View Workout (Joe Uhan)
Grinnell Lake & Glacier - Glacier NP
September 10, 2017 (Morning)
Exercise Type: Run
Weather: 55-75, depending on altitude
Comments:
Up early with everyone. Thankfully the smoke was low, again, so we were set for an east side adventure. I was excited to run...but didn't feel good, again. Some gut rot. So I had only coffee without cream.
LONG drive from Apgar-Glacier City to the east side, and "Many Glaciers" area. It was sunny, but breezy...but that meant no smoke, thankfully! Took nearly 3 hours to get there.
We did a 11.5-mile round trip to Grinnell Glacier, which - a lot like Hardrock - sits in an upper basin, with waterfalls flowing in and out.
This route was, per my estimate, the BEST "beauty per unit effort" I've ever seen:
- we started out of buffed singletrack along two lower lakes, mostly flat, before climbing away
- we slowly climbed a ridgeline away from those lower lakes, along some rock walls with intermittent waterfalls. The whole time, climbing, you could see the lakes below, and across this deep, narrow valley, with hints of the lakes and glaciers ahead
- ran past a cadre of bighorn sheep!
- finally, after a good hour+ running (most easy), we got to the lake & glacier
Gorgeous!
CA and I ran solo, as Bert is hurt, so Courtney and Candace hiked with him. They were +30 to the top, and about +60 back down. We hung out at the top for a bit, then bombed down.
Fairly crowded, but so worth it!
I felt...OK. Pretty sluggish. Legs were OK, but weirdly low energy.
Per tradition, within a mile of the finish, CA and I jumped off a dock (into Swiftwater Lake) to "rinse off"! A rare dock jump!
Post-run:
- changed clothes, then hung out, sitting and lying in the sun at the TH, reading
- once everyone got back, we went into East Glacier for food, then home
Long day, with tons of driving, but fun!
| Distance | Duration | Pace | Interval Type | Shoes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.5 Miles |