this run has been cancelled due to high snow. we may be able run it in the fall stay tuned!
CURE FOR PLAIN
EPIC # 5
78 MILES 21,700 FT OF GAIN IN TWO DAYS
THE ROUTE: The alpine lakes wilderness just outside leavenworth, wa will host our 5th epic. day one takes up into the enchantment lakes area, a place like no other i've ever seen and down into the upper reaches of the icicle creek valley. day two we'll climb up out of the valley only to drop down into an even more remote valley on the other side of icicle ridge which we'll once more climb up to before following it back towards leavenworth and the finishline.
THE PLAN: Snow lakes trailhead is where we'll start as close to sunrise as possible. from here we'll climb up into the very popular enchantment lakes valley then drop down to the colchuck and eight mile lake trailheads. at roughly the half way point for the day this where we'll have stashed our drop bags. we'll climb from here up into a part of the enchantments much less frequently visited then descend all the way back to the icicle creek where we'll camp at chatter creek campsite. in the morning we'll be greeted with monster climb up to cape horn to start the day. after all the hard work of getting up high we'll just drop over the other side, hardrock style, to timothy meadows and then make our over to the badlands. after playing around on the far side for a while we'll climb back up to icicle ridge and run back down into civilization with views to everywhere we ran prior in sight for miles as we descend.
LOGISTICS: plan to arrive at chatter creek camp on friday to set up camp for the weekend, we'll sleep here then drive to the finish drop off as many cars as possible at the finish (icicle ridge trail head) then carpool to the start 2-3 miles up valley at snow lakes trail head. we'll also make a stop to drop off the drop bags at eightmile lake trailhead for day one. there will be no drop bags on day two. forest service passes are required for parking at either trailhead.
all runners must carry the usfs leavenworth ranger district map with them. we'll go over the route in person prior to the run. there are multiple areas where staying on trail could be tricky especially in the areas where there is still some snow.
come prepared to get nearly all your water from streams. there is only one long stretch with out streams but i'll pack bottled water up to that area on friday.
come prepared for high elevation exposed wilderness travel. this like all the other epics are require runners to be self-sufficent and to be experienced ultra runners. this is no walk in the park.
the terrain varies from beautiful soft clear single track to snow to bouldering, to sree/jagged rock, dense vegetation obscured trail. combine these obstacles with route finding, high elevation, darkness, fatigue and don't forget picture taking will make for very slow running and quite often walking. these two 40 mile runs will probably result in some of slowest times you've ever taken to cover such short distances. this run was compared to hardrock for a reason. plan on needing more food per mile than normal.
HISTORY: This route was concieved when the 2003 plain 100 was cancelled due to fire. i was living in leavenworth that summer, just a mile from the icicle ridge trailhead, and this is where i trained for plain. i combined the best parts of my long runs into this route that 5 of us attempted on the day plain was supposed to be held. in the spirit of plain none of us finished and only one even made it past the half way point. and at least three of the runners had a finish at hardrock under their belts. the one major difference was that we were doing it all in one shot unlike this years plan to split it into two days. i'd like to believe that if it hadn't been for my i.t. band flaring up on the first downhill i would've made it all the way but who knows-- i do know i was glad to be done when i finally stopped. if i haven't totally scared you and you'd like to read more here's the story i wrote: CURE FOR PLAIN 2003
CONTACT ME:
for more information or to let me know you're coming
email: jvarner@wildmail.com or call:
360 259 2486