The Guads Revisited

This past week I went back out to the Guadalupe Mountains with some friends for a little running and relaxing. The weather could not have been any better, as the temps at night were cool (low 50s) but not too cold, and the days were warm (mid 70s) without the high humidity we have been getting here in San Antonio. I was really looking forward to the trip, as I needed a mental break from reality, and any chance to get into the mountains is a moment I cherish. On Thursday morning, we all met at “Dangerous” Dave Brown’s house to begin the 500 mile journey west. Chris and I rode together, following Dave and his wife Kim in one car and friends Tim and Ellen in another. After stops for gas and lunch, we arrived at the campground in time to set up our tents and head out for a hike before dark.

The plan was to hike to the highest point in Texas, the summit of Guadalupe Peak. The elevation of the campground was near 5800’, and Guadalupe Peak tops out at 8751’, so we would have some serious climbing to do over the course of the 4.25 miles to the top. This hike is not an easy one, as the trail immediately shoots up, not gradually easing into the climb. Despite the steep incline, we made pretty good time to the top, arriving just after dark. The views we caught of the setting sun on our way up were pretty spectacular, and the small patches of snow we encountered were a nice surprise. Dave and I celebrated by popping a peanut butter Gu gel, signed into the log book, and turned on our headlamps for the return trip back down. Despite Ellen and Kim’s insistence that they weren’t strong hikers, we cruised down quickly, and I had to move quickly to keep up. Arriving back at camp just before 10PM, we turned on the stoves to cook dinner, which in my case was a large cup of chicken flavored soup. We laughed as Dave entertained us all with his noodle cooking prowess (or lack thereof) crawled into our tents to rest up for the big day ahead.

(Kim checking Dave's gear, with Tim in the background)

(Dave, Kim, and Chris headed up the Guadalupe Peak trail)

(Chris and me)

Friday was the long day, as we planned to cover as much ground as our bodies would allow. After eating breakfast and gearing up, Dave, Tim, Chris, and myself set out for the Tejas Trail. Much like the Guadalupe Peak trail we ascended the night before, the Tejas Trail goes up quickly. The clear skies and warm sun made for a tough hike up the mountain. Because his fluid intake needs are higher than most mammals, Chris was carrying a full gallon jug of water in addition to his Camelback pack and 2 handheld bottles. I had an Ultimate Direction pack filled with gear, 2 handhelds, and 2 bottles in a waist pack. Since there is no place to refill water along the trail, we would need to carry all the supplies we would need for the day.

After what seemed like an eternity, we topped out on the trail, refilling our bottles and stashing Chris’ gallon jug behind a tree. We cruised down the trail on a rocky (but runnable) section before Tim turned back (he wasn’t planning on running as far as the rest of us). Dave, Chris, and myself ran a bit further before Chris informed us that his right knee was really giving him fits. We decided it was best if he turned around and headed back (he waited for us at a trail junction), while Dave and I set off to explore an area I had yet to see. We ran through nice dirt singletrack, rocky nastiness, and exposed heat, all the while taking in the stunning views below. Deciding it was time to turn around and meet Chris, Dave and I ate some solid food and made our way back, finding Chris relaxing on a bed of pine needles. After a 30 minute break spent cooling off and talking to a ranger, we began to re-trace out steps and return to camp. I wasn’t feeling so great, more of a mental state of being than anything physical. I was happy when we returned to the junction where Chris had stored his jug of water, only to find that someone had stolen it! Good thing we cut our day a bit shorter than planned, or Chris may have become vulture food. I knew we had 4 miles and 2,000’+ of elevation drop ahead of us, so I put on some tunes and followed Dave down the mountain. This section was very rocky and technical, but I enjoyed the chance to run, as there are very few runnable sections of trail on the way up. After 40 minutes, Dave and I pulled into camp (Chris had to go slowly because of his knee), satisfied with a good 22 miles in the mountains on a perfect day. We chatted with everyone and ate dinner before retiring early after a long day.

(Beautiful sunrise)

(Chris with his water)

(Dave's Hokas)

(Chris, Tim, and Dave looking across toward Guad Peak)

(Tejas Trail with Guad Peak behind)

(My favorite section)

(Dave running)

After a restless night spend tossing and turning in my tent (the wind was howling all night), I awoke and grabbed my gear for one last run. Dave and I planned on making another summit of Guad Peak, excited about the cool morning air and the chance to hammer down the mountain on the return trip. This was by far my favorite run of the 3 days. We hiked quickly up, spent a few moments snapping photos from the summit, and headed back down. Although this was my 3^rd time to the top of Guadalupe Peak, it was my first opportunity to run down in daylight. Although not an easy run, I enjoyed opening things up a bit, as Dave and I pushed the paced as we neared the bottom. We passed a bunch of people headed up the mountain on yet another beautiful day. We made the round trip in just under 2 hours and 40 minutes, satisfied with yet another fun run in the mountains.

(Tejas Trail as seen from the summit of Guadalupe Peak)

(El Capitan)

(Me on top of Guadalupe Peak, highest point in Texas)

I had a great time enjoying the mountains with friends and am truly blessed to have such great people around me. I can’t wait to get back out there again soon!