One of the main attributes that differentiates The Highest Hundred from other ultra-endurance FKTs is the technical nature of some parts of the route. For example, the Appalachian Trail is indeed longer, and has more elevation gain than The Highest Hundred (many of the stats of the AT may surprise you), but I think it’s Continue reading…
No rest for the weary! My buddy David perhaps jokingly asked me if I wanted to go for Longs, via the Trough on Sunday (“Those Centennials ain’t gonna climb themselves!”) and I naturally went for the bait, on the condition that I’d probably be lagging behind given the climbing on my legs already for week, Continue reading…
More details to come, but please check out http://highesthundred.com for details on my next big summer adventure! http://highesthundred.com THE BIG REVEAL! Check out my summer adventure project I’ve been hinting at the URL above! In about three months I’ll be setting out by bike to summit the highest 100 peaks in Colorado (The Centennials), self-powered, Continue reading…
Fair enough question, and I’ve wondered myself. Physically, there may not be a “best” training plan to guarantee great results, like you could with a marathon. Strange things happen in ultra endurance distances and this challenge makes a Hard Rock, or a UTMB look quaint. But mentally: yeah, you can get yourself pretty ready. One Continue reading…
One of the things that makes this project so amazing to work on (and eventually complete!) is the dual (at least!) nature of the adventure: you have to ride some challenging terrain, and once you’re in that rhythm you’ll have to stop as it’s time to change things up and go for a backpack. Mapping Continue reading…
The San Juans hold almost a third of the entire Centennials to be visited on the Tour of the Highest Hundred. The mountain range itself is spread out in a massive area, where roads are few, and approach is time-consuming. Going into the San Juans with a plan will help ensure success in this range. Continue reading…
For me, the Weminuche Centennials will be the crux of the entire route, The statistics give me some pause: 9 peaks, 52 miles, 28,000 of elevation gain: https://www.strava.com/routes/4479280 Starting at Highway 550 on top of Molas Pass, follow the Colorado Trail for a few miles east, before turning south into Elk Creek Drainage to climb Continue reading…
https://www.strava.com/routes/8026802 Route development is a huge part of this project, and optimizing the route to work well with getting to the trailheads of the peaks, for resupply, to be an interesting route to ride, while also being safe to ride are all important considerations. I’ve started mapping out a logical route. Some highlights (the entire Continue reading…
“Dude. What happened?” I remove myself from my shallow moving meditation, “What?” “Look at your leg!” And so I do: Starting from mid-thigh, it looks like I’ve managed to scrape a four inch wide section of my skin until the top of my ankle. Road rash par-excellence.
What else does a newly tuned up bike need, except a nice MUD BATH! In typical @longrangerjustin style, I literaly ran across town with all my bike gear in my @ultimatedirectionusa Fastpack 15 to catch a bus to Golden to pick up the Sherpa Bike aka Surly Ogre aka Adventure Buddy from @goldenbikeshop, and took Continue reading…
EXTREME top roping! #regram topping out Gambit with @physicsforclimbers the other day in #eldoradosprings. Today, Winter is back. 📷 @physicsforclimbers #climbing #moderateclassics #adventuretights #boulder Also spy that old school @ultimatedirectionusa Wink pack I’m rocking! A photo posted by The Long Ranger (@longrangerjustin) on Feb 2, 2017 at 9:53am PST
Looking a little grizzly while overlooking Bear Peak today. Conditions were a little windy, but not too bad out there! Trying my best to ramp up my weekly mileage, but bopping up and down mountains just isn’t the easiest way to do that. I cant help it, too much fun! …even though my quads protest. Continue reading…
No bike? No problem. Run to the gym, climb-climb-climb, run to the store, load up my @ultimatedirectionusa Fastpack 15 with goodies and comfort #food and do a quick #hypergravity run back home (and earn that ice cream!). No matter your situation: you can make it work, and you can fit it all in. Maybe I’ll Continue reading…
The GDMBR in yellow; alternative in red View/Download this Route on Strava View this Route on Google Maps The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route is without a doubt one of the preeminent off road touring routes in the US/Canada. Now that I’ve ridden the route essentially twice and have done some extensive touring within Colorado, Continue reading…
Slowly, I roll to the gate. The Park ranger sees me from afar and returns to me only a tired stare. He himself walks slowly to the entrance booth, not resting his gaze. I now roll towards the booth even slower. Nervous. I feel as if I’m performing a border crossing, rather than just entering Continue reading…
Gerry Roach’s Longs Peak Radical Slam as described in his 14ers book: top out on 7 summits in the Longs Peak area: (Meeker, Longs, Pagoda, Storm, Mt. Lady Washington, Battle Mountain, Estes Cone), topped off with 50 push ups at the trailhead. I’m admittedly pretty terrible at push ups, and this has always been the Continue reading…
Head on over to the Ultimate Direction Blog to read my Golden Gate Dirty 30 50k race report. Somehow, I managed to also bicycle 300km that same weekend, since you know: 50km just ain’t enough. Thank you Ultimate Direction for your support, and giving me a chance to be a brand ambassador. Thanks to everyone Continue reading…
What a difference a few weeks makes. Last month, we seemed to have just flown through the window for a Winter conditions ascent of the Notch Couloir. Since then, the temps started rising precipitously. When I rode back to Longs Peak last weekend, most of the snow had already melted. Incredible. On this day, I Continue reading…
Date climbed: 5/28/16 I’ve long since seen, “mountaineering” as the ideal stage in which to set my practice of suffering in the outdoors. Although I’ve certainly danced around mountaineering, I’ve done so only on its periphery. I borrow its terminology with jealousy as the basis on how I explain the other disciplines I practice. For Continue reading…
I’m only in Allenspark, and the sun has already risen. I feel as if I’m very late to my own party. Allenspark is only seven miles away from the Longs Peak Trailhead – my riding destination, but as I summit the last punchy climb and await the downhill just beyond, I conclude that the downhill Continue reading…
Cameron Pass I’m on my hands and knees looking intensely at my just-now broke bicycle, right outside of the main drag of Nederland, CO: elevation 8,228 feet. I’m only 20 miles away from home – 20 miles away from finishing a 300 mile ride. But, my chain has lodged itself between my largest rear cog, and Continue reading…
The Front Range 14ers Grays and Torreys make an excellent beginner 14er hike – it was one of the first 14ers I ever did. Being so close to the Front Range Urban Corridor – less than an hour from Denver, it still affords some dramatic changes in environment, not the least because of the sweeping Continue reading…
Ah, a good nice long ride in the Colorado Front Range foothills. If you’re like me, you like your rides to be challenging and engaging – as well as avoiding perils, such as traffic. A ride from Boulder to Idaho Springs (and beyond!) should be an easy target to hit. Idaho Springs makes a good Continue reading…