Got up early on Saturday to make my way to the Moffat Tunnel East Portal Trailhead. Started out at about 7:3o am climbing towards Rogers Pass. The trail climbs steadily and before you know it you're running along Rogers Pass Lake and then you're above the tree line.
Heart Lake from the final climb up Rogers Pass
Rogers Pass Lake from the final climb up to Rogers Pass
It was a gorgeous morning and I really enjoyed the climb up to the pass. Once you reach the Continental Divide, you run along the divide over to Rollins Pass. This part of the run started off enjoyable enough, but after about a half an hour I was ready to be on some single track again. There really isn't a trail and the footing is fairly technical so it was slow going. I was also ready to be out of the wind which was trying to blow me back down the east side of the divide.
Once you reach Rollins Pass you just run east down the road that is closed due to rock slides.... sounded safe enough to me. This is a nice easy decent with great views, however, my camera was no longer working so I don't have any photos to post. After about a half hour the road makes a big U turn and this is where the Forest Lakes trail intersects. From there it is a gorgeous single track run back to the Moffat Tunnel East Portal trailhead. I had originally planned to fuel up back at my car and make another trip up to Rogers Pass. After passing about 15 hikers just making their way up the trail I decided otherwise. It was tough enough for them to get out of my way while I was descending, and I didn't feel like spending another 45 minutes asking confused hikers to let me pass (this is why I get up early). A far contrast from the morning where I saw about 4 people on my way up to Rogers Pass, and no one on the divide. Anyways this was a great trail run. I got the idea (and the mileage and vertical numbers) from Rocky Mountain Raider.
Miles: ~18
Vertical Gain: 3 750'
Elevation Range: 9 200' to 12 200'
Running Time: 3:35
More photos from the divide:
1 comment:
Nice run! Shoot me an email and I'll send you my cell phone number. I'd love to get up high with you on some of these.
htfujp@gmail.com
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