Mount Timpanogos Run

On most summer weekends, the trail head parking lots around Timp are complete mayhem - the road parking is crazy with lunatic hikers taking any spot of ground they can find, even up to a few miles away on the road.  Tow-trucks are constantly towing illegally parked cars and trucks.  So much for peaceful mountains.

As I headed up AF Canyon yesterday morning at 5:30am, I was following a long procession of cars, all assumed to be heading to the Timpooneke Trail Head.  I haven't ran Timp much this year because of the crowds and my lack of weekday Timp running lately.  There must be a better way... so I thought, why not start at Mutual Dell at the lower end of the canyon?  The parking was plentiful and peaceful.

The added steep 1,500 ft climb was brutal up Bear Canyon TR179, but it was more of just a warmup to my Timp run.  The MO for running Timp with the crowds is:  Run fast when you can, cause you'll end up walking behind oblivious crowds.  Don't plan on setting any PR's on a weekend morning - unless it's October.

The people aside, it was a great run in perfect temps.  The wind after the upper saddle was about as bad as I have ever seen it, and brutally cold.  I brought clothes for it and pushed to the summit with legs burning that last 400 foot climb.  I ended up summitting just barely off my PR of 2hrs, but paid for it on the descent.  It was one of my worst times on the descent.  For me, what I gain on the added uphill push, doesnt' ususally work out for a good time on the descent - I lost 15 minutes over my descent PR of 1:05hrs. Bad fueling played into it - the added few miles and steep initial climb out of Mutual Dell put me behind on my norm for fueling - then it was too late.

Just for kicks, I added in a loop down to Mutual Dell via GWT TR150 and Pine Hollow TR047.  The sum total was just over 20 miles, with 6,800 feet of vert climb.  After the weather starts to turn, the crowds will drop and I'll get my trail back.  Fall is the best time to run.

-happy running--