I’m starting to try to gain a bit of fitness for my future Sawatch trip. To me that means a ton of elevation gain above all. This week’s goal was 15,000′ of elevation to ascent/descend, with the long-term goal of doing a week of 35,000′ of elevation gain, as that’s how much I roughly anticipate the trip to be.

Monday

Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours

Freeway x4

Put in the earphones, and put out a few laps on the easy Freeway. I can do this without thinking, which was perfect for the amount of concentration I wanted to give this day.

If I had a bit more psyche, I’d do some laps on the First, bit I didn’t. Testing out the new Kaptiva (I like!) and didn’t feel like either bringing another pair of shoes for scrambling or try the Kaptiva’s on the First. After four laps, I was pretty wiped.

Tuesday

Neighborhood Run

A rainy day wasn’t too inspirational, but thought I’d get out to stretch the legs with a run around Wonderland Lake. I had (yet another) new pair of shoes to try out – this time the new Karakal‘s, which should be good for high-mileage, all-day runs – or like in here: some road, some gravel.

Thursday

Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours

Friday

Green + Bear

A beautiful sunny day, needed a long run to soak things in. Started up Green via Freeway, then jogged down Green Bear all the way Mesa Trail to Bear Peak via Fern Canyon, then back down Fern, and back to the bike via Mesa. Brought along about 4 liters of water in the pack for “ballast” – a fastpack requires you to haul a bunch of weight, so the earliest I start getting used to a load, I’m guessing the better.

Saturday

Bouldering @ Movement, 2 hours

Some new boulder problems, mostly crimpy. A hard V5 and a much easier V6.

Sunday

Wandering Green Mountain

Sunday’s are usually crazy busy in the OSMP, so I decided to wander about off-trail a bit and fill in some gaps of my Green Mountain knowledge. Visited some waterfalls in Gregory Canyon, then up to Saddle Rock, before taking the NE Ridge to the summit. Then randomly down one of the ridges to the bottom of Long Canyon, then back up the West Ridge trail on yet another. Summited Green Mountain once again in a hail storm, then took the trail (mostly…) down Ranger Trail until I found another social trail that bee-lined it to about the bottom junction with E.M. Greenman, and took the trail/old road near the old homestead – and back to the trailhead eventually. Fun!

Took another 4 liters with me, to keep things honest.