+ Thursday evening run: South Table Mtn (T=3, P=2, N=4)**

+ Saturday's Evergreen Runners Circle run: Evergreen Lake House (T=3, P=3, N=4)**.

+ Races, clinics and other upcoming events

This Thursday's run is at South Table Mtn (T=3, P=2, N=4)**. The main group will start at 6:00pm. A smaller, informal group usually starts around 5:30pm; look for Scott, Ray, Connie or Kim.

Sunset 6:55pm; End civil twilight 7:22pm.

This is a fairly easy run - it's a short trip to the top of the mountain and the top is fairly flat, although rocky in spots. Finding the route can be difficult. There are few landmarks and NO trail signs. Please review the map and read the directions below. On the run, pay attention to critical junctions on your way out so that you'll recognize them on the way back.

Directions: Meet at the NREL visitors' lot. Take I-70 to Denver West Blvd. Go north to the first street. Turn left. Go 2 blocks to the NREL lot. From 6th ave, exit at Indiana. Go north to Colfax. Turn right and continue past the shopping center on the left. Turn left at Denver West Marriott Blvd. Go over I-70 and follow the directions above. There are no bathrooms or changing facilities at this site. You can stop at the nearby Denver West Shopping Center or Marriott Hotel.

Route: Route (red line): Head up the single track from the lot. About 100 yards up, just past the closed trail, make a left at the fork. The faster runners will stay straight here (a new route), then catch up along the top. About 1/4-mile later, just before the top, make a sharp right. At the top, head north towards the 3-tower phone line. REMEMBER THIS TURN FOR THE WAY BACK! You've only gone ~3/4 mile so far.

At the north end of the plateau, go left. Follow the jeep trail to the west. At no time should you cross the paved CDOT test track. If you get there by mistake, head north until you find the trail. You will pass by an E-W fence line, then cross a N-S fence line. Continue heading West. A short distance later, stay right at the fork. Follow the trail around the small hill until it meets a larger jeep road. REMEMBER THIS TURN FOR THE WAY BACK! Bear right and head west towards the power lines. Depending on time, continue past the power lines, down the hill to the far western edge of the plateau, then up the "Golden Stairs," a rock perch overlooking the town of Golden. Return the same way.

For an alternate, slightly longer route for the faster runners (purple line): Near the start of the jeep road, go right. Follow the trail out to the northern edge. Follow the trail to the west, then south, take a right back to the west, then head down the hill to the "Golden Stairs." Return via the main route (red line).

Note: The lines drawn on the map are only approximate estimations of the actual route.

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Saturday's Evergreen Runners Circle (ERC) run is at the Evergreen Lake House (T=3, P=3, N=4)**.

Take the Evergreen Parkway, hwy 74, exit 252 from I-70. Take hwy 74 about 7 miles, through Bergen Park, past Elk Meadow, down the hill, towards the lake. As you are coming down the hill before the lake, just before the road curves left, veer right onto the short frontage road, then turn right at the Stop sign onto Upper Bear Creek Rd. Go ~1/4 mi, then turn left into the lake house lot.

The run goes up a trail behind the golf course, then up to Alderfer/3 Sisters.

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:

10/2: Elk Meadow, lower lot

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9/21, 7:30pm; Running Seminar with Bobby McGee; Schlessman Family YMCA, Colorado & Yale, Denver; $12 in advance, $15 at the door; John Oliva, 303-929-8681; John@...

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

10/9; Telegraph Trail Run; 25k, 50k; Durango; http://www.durangomarathon.com; (970) 375-2413

10/17; Coal Creek XC Challenge; 5.5mi; Louisville; http://www.comastersrun.org;

11/7; Trophy Series; 10mi; Waterton Canyon; http://www.rmrr.org; rmrr@...; (303) 871-8366

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** 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)