On 7/10/22 I drove out to Varney Creek Trailhead, just outside of my new hometown of Klamath Falls, OR. From this trailhead it’s approximately 4&1/2 miles to the start of the 8mile Mountain Lakes Loop Trail. There are a few other options of trails that lead to the Mountain Lakes Loop, but I wanted to take the same route as the FKT pioneer before me took. This is a very rocky & technical loop with some steep sections, but the trail is easy to follow & extremely scenic. I questioned a turn once & backtracked for a moment while checking map, just to find out I was going the correct way to start with. This might have added a tenth of a mile, but is as close to flawless as I’ve ever been on ANY trail!
I wore a vest with minimal supplies for my whole 20 mile run, but didn’t even take a sip of water til after I finished the Mountain Lakes Loop Trail FKT on this solo effort. Felt good & in control all day, & enjoyed some of the best views in the US!