Winter Trail Running at Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park

Looking for a place to do some winter trail running?

If you don’t mind the long drive or if you can take a short detour when you happen to be driving between Three Forks and Butte; consider Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park. It is located between Cardwell and Three Forks on highway 2 along the Jefferson River.

Lewis and Clark Caverns, Lower Visitor Center Parking Lot

This area of the valley typically gets very little snow. Up until this past weekend, it has been mostly snow free.

View of Valley from Lewis and Clark Caverns Trail System

If you do the main loop starting at the lower visitor center then up to the caverns and back down it is about 7.5 miles with 1000 feet of elevation gain and loss. If that is not long enough, and you don’t mind repeating certain sections of the trail, you can add some variations on the main loop for increased distance.

Topo Map of Lewis and Clark Caverns Trails

Ariel View of Lewis and Clark Caverns Trails

Altra Lone Peak Review

Towards the end of last year, a couple new trail shoes caught my attention, the Altra Lone Peak and the Brooks PureGrit. Both are now available and I’ve recently procured a pair of each. The mild winter has offered me the chance to do some extensive trail running in each. I already did a review of the Brooks PureGrit. This post reviews the Altra Lone Peak.

Altra Lone Peak

Routing for the Underdog

Altra is a new startup shoe company in Utah. It would be great if they succeed and come up with winning products. Having spent some of my formative teenage years (way back in the 1970’s) in Utah skiing and climbing (even in the Lone Peak Cirque – the name sake of this shoe), I have a sentimental wish that Altra prospers as a shoe company.

The Lone Peak comes close to being a great shoe, but unfortunately after running in them, there are a couple of serious problems that become apparent. Let’s hope that the shoe I purchased are part of a prototyping process and Altra learns from and improves things next year.

Poor Quality Control

Right out of the box, I notice there are some manufacturing defects. The stitching inside the shoe looks like there was a problem with the sewing machine during manufacturing. The stitching is chaotic and actually misses part of the upper and liner. Besides the stitching problems, the foot bed is warped and lumpy. Both of these problems should have been caught by some kind of quality control check. The pair of shoes I got should never have made it out into the retail world. So before you walk out the door of the shoe store, make sure you inspect them for defects.

Altra Lone Peak Stitching Sloppiness

Why So Heavy?

This shoe was originally advertised as being around 9 to 10 ounces for my size, but my pair weighs in at 11.8 ounces. The Altra website claims a weight of 9.9 ounces.

Compared to similar lower heel shoes (not necessarily minimal) they are heavy. And they feel heavy. For such a thin soled shoe, why are they so heavy? Just handling the shoe, the weight and heaviness seems to be associated with the sole more so than the upper. Bring your scale to the shoe store. Perhaps different manufacturing lots weigh in differently.

Altra Lone Peak 11.8 oz in Men's Size 9.5

Short Wide Fit

I originally got a size 10 (my normal size). When I realized that the fit was so wide and sloppy in the heel, I returned them for a size 9.5. The 9.5 fit me less sloppy in the heel, but I still had to keep tightening the laces to get a secure fit. The laces are generously long (way too long) after tightening them down. The size 9.5s are just a tad short for my liking and may lead to bruised toes on downhills. Perhaps a women’s size 11 is narrower in the heel and would fit me better?

If you have wide feet, especially toward the rear or heel, then these shoes may fit better for you than they did for me. The toe box is purposely designed to be wide and roomy and that is fine and expected. Nevertheless, you need to be able to comfortably tighten the shoe around your heel to keep your foot securely attached to the sole of the shoe. These shoes make it a challenge to get a secure attachment between foot and shoe.

Running on a rugged rocky trail like the Ridge Run requires a shoe that has a feel of being a part of the foot or at least securely attached to the foot. These shoes don’t give that sense of oneness with the foot when the terrain gets rugged.

Comfortable Ride

The Lone Peak has a comfortable slipper like feel. As long as the trail was smooth, the Lone Peak provided an enjoyable ride. They flex easily and naturally.

Compared to the Brooks PureGrit, they have a much more natural and cushioned feel. This is even apparent while walking. In fact the Lone Peak’s comfort and cush makes it a great walking and casual wear shoe. The Lone Peak with its flat zero drop sole felt totally natural as compared to the PureGrit’s front to back rocker style sole that feels unnatural while walking or standing.

Supposedly, the Lone Peak has a rock protection plate embedded in the midsole. In my experience, they offer about the same protection as the Brooks PureGrit that lacks a rock protection plate. I did feel some pokey rocks making themselves known to the bottoms of my feet. After a 10 mile run on rocky trails, the ball of my left foot was a bit sore from some intrusive rocks.

Altra Lone Peak Flat Zero Drop Sole, Sharp Outside Edge

The low heel of the Lone Peak gives them a sense of stability and resistance to ankle roll over. But the sole is flat and there is a sharp edge on the outside of the sole. Consequently, when they do roll they pivot abruptly on this edge. If the outside edge was rounded it would make them even more stable.

These Shoes are Toe Stubbers

Regardless of the context, fanatical adherence to an altruistic ideal more often than not leads to suffering. In the case of these shoes, the concept of zero drop meaning the same thickness of sole under the toe as the same thickness under the heel has caused an unexpected problem. During my first trail run in these shoes, I kept tripping and stubbing my toes on rocks. This occurred even as I was going uphill at a slow pace! At first, it just did not make sense that I was stubbing my toe and tripping with such a thin soled shoe. It took me a while to figure out what was going on and why these shoes are so prone to tripping.

The culprit is the midsole that does not taper at the toe. The midsole extends right out to the tip of the shoe. This creates a thick bumper under the toes that tends to catch on rocks and irregularities on the trail. If I had my wishes, I would tapper the midsole at the toe to make them less trip prone. Perhaps, I will grind the pair I have down. Ironically the Altra Instinct has a tapered midsole at the toe. Even the pictures of Lone Peak on the Altra website appear to have a more tapered midsole than the pair I own.

Altra Lone Peak Midsole Thickness Extends to Toe Promotes Toe Stubbing and Tripping

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Altra Instinct has Tapered Midsole in Contrast to Lone Peak

Altra’s road shoe the Instinct has a tapered midsole at the toe. And the Nike Zoom Trail my favorite trail shoe also has a tapered midsole at the toe.

Running Shoes Typically have a Tapered Midsole at the Toe - Nike Zoom Trail

Since the rocky Ridge Run terrain is so prone to tripping, the last thing you need is a shoe that also promotes tripping.

Summary

• The Altra Lone Peak is a low heeled (zero drop) trail shoe that has a natural comfortable ride when running on gentile terrain.
• The pair I got suffered from some serious manufacturing defects that cause me to question the quality control of Altra’s products.
• When compared to similar semi minimal low heeled shoes, the Lone Peak is rather heavy and feels heavy.
• The fit is wide and comfortable, but that yields a sloppy fit and insecure feeling on rugged trails.
• The outsole pattern has good traction on soft surfaces, but the material is rather hard and feels greasy and slippery when wet.
• The Lone Peak’s midsole extends all the way out to the very toe tip of the shoe. This creates a thick bumper under the toes that catches and trips on rocks and trail irregularities. This in my mind is a fatal flaw of these shoes and would prevent me from using them or recommending them for the Ridge Run.
• As long as the trail is smooth or if you are running on roads these shoes have adequate cushioning and feel natural and comfortable.

Changes I Would Make

• Taper the midsole thickness at the toe so they are less prone to stubbing toes and tripping.
• Improve the fit at the heel so they aren’t so sloppy in the rear foot.
• Make the sole more convex so the shoe rolls naturally and does not pivot on the edge resulting in twisted ankles.
• Make them lighter by using different materials for the outsole and the upper.
• Add a bit more rock protection right under the ball of the foot.
• Get rid of the heel spoiler.

Brooks PureGrit Review

Recently I picked up a pair of Brooks PrueGrit trail shoes at the Bozeman Running Company (or on Facebook). Following is my initial impressions after some winter trail running.

Brooks PureGrit

Sizing and Fit

The PrueGrit fits true to size – maybe just a smidge on the long side. I ended up getting a size 9.5. I wear a size 10 in more brands of shoe than I take in a size 9.5. For comparison I wear a 10.5 in the Hoka Bondi B. If later this year, I notice that my toes are jamming the front of the shoe in my size 9.5s when descending a steep trail like Baldy to the M, then maybe I will invest in a size 10. The extra length of a size 10 may offer me a bit more of a length buffer and protection from black and blue toenails on steep descents.

They fit comfortably snug without having to lace them real tight. I like a shoe that fits well and keeps your foot centered over the sole even when loosely laced. The PrueGrit fits this description. They are a mid-volume shoe. They grip your feet, but still allow enough room to put in a custom insole or foot bed or stack two insoles. I did notice some pressure on my left instep where I have a boney bump.

Instep Bump

Cutting off the Nav Strap and a modified lacing scheme eliminated the pressure on my instep. The Brooks Nav Strap appears to be pure gimmick. As far as I can tell, it offers no benefit and just gets in the way of the lacing.

Cutting off the Brooks Nav Strap

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Lacing Scheme to Avoid Instep Pressure

After some steep uphill walking and running, I did notice a bit of pressure on the back of my heel. The PrueGrit’s heel cup tends to be a little shallow. It does grip the heel just enough to keep your heel from lifting when going uphill. The flexible sole also helps in this regard (keeping the heel from lifting).

Weight

The PureGrit weighs in at 9.6oz for a size 9.5. This makes them comparable to the Nike Zoom Trail or the Inov-8 290. They are lighter than traditional shoes, but heavier than the minimal offerings.

Brooks PureGrit Size 9.5 is 9.6 Onces

Outsole and Grip

As long as the surface is fairly soft where the lugs can bite in, the rubber outsole offers terrific grip and traction. It is a hard rubber and offers lots of durability. I’d prefer Brooks had used a sticky rubber. As is, the PureGrit works on all but the most slippery surfaces.

Brooks PureGrit Outsole

When things get really icy, you can always use traction devices. A medium pair of Micro Spikes fit the size 9.5 TrueGrit like they were made for them.

Size 9.5 Brooks PureGrit with Size M Micro Spikes

There is a split in the sole up by the toes and back at the heel. This split is supposedly allows the sole to flex and torque a bit at the toe to adapt to terrain. Perhaps, that is the case, but I think the splits are more gimmick then function. The entire sole flexes and torques easily and along with the convex shape of the sole, the shoe rolls naturally with uneven terrain. The convex sole and the low heel make the PureGrit very stable when running over uneven and rocky terrain. Your foot naturally rolls instead of catastrophically collapsing. Consequently, it would be much harder to sprain an ankle in the PureGrit as compared to a more traditional thick sole high heel shoe.

No Rock Plate

The PureGrit does not have a protective rock plate and I did feel some sharp rocks poke me in the fore foot (ball of foot). The out sole is thick and hard enough to offer protection under most circumstances, but you are going to feel some of the sharp limestone rocks that are a part of running in the Bridger range.

General Feel and Runability

When standing, the PureGrit’s sole feels rockered from front to back – kind of like a mild version of the Skechers Shape Ups. When standing and walking, I noticed that a lot of my weight is distributed through the arch of my foot instead of my heel. It feels like the sole is thicker under the midfoot, then under the heel. Imagine standing barefoot with a log crosswise under the middle of your foot. This is the natural result of the heel not being as thick as most shoes. It is as if the heel were ground away and partially missing. It is!

Promotes Midfoot or Forefoot Stike

When running on level ground or when going uphill, the lack of a heel helps you to adhere to a midfoot or forefoot foot strike. It gives the shoe a nimble quick feeling.

Harsh Downhills

It is difficult to run down steep terrain and land on your fore foot or mid foot. Steep descents tend to force you to land heel first. When running downhill on steep terrain in the PureGirt, the lack of a thick heel or cushioning in the heel gives them a harsh jarring ride. A lot of impact force was transferred to the bottom of my foot right in front of my heel. This is the exact spot that tends to get sore from Plantar Fasciitis (PF). I have to conclude that fast pounding downhill running in the PureGrit tends to aggravate my PF. Maybe I can remedy this with some insole modifications or a little extra cushioning in the heel.

Similar to the Nike Zoom Trail

The PrueGrit feels quite similar to my favorite Ridge Run shoe the Nike Zoom Trail. The Zoom Trail seems a bit dated in this modern era of zero drop shoes but they still offer most of what is needed for the rocky rugged trails of the Bridgers. The PrueGrit feels like a more flexible Zoom Trail with the heel ground down and the rock plate removed.

Back in 2008 when the Zoom Trail was still available it was the shoe used by Max King (the reigning 2011 World Mountain Running Champion) in the Trans Rockies stage race. It is too bad that Nike no longer makes the Zoom Trail or something similar. Presently, the Brooks PureGrit is as close as you can get.

Max King 2011 World Mountain Running Champion Sporting Zoom Trails at the 2008 Trans Rockies

Summary

The Brooks PureGrit is a medium weight nimble trail shoe that offers a snug fitting upper, stable feel on rough terrain, adequate traction, durability and protection from all but the sharpest rocks.

The sole feels thicker under the arch than at the heel. This helps you avoid heel striking when running on level terrain or when going uphill. But the lack of cushioning under the heel gives the PrueGrit a harsh hard ride in situations when heel striking is hard to avoid such as when running fast on steep downhills.

This shoe may be a good choice for the Bridger Ridge Run. My only reservations for using it on the Ridge Run are its lack of a rock protection plate and the harsh feeling they exhibit on steep downhills. These two short comings may be remedied with some custom insoles and adding heel and metatarsal protection pads.

Winter Trail Running

Last year it seemed that winter would never end. This year it seems like it will never begin.

Year to year weather tends to oscillate, so it is unlikely we will see a repeat of last year’s prolonged cold and wet. But you never know.

Here Comes the Sun

The biggest factor on climate and weather, the sun, has awakened from a multi-year quiescent period and has roared back to action over the last year with sun spots, solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

Historically, increased solar activity coincides with warm and dry periods. So maybe we will be blessed with 2012 being warmer, drier and more conducive to winter and spring trail running. Let us hope that it does not also bring a roaring summer fire season!

Where is the Snow

In my experience, Montana winters tend to start out slow with regards to snow. Lack of snow in November, December and January affords me the chance to get away to the south for an extended break without feeling l am missing out on good skiing. This year, upon returning to Montana, I’ve found things a bit drier than even I expected. Nevertheless, this past week, I managed to catch 18” of fresh powder and get a couple days of great skiing in the Pintler Mountains of western Montana. So maybe winter is finally here?

College M Trail Conditions

My sore quads keep reminding me that I have just been up towards Baldy and back down the M trail for the first time this season. Do to the lack of snow so far this year, the trail is surprisingly dry and in good shape.

M Trail Below the M in Late January

I did not need traction devices until well above the top of the M. The thin and old snow makes the trail icy above the M and traction devices sure help, especially on the way down. Many years ago while descending the trail in conditions similar to the present, I slipped and broke a tailbone. Repeating that episode is something I want to avoid. So these days, I am a bit more cautious and judicious regarding using traction devices

M Trail Above the M in Late January

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Wearing Traction Devices for the Descent

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Texas Trail Running

The first week of January I drove across the state of Texas and did a little trail running Texas style. From the big thicket country of eastern Texas to the Hill Country of central Texas to the Mountains of western Texas I checked out just what the big state of Texas had to offer.

Texas Hill Country – Bandera

It may have been winter when I was there, but it sure felt like summer.

Texas Hill Country

The Hill Country outside of Bandera is the site of a 100K trail race in January that happens to be a qualifier for the prestigious Western States 100 miler. This is a big deal, because there are way more people that want into the Western States 100 then the race allows in. Just getting into Western States is an accomplishment. So Bandera attracts a very competitive assortment of runners vying for a spot at Western States.

Remember, it was Ed Anacker’s experience in the Western States 100 that inspired him to start the Bridger Ridge Run so many years ago. And just this past year, Montana’s Mike Wolfe, who cut his trail running teeth on the Bridger Ridge Run, made the pilgrimage to Western States and finished second. This was against the best ultra distance trail runners in the world. He is now arguably one of the best American ultra trail runners. And of course, Nikki Kimball who has won Western States several times and placed third at Western States this last year is the record holder for women on the Bridger Ridge Run. She is the only woman to have ever broken 4 hours in the Bridger Ridge Run.

Trail running in the Texas Hill Country is a bit different than running trails in the Rocky Mountain West. Sure, there are ups and downs and some rocky footing in places, but the hills are just that; hills. There are no multi thousand foot elevation gain climbs. The gentler grades beg you to keep running as slowing to a walk just doesn’t seem necessary.

There are some miserable rocky footing sections of trail where lots of horse traffic (Bandera claims to be the cowboy capital of the world) has stirred up cobbler size rocks in places. The loose rocks are the perfect size for twisting an ankle as they vary from golf ball to baseball to bowling ball dimensions.

What I did notice and what I didn’t like about the running in the Texas Hill Country is the contrived nature of the trails. There are trails going every which way, but none of them really led anywhere. It reminded me of most trail systems at Nordic Ski Centers. Perhaps it is the result of trying to cram a lot of trails in a limited amount of space. The result is a trail system or race course that curves every which way, but lacks a pure natural aesthetic line.

I get all turned around and frustrated and feel trapped when negotiating circuitous trail systems. Sure you work hard, but never get anywhere. It is one of the reasons, I do not like Nordic skiing at a Nordic ski area or center. Instead, give me a back country ski adventure with a destination in mind. Unfortunately the Texas Hill Country suffers this same flaw as most Nordic ski centers – lots of trails going nowhere significant.

In comparison, the Ridge Run course is one of the most aesthetic and natural race courses in America. Running in one direction from point A to point B along the crest of a mountain range I find naturally satisfying. Goose bumps spring up just remembering and thinking about what it is like galloping along the crest of the Bridger range on top of this little corner of the world.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park

In the western part of the state of Texas is one of only three National Parks that exist purely because of the mountains they contain which happen to be the highest point in their respected state. Mount Rainer in Washington state and Mount McKinley in Alaska are the well-known obvious parks. But lesser known Guadalupe Mountains National Park in Texas harbors the highest point in Texas and offers some good mountain trail running.

Every time I drive across Texas, I make sure to stop and run up Guadalupe Peak. This year was no different. The weather was a bit cooler than I have experienced in the past and the trail was icy where it traversed shady north aspects. The ice caught me unprepared. To avoid slipping onto my butt while descending the icy spots, I found a good walking stick and cautiously crept down. I was so slow going down, that my descent time was the same as my ascent time, but at least I did not break anything. And the added bonus was that I didn’t even get sore quads.

Guadalupe National Park is small and does not get a lot of visitors especially in January. Up on top of the peak there is this curious monument to American Airlines pilots. If you find yourself driving across Texas, check it out.

Summit of Gaudalupe Peak

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Tucson Trail Running

After Texas, I did some trail running in the Tucson Arizona area. If you think the trails in the Bridgers are rugged, they are rather mellow compared to the rocky desert terrain of the Santa Catalina Mountains northeast of Tucson. Their trails embrace lots of large rocks to step up and over. Working as hard and as quick as possible doing high knee high stepping through the rocks, I could still barely run faster than I could walk – regardless if the trail was climbing, descending or level.

Rocky Desert Trail Santa Catalina Mountains

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Rocky Terrian as Viewed through the Window in Santa Catalina Mountains

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Grossly underestimating the time it would take to complete a particular trail resulted in finishing up in the dark. Maybe fate wanted to gift me with the opportunity to watch a turquoise sunset over Tucson from up high in the Catalinas. The hoot of owls, the pitter patter of Javelina hoofs and the warm upslope desert breeze made being caught out at night downright enjoyable.

Tucson Sunset from Santa Catalina Mountains

Bridger Ridge Run 2012 Important Dates

Mark your calendar, here are the important dates to remember for this year’s Bridger Ridge Run.

• Race Date:  Saturday August 11
• Lottery Registration Beginning Date:  Sunday May 13
• Lottery Registration Ending Date:  Saturday May 19
• Lottery Winner Notification Date(s):  Approximately June 1
• Race Registration Beginning Date (for Lottery Winners):  Sunday June 3
• Race Registration Ending Date (for Lottery Winners):  Saturday June 9

This is similar to last year. Lottery Registration begins the middle of May and lasts for one week. The race committee then spends the next week pouring over the applicants. Those selected are notified and have the first full week of June to register for the race.

The Registration weeks open early on Sunday and close late on Saturday. The exact time of day has not been set yet so stay tuned. But given that there is a whole week to register, the exact time should not matter. All registration is done online at racemontana.com.

Bridger Ridge Run 2012

This blog has been in existence for over one year! There are numerous past blog entries detailing the logistics of registering for the Ridge Run and much other useful advice on preparing for and participating in the Ridge Run. So make sure to bang around and have a look; as your thirst for information will surely be satiated.

To help with finding information and instead of repeating what has already been said, this blog now has a Best Of page you can access. Right up at the top of the page the menu item Best Of will take you to a page that conveniently lists some of the must read blog posts from last year.

If anyone has questions or ideas they would like to write about, please comment through this blog and let your desires be known. Your contributions are most welcome. Anything from fun stories to sage advice for aspiring participants would be valuable reading to others.

Changes for 2012

As of January, I have not yet had any contact with the race director regarding this year’s race. From what I know, there will be probably only minor changes compared to last year. There are twice as many people that want to participate than the race actually allows in. So there will again be some kind of screening or lottery process associated with registration. It will be similar to last year, but probably be a little simpler regarding the application. Last year’s registration caused a huge amount of work for the registration committee and I know they want to make it easier for themselves to wade through the hundreds of applications.

Stay Tuned for Updates

After a multi month sojourn across America, I am back in Montana for the winter. As I learn details of this year’s Ridge Run, I will make sure to get the information up on this blog.

Remember to Run a Local 5K Race

Wherever you happen to be, jumping into a 5K race is a great way to get a quality workout. Besides, it is usually a wonderful way to connect with the local community and potentially raise funds for a good cause.

Even when treating a race as “just” a workout; most people tend to run harder in a race than they do in a workout. There is just something about a race that makes you push yourself. A short race like a 5K is long enough to get a great workout, but it is not long enough to beat yourself up. It only takes a day or two recover from a 5K.

No matter where you are for the Christmas season, find a race and enter it. It is a great way to enhance your training and experience the local environment.

The Author Finsihing a 5K in Florida

Trail Race Florida Style

This year, I’m spending a good portion of early winter in Florida. Obviously trail running in Florida is a bit different than Montana. Other than being flat as a pancake, the natural surfaces are soft and forgiving. There are no rocks. The only footing obstacles may be some tree roots. In a race I just did, the event organizers even painted exposed roots orange so people wouldn’t trip over them. Imagine that!

Roots Painted Orange and Hoka Shoes Shine on Soft Surfaces

A lot of the soil in Florida is sandy with just some organic material like leaves and plant debris on top. So the surfaces can be very soft. And of course there is running in the sand on the beach. Although the Hoka One One Mafate may not be all that great on rugged rocky terrain like the Ridge Run, the wide sole of the Hoka offers terrific flotation on soft surfaces like sand or spongy St. Augustine Grass. Hokas really shine in Florida.

Section of Trail Run Course on Spongy St Augustine Grass

Just for fun check out these cool looking compression socks.

Zebra Striped Compression Socks