Running the Divide

One of the trips I am most looking forward to this year is the Alpine Running Guides run along Reservation Divide. Anyone who knows me knows that I love running along ridge lines and over 10 of the 15 miles of this run is on a ridge line!The Reservation Divide trail alternates between following the top of the ridge and dropping a hundred feet down the Ninemile Valley side of the ridge. In July this means that we will be running through high alpine meadows when we aren't up on the ridge line. Flowers should be out. The weather is usually clear and warm. And we should find some huckleberries.I also particularly enjoy running on this trail because of the trail itself. One of the beauties of ridge line travel is that you're already high. There isn't the need, or space, to climb thousands of feet at a time (usually) so I'm able to find more of a rhythm while running. The footing is technical in spots, but not overly so. I rate it as just enough to keep you engaged, but not so technical that you can't appreciate the scenery. It ends up being a fun, flowy run where the miles just fly by.If peakbagging is your thing, this trip also gives you the chance to summit potentially four named peaks and pinnacles. Each with a different feel and flavor of scenery. I still vividly remember the first time I went up Burnt Fork Pinnacle (one of the points we will cover on this trip). We ran up from the road below on a rainy day and ended up standing on the summit while not being sure if that was actually it. Visibility was severely limited in the clouds, it was windy, and rain pelted us. Now every time I think of that area I remember that storm swirling around while we stood on the summit. It's a memory that is forever linked with that run, because of that particular mountain.The Reservation Divide trail run has multiple mountains to cover! What memories will you make?Happy Trails,Forrest