+ Thursday evening run and picnic: Deer Creek (T=3, P=4; N=2)**
+ Saturday's Evergreen Runners Circle run: Alderfer/Three Sisters
(T=3, P=3, N=2)**.
+ Golden Gate Canyon Trail Run, 8/1. Entries taken at the picnic.
+ Races, clinics and other upcoming events
+ Weekend long run: 8/7 Argentine Pass run and ride


This Thursday is a run and potluck picnic at Deer Creek Canyon Park
(T=3, P=4; N=2)**. The main group will start at 6:30pm sharp. A
smaller group usually starts around 5:30pm; look for Scott, Ray,
Connie or Kim. Regardless of when you start, please finish by 8pm and
join us in the picnic shelter.

This is a good run for beginners. I say that because the navigation is easy, not
the physical challenge. The trails are easy to follow; there's a good map
online; there's a large display map at the start; and there are paper maps at
the start that you can take with you. The trails are steep and physically
challenging, however (please refer to the TPN ratings). Don't be afraid to walk
the hills. Come on out, have some fun, join us for the potluck, and meet some of
the other DTR runners.

Picnic: All are invited. We'll start after the run, at about 8pm.
Bring something to eat/drink for yourself and others if you can. Even
if you can't bring anything, please join us anyway. There is almost
always plenty of extra food to share. Among the things people have
brought in the past: chips & salsa, homemade pies, homemade or store
bought pasta salads, beer, wine, fruit, cookies. Please bring
something to eat/drink on/with too.

Directions: Take C-470 to Kipling. Go south ~50 yards to the stop
sign and turn right onto Ute. The road curves left, goes down the
hill, then merges with Deer Creek. Go right and continue up the
canyon. About 3/4 mi. past South Valley Rd, look for a sign to the
park. Turn left onto Grizzly Rd. Turn right into the lot at the top
of the hill.

Route (use link below to see the map): We'll run counter-clockwise
this time.

Everyone should start up the Meadowlark trail. This is a hiker only
trail to the right of the bathrooms. Cross the bridge, go right on
the Plymouth Creek trail, and climb up "the wall" (very steep).
Continue up the trail past the Plymouth Mtn trail. DO NOT TAKE THE
FIRST LEFT! The groups will split up at the next junction, at a
hairpin right turn. Beginner and intermediate speed runners should
regroup* here.

Please pick the route below that matches your speed, and so that you
can finish by 8pm.

Beginners: Take a left at the junction. It's the other end of the
Plymouth Mtn trail. Climb up the steep hill, ~1/2 mi. Veer left and
follow the Plymouth Mtn trail back to the Plymouth Creek trail (at
the junction you didn't take on the way up. Don't take the Scenic
View trail, far left, at the top. It adds ~1mi round trip and rocky.
The view is worth the trip if you have time. When back at the
Plymouth Creek trail, go right, back down "the wall," then left
across the bridge, and follow the Meadowlark trail back down. ~6.5mi

Intermediate slow: After regrouping, stay right and continue up
Plymouth Creek. In ~1/4 mi, look for a trail coming in from behind on
your left (if you hit the Red Mesa loop, you've gone 0.4mi too far).
Please regroup again here.* Take a sharp left onto the Homesteader
trail. This 1mi, hiker only trail, is about the nicest trail section
in the front range. At the other end of Homesteader*, stay right and
follow the Plymouth Mtn trail around to Plymouth Creek. Then follow
the beginner route back down. ~7.3mi

Adv Intermediate: After regrouping, stay right and continue up
Plymouth Creek, past Homesteader to the Red Mesa loop. Stay right at
the sign, and follow the loop around. You'll return to the sign again
in 2.5mi. Return down Plymouth Creek, down "the wall," and back down
the Meadowlark trail, the same way you came up. ~8.4mi.

You can run the Homesteader trail (see description above) to add a
little extra. ~0.4mi down from Red Mesa, veer right onto the
Homesteader. At the other end, 1mi, go left down the steep trail.
Stay right at the bottom, then retrace your steps down "the wall" and
Meadowlark. ~9.5mi

Advanced: This group will combine the adv intermediate and beginner
routes. Stay right going up to Red Mesa. Run the Red Mesa loop
counter-clockwise. On the way down, veer right onto Homesteader. At
the other end, stay right and follow Plymouth Mtn around. Return
down "the wall" and Meadowlark. ~10.6mi

* Beginner and Intermediate runners, please regroup at these (or
other key junctions) spots. Those familiar with Deer Creek, please
help guide others near you on the trail.

Upcoming run schedule (subject to change):
8/5-Ken Caryl
8/12-Mt. Falcon time trial
8/19- Lookout/Chimney Gulch
8/26-Lair o' the Bear, potluck picnic

++++++++++

The new Saturday Evergreen Runners Circle (ERC) schedule is at
Alderfer/3 Sisters (T=3, P=3, N=2).
http://www.co.jefferson.co.us/ext/dpt/comm_res/openspac/alderfer.htm

Directions: Take the Evergreen Parkway exit, hwy 74, #252, from I-70,
to the main light in Evergreen, just below the dam. Go south (right
if coming from I-70) on hwy 73 towards Conifer. Make the first right,
about 3/4 mile up, on Buffalo Park Rd. Continue up the hill, past the
high school, past the lower Alderfer lots, to the open meadows at the
top. Park in the dirt lot on the right, just past the yellow house.

The ERC runs are usually 60-90 minutes long. Occasionally, some
people will start early, or run longer, to get in more mileage. They
usually go out for coffee/breakfast afterwards. Several of us do the
ERC runs, but I don't organize them. Please forward your questions to
Dave via the ERC link below. For more info about the ERC schedules,
go to:
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Lodge/7018/index.html

Schedule:
8/7: O'Fallon Park. Run to Lair of the Bear and back. About a 90
minute loop.
8/14: Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon.
8/21: Evergreen Lake House.
8/28: Lower Parking Lot at Elk Meadow.

++++++++++

This Sunday is the 2nd annual Golden Gate Canyon Trail Run. It's
10.3mi of tough and scenic running. Registration is still open. I
will have applications with me on Thursday, and will take checks
then. You can also register online until Friday. Information is at
http://races.runuphillracing.com

If you don't want to race, please consider volunteering. I can always
use additional help.

++++++++++

^7/31; Hamlin Scramble; 9mi; St. Marys Glacier; Will Wyckoff; (303)
674-5446

7/31; Gray Head Mountain Run; 12mi; Telluride;
www.cjtiming.com/grayhead; 970-728-0251

8/1; Golden Gate Canyon Trail Run; 10.3mi; Gilpin Cty, Golden Gate
Cyn St Park; http://races.runuphillracing.com;
info@...; Adam Feerst; (303) 282-3921

8/6; Trophy Series; 5km; deKoevend Park, Littleton;
http://www.rmrr.org; rmrr@...; (303) 871-8366

^8/14; Ekiden Trail Relay; various dist; Bear Creek Reservoir; Will
Wyckoff; (303) 674-5446

8/15; Berry Picker Trail Run; 5k; Vail; http://www.vailrec.com; (970)
479-2280

# 8/18; Summit Trail Series#6, Breckenridge Ski Resort 10K/5K;
http://greatadventuresports.com/site/page.cfm?PageID=168;
dianem@...; 970-547-4322

8/22; Elk Meadow Trail 10k; Evergreen; http://www.comasters.org;
(303) 791-3384.

^8/28; Silverton Alpine Marathon; Silverton;
http://www.silvertonalpinemarathon.com; emilybaer@...;
(800) 341-3340

9/3-9/6; Beyond Running Trail Running Camp with Scott Jurek (Western
States 100 record holder); Breckenridge;
http://www.scottjurek.com/camp-bc.php; info@...; (206) 229-
8163.

9/5; Breckenridge Crest Mountain Marathon; 24.5mi/13mi/5mi;
http://www.boec.org/marathon/; boec@...; (970) 453-6422

9/12; Trophy Series; 9mi; Big Dry Creek trail, Westminster;
http://www.rmrr.org; rmrr@...; (303) 871-8366

9/12; Desert R.A.T.S.; 6-day stage race on the Kokopeli Trail; 148mi;
Fruita, CO - Moab, UT; http://www.geminiadventures.com

9/18; Vail Evergold; 10k; Vail; http://www.vailrec.com; (970) 479-2280

10/2; Trophy Series; 8mi; Chatfield State Park, Littleton;
http://www.rmrr.org; rmrr@...; (303) 871-8366

10/2; Danielesque Trail Run; 23k, 46k; White Ranch;
http://www.pmimage.com/danielesque.html; (303) 271-1935

^ I will have applications for these races at the next several
Thursday night runs.

# If interested in carpooling, look for Mike, Kasey, Derek and
Jessica in Morrison. Take I-70 to the Morrison exit, #259. From
Denver, go straight across the road at the light, then turn into the
lot on the right. They leave at 3:30pm sharp.

++++++++++

Weekend mountain runs:
8/7 - Argentine Pass. This is a ~18mi that starts at Silver Plume,
~9,160', climbs to the pass at 13,192' in 10.5mi, then descends to
~10,250' in Montezuma. We should have enough people so that we can
have cars on both ends. Some of us may run to Montezuma, then mtn
bike back, if we can find a way to stage our bikes in Montezuma
beforehand. Contact me if interested. Details to follow later. More
details and a course map will be posted at my web site later this
week, www.runuphillracing.com

++++++++++

** Trail Rating - 1-5 scale, 1 being the easiest.
T = technical difficulty (rocks, narrow, curves, etc.)
P = physical difficulty (length, steepness and number of climbs)
N = navigational difficulty (ease of following the routes)