My mom drove me to Timberline lodge and I started around 6:15 on Saturday morning from the lodge. I carried 3 flasks and a liter bottle with a filter. The first few hours were nice and cool and there were plenty of backpackers just waking up and starting their hikes. Around hour 3.5 (mile 16/17), I stopped for water just north of Lolo pass (this water was flowing well, and probably didn't NEED to be filtered). Filtering water took forever. I wanted to drink calories/ electrolytes the entire time, so I had to filter from one bottle into my flasks. Being alone, I didn't have enough hands for this. I had run the next 10 miles of the course last weekend, so I knew there was no water for at least 10 miles. It turned into a 16 mile dry section. This was also the only section of the trail I hadn't seen before. Indian Mountain is BEAUTIFUL. I turned off at Indian Springs to try to refill, but this was not drinkable water, so I waited until I got to the lake. This water needed a filter. My filter bottle was full of little floaters from the water. The area around the lake was very overgrown. I hiked the section from the lake up to the ridge and then walk/jogged the burned area where some of the trail was in great condition but other areas were starting to slide down the ridge. My next water stop was about 4 miles from the finish... another 11/12 mile stretch. I topped off just enough to get me back. As I started down into the gorge, it was starting to get extremely warm and I was grateful for the weather I had had for the majority of the day. This is not a route you would want to do in a heat wave. There are extended periods of exposed terrain from the fires and long water carries. I finished a bit before 5pm and tagged the bridge. My mom and dad had been following my in-reach and were there to give me a ride back home.
I had 9 flasks of tailwind high-carb mix, which I think is around 3,000 calories.
I've been eyeing this FKT for over two years. First I was injured and then last year the trail was closed from the fires. I'm so glad I was able to get this done this year, it looks like the fire season may be here.