I completed the Ruby Crest Trail on Friday, August 1st, finishing in 8 hours and 21 minutes. I’d previously run the final 8 miles from Lamoille Canyon, but the rest of the route was entirely new to me. I camped 1.5 miles past the Harrison Pass trailhead the night before, planning to start at 5:30 a.m. but officially got going at 5:44 a.m. - no headlamp needed.
The trail was mostly in great shape and easy to follow, with the exception of miles 9-15, which were heavily overgrown and tough to move through efficiently. I filtered water at miles 11.1, 17.8, and 31.2, though there were plenty of other good sources between miles 17 and 22.
My partner Jimmy helped with the shuttle and was waiting for me at the Lamoille trailhead with a cold bubbly water - a perfect finish to a great day in these beautiful mountains.