8.25.2022
I ran the loop CCW, solo, unsupported. Started at the N. Fork Sauk trailhead at 7:57am, and after about 1.5mi took the hard right onto the Pilot Ridge trail that crosses the river and straight into a sustained 3ish mile climb up to the ridge. After the climb the running is glorious traversing across meadows for miles (I think running this route in mid-July would be wildflower heaven) until you reach Blue Lake. This is about 10 miles into the route and was the first water source running in this direction. I love that the route goes up along the high route over the ridge past the lake and then drops you onto miles and miles of buttery PCT singletrack goodness to white pass. Views of Dakobed and Dishpan gap are phenomenal! At white pass I filtered water again; I was getting pretty dehydrated after skipping a filterable source a few miles earlier. Then its about 3 miles of downhill into 5 miles of rolling trail along the river. I pushed pretty hard to try to get this FKT to sub 5hrs, but in the end it wasn't enough!
Awesome day, amazing route!