My friends and I have been talking about this loop for a couple of years. After being ready to go last year only to cancelled by wildfires, we were determined to make it happen.
I left the M trailhead on the foothills trail just before 4am on Saturday July 10th. Luck would have it smoke from wildfires had blown in and it was already warm. I was joined by friends Lauren and Lisa who would run with me until the intersection of Truman Gulch a few hours in. we needed a headlamp for about an hour and then could make our way without it. At Truman Gulch, I picked up friends Tara and Sara and headed towards Sacajawea. At this point it was warm and sunny through the smoke and we began to encounter other hikers and some motorized traffic as this section of trail is multi-use. I had planned to rest and regroup at the saddle of Sacajawea Peak before heading back on the ridge trail but the horseflies were so bad we had to keep pushing. I rode the struggle bus to the top of the peak and the highest point on the route. Goats at the top brought up everyone's spirits and we began our journey back to the M. We got water at Ross pass thanks to a good friend who had biked it up for us and continued on towards Bridger Bowl. We met my husband at Bridger Bowl who provided ice, coke, food, and fresh legs. Joe and I ran in the last 10 miles of ridge line to greet the rest of my crew who was waiting back at the trailhead with cheers and smiles.
The route is just under 39 miles and 14k vert. I had planned for 15 hours and was very pleased to snag a moving time of 13:50. I ran with a 1.5 liter bladder as well as 2 front flasks filled with water and The Right Stuff (a game changer if you haven't heard of this). I consumed only Spring Energy gels and aimed for 15-20 grams of carbs and hour. Next year I hope to run the loop in reverse.