FKT: Shad Birkholz - Blaze Mountain (MT) - 2024-09-06

Athletes
Route variation
The Blaze up & down
Multi-sport
No
Gender category
Male
Style
Unsupported
Start date
Finish date
Total time
4h 18m 59s
Photos
Report

Since it is a low snow year I set out to run the Blaze Mountain FKT that had only been submitted previously as a multi-sport (run/skiing).  I can see why now why not many people run to the top of this mountain.  It is 6 miles to the point where you have to go off trail and and roughly 1.5 miles to climb up the 'blaze' to the peak; for a total of 7.5 miles, and then you follow your steps back down to the trailhead; total run just over 15 miles. 

I followed the off trail gps track that was provided by the multi-sport FKT holders as best as I could since I was not skinning on snow.  Since I was running instead of skiing though I took the route immediately left of the avalanche chute as it looked like the safest way to go (was less than 100 feet most of the time from the multi-sport track).  There was a 'trail' not much more than a game trail that I was able to follow for the first 1/2 mile on the climb before you reach the first boulder field.  After that it was just go up as fast as I could until I reached the ridge and follow it to the peak; made it to the top in 02:43:24; and then tried to get down as fast as I could.  

I took 2 soft flasks with me and also my flask water filter.  It was an extremely warm day and I had to stop on one of the many creek crossing to fill up one of my bottles again in order to make it all the way back.  I was solo (probably not the smartest since there was some recent bear activity in the area), but I did take my bear spray with me.  Was surprised for a Friday there was not a lot of hikers or horses on the trails; I only saw one horseman about a mile from the finish, and only 3 groups of hikers. Overall the climb was way steeper than I thought it would be and ended up about an hour longer than I figured it would take me.