Brighton To Tibble

This weekend I finally got a chance to do something that I have wanted to do for a while now.  I wanted to run the 78-93 mile section of the Wasatch 100.  I was able to convince my wonderful wife to take the kids on the one mile hike up to lake Marry and then let me head out from there.  We dropped the car at Tibble and then headed up to Brighton for our hike.

The hike to lake Marry was great the kids were awesome hikers and Steph got's lots of kudos from all the other hikers for taking Emma up there.  Lake Marry was full for this time of year.  We have been up there when you have been able to walk across the bottom.  The rocks are always so beautiful and cool looking.

Sunset pass looking back at Brighton

After a bit at the lake it was time to head off.  I said goodbye to the kids and Steph and headed off into places I have never been.  The trail and lakes heading up to Sunset Pass were beautiful and the view back was awesome.  Dropping down into Mineral Basin the trail was rocky and dusty.  Motocycles had torn it up pretty good.  No worries though the scenery was still amazing.  Made me think what it would have been like to be a prospecter in the canyon in the early 1900's.

Ridge line trail approaching Ant Knolls

After finding the top of the road and heading for the ridge I knew I was in for a treat. I passed the only set of trail runners at this point.  The climb back out of the canyon was very steep.  In some spots it was more like a scramble and the torn up trail didn't help much.  Once at the top I could see Heber City and the view was absolutely amazing! I ran into some more motorcyclists heading up to the canyon and stopped and chatted for a bit.  It was then I noticed that weather was fast approaching the canyon.  I could see the dark clouds out over Utah valley.  I contemplated heading back down to the road and taking that back to the car but I decided to keep going.

I felt really good heading into Pole Line Pass but I had been ignoring my nutrition and I was going to start to feel it soon.  I passed some ATV's and kept heading down the trail hoping that I wasn't going to get rained on.  The stretch from Pole Line to Sandy Baker was the most lonely stretch of running I had ever done by myself.  The forest felt dark and cold as the weather moved in.  I kept telling myself that if things got bad I would head down at Forest Lake.  It started to sprinkle and some thunder was off in the distance.  I don't think I have ever felt so alone.  It was a different experience, such isolation and absolutely no noise, I don't think I have ever quite experienced anything like that.

Forrest Lake from GWT

I finally ran into some motorcycles at forrest lake.  They only stuck around long enough to cover me in dust though.  I felt better knowing that there was someone else around though.  Shortly after taking the photo above I ran to a steep rocky section of the trail.  I saw someone looking down at me and soon realized it was another motorcycle. It looked like he was waiting for me to finish the section of trail I was on so I hurried up the rocks.  At the top I found out he had been there a while looking for a way down, not knowing how he was going to get down the rocks.  After helping him down I made the decision to keep heading toward Mill Canyon.

At Point of Contention I got a couple of messages from Steph telling me she was worried about the weather and I got another from my friend Chris offering to bail me out if it was raining to hard. The rain had actually split and went around me, which made me feel relieved. That was when I realized I didn't know how to get down Mill Canyon.  I though I knew the way but being tired I wanted to get off the trail and was looking for the fast way down.  Not knowing what would be the easiest I headed down or I should say across trail 181 that seemed to be an old road.  I called Steph and let her know that I thought I was getting closer to finishing and I was alright.  Soon after hanging up I ran out of water.  The sun was coming out and it was getting hot.

I felt like I was in a deranged rush to get down the mountain.  I wanted water, so bad I could taste it almost see it.  By the time I got to lower Mill Canyon and found the stream I was disheartened that it was dry.  I kept on going till the stream eventually emerges just above Tibble and drank.  Water never tasked so good.  By the time I got down the canyon I ran straight to the AF river feeding Tibble and walked in.  The water felt fantastic on my feet.  I found a rock and just sat in the river giving my feet the much needed break they needed.  It was a good 17 mile trip, one I would like to do again, just probably not alone and with more water.  Maybe in the fall when the colors are changing.