent back to the parking area I could see Sergio far ahead and Ivan a minute or so back from Sergio.

Immediately upon beginning the last major climb of the course I began catching up to Ivan and eventually overtook him about half way up the climb. I was closing in on Sergio and by the time we reached the top of the hill I was only about 20 seconds back. However, from this point onward, the course was mainly downhill and I was unable to close the gap between us completely. Sergio finished in 1:37:55, 12 seconds ahead of my 1:38:07. I was proud of my performance and the strong finish!

Brazen Racing did a phenomenal job from aid stations to course markings to post-race food; it was an awesome event! A big thanks to the Brazen race directors, staff, and volunteers for making this such a great morning and congratulations to all the participants for tackling those daunting hills in the Las Trampas Wilderness!

Point Reyes Scenes

pantilat — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:00:19 +0000

A few of my favorite photos from a recent run at Point Reyes National Seashore. It has been a couple years since I did this particular route and it was just as good as I remembered it. Highlights include Mount Wittenberg, Woodward Valley, Sculptured Beach, Kelham Beach, Arch Rock, Wildcat Beach and Alamere Falls; essentially all the highlights of the southern portion of Point Reyes. From my experience, late fall and winter are particularly good times to visit during good weather stretches with excellent clarity and little in the way of marine fog. Simply put, Point Reyes is awesome! Complete photo album here.

Complete photo album here.

Quad Dipsea 2011

pantilat — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:40:07 +0000

The Quad Dipsea is held annually the Saturday after Thanksgiving and completes the legendary Dipsea Trail four times. The Quad entails over 9,276 ft of ascending including literally thousands of steps as the runners traverse the slopes of Mount Tamalpais from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach and back. While the trail is arduous, breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean, San Francisco, and Stinson Beach inspire and delight. The trail also features enchanting redwood groves, lush ravines, and the iconic staircases. This year was the 29th running of this classic event that has been directed by John Medinger since its inception. The event quickly grew and established a loyal following among new and veteran ultra runners and has sold out for 17 straight years. Last year there were no views as fog and rain hugged the mountainside and made the course increasingly slippery and muddy as the day progressed. This year, conditions were great with relatively dry trails, mostly sunny skies, and pleasant temperatures rising into the low 60s.

Second leg above the Steep Ravine climb; photo by Joel LanzFinal descent into Stinson Beach; photo by Leor Pantilat

In 2010, I pushed through challenging the conditions as hard as I could but came short of the course record by a little over two minutes. This year I hoped to maintain my form on the last leg and lower the course record. The difference in weather and trail conditions surely helped my effort. My splits on the first half were similar to last year as I came into Mill Valley in around 1:48:30 for the double Dipsea. I knew I was in a position to go for the record if I could maintain a good pace. I felt pretty good ascending the staircases out of Mill Valley for the second time and running up dynamite hill back to Cardiac. One of my favorite sections of the course is the short stretch after Cardiac that travels through an open meadow area with gorgeous views in every direction. This section also happens to be the only flat section so it’s fun to open up the stride a bit. My split for the 3rd leg was 58 minutes and I began heading back up from Stinson Beach in around 2:46:40. It was mentally helpful to know that all I needed was a 65 for the fourth leg in order to lower the course record so I could focus on running steady, preventing cramping, and keeping up with hydration and nutrition. The climb out of Stinson Beach is never easy, especially after three Dipseas, but I made steady progress. It was a great feeling to crest Windy Gap knowing it was all down hill from that point. I headed down the final flights of stairs as fast as I could (with a few slips for good measure) and finished the last few meters strong to come in just under 3:49 for an official time of 3:48:58, a new Quad Dipsea course record by 3:18 (previous record was 3:52:16 by Erik Skaggs in 2008, who lowered Carl Andersen’s 3:52:29 from 1992). Gary Gellin came in second in 4:10:05 emerging on top of a close race with Alaskan Matias Saari who was third in 4:12:45. Cedar Bourgeois of Seward, Alaska was the women’s champion in 4:59:18.

Heading towards Cardiac on the 4th leg; photo by Joel Lanz

Focused; photos by Coastal Trail Runs

Big congratulations to all the participants and the 233 finishers (a record)! It was great to see fellow participants three times throughout the course and it looked like everybody was thoroughly enjoying the picturesque views and pleasant late-fall weather. It was great to chat post-race and enjoy soup, hot dogs, snacks, and drinks under the cool redwoods of Old Mill Park. A huge thanks goes to the race organizers, including Director John Medinger and Assistant Directors Errol “Rocket” Jones and Lisa Henson, and all the other people who put in many hours behind the scenes to make this event a success every year. In addition, all the volunteers were absolutely fantastic – their spirited support and enthusiasm was invaluable. Complete results are here or here.

Beginning the descent to Stinson Beach on the 3rd leg; photo by Joel Lanz Left: Finish kick (photo Lisa Henson, UltraRunning Magazine); Right: Heading up the Moors on the 4th leg

Footwear: La Sportiva Crosslite 2.0

Nutrition (~1,100 calories): 4 servings of First Endurance EFS Drink Fruit Punch; 2 packs of Clif Shot Bloks (tropical punch & margarita); 1 EFS liquid shot gel; 2 SaltStick caps (carried a few more just in case)

UltraRunning.com news flash
Marin Journal briefs
Marin Valley Herald
Pre-race Dipsea Notebook feature on John Medinger by Barry Spitz

And we’re off! photo courtesy John MedingerThe start at Old Mill Park; photo by Keith Kirby

Mount McDuffie & Ladder Lake

pantilat — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 19:17:29 +0000

With an impending change in the weather pattern to more winter-like conditions, I decided to take full advantage of the remaining nice days with an adventure run deep into Kings Canyon NP along the Black Divide. The objective was Mount McDuffie via Ladder Lake, a route that entails around 35 miles roundtrip and nearly 11,000 ft of vertical gain, with 5,000+ ft of that climbing off-trail and often arduous. None of the route is very technical, but the 1/2 mile traverse along the crest of the Black Divide to the summit to McDuffie features much loose rock on steep slopes requiring caution and a painstaking amount of time. Ladder Lake along the way is one of the most rugged and wild corners of the High Sierra I have seen. A rarely visited cirque (no trail access) with breathtaking scenery makes this spot a real gem. While the ascent of Mount McDuffie might not be the most aesthetic, the summit provides a spectacular vantage of most of the Palisades, the Ionian Basin, and Le Conte Canyon. Total roundtrip time out of the South Lake Trailhead (outside Bishop) was just over 14.5 hrs starting at 4:40 am and finishing at 7:15 pm. I reached the summit in 6:37 and enjoyed the view for nearly 30 minutes. A summit register was placed at the summit in August 2008 and features very few entries, including only one prior entry for 2011. On the way back I spent quite a bit of time at Ladder Lake for photography and to take in the amazing setting as much as possible considering how short the days are this time of year. A few favorite shots are below and many more photos are located here.

The Citadel reflects in Ladder Lake

Click for a larger version of this annotated image!

Evening light on the Palisades from Dusy Basin

Ladder Lake in the morning.

Turquoise and blue – stunning Ladder Lake.

Many more photos are located here.