@jds@sfba.social
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jds

@jds@sfba.social

LA game design/dev for past 20 years, NYC internet design/dev before. IRL I prefer to explore the nature. Imagery captured by me. #SierraNevada #SanGabriel #Mountains #California #Hiking #TrailRunning

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jds, to random
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Thread to share some and that constitute the actual broad ranging “culture” and “scene” (🤮hate those words) of trail running in the US for ordinary masses of humans across countless cities and 50 states beyond just 2 elite niche races in the tiny towns of Auburn California and Silverton Colorado (👀 Western States & Hardrock) that people seem to think represent trail running in the US.

jds,
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Bigger Than The Trail is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that is using trail running as a platform to advocate for mental health. Their ambassador program aims to create a support network for everyone.

https://www.bttt.run

jds,
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Black Trail Running is a community and campaign charity that seeks to increase the inclusion, participation and inclusion of black people in trail running.

https://www.blacktrailrunners.run

jds,
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“Trail Sisters was created to constitute for an equitable outdoors both recreationally and throughout the industry. Female voice and representation are essential in the future of our outdoors, impacting the role we play both on and off the trails.

To break through long-standing barriers, Trail Sisters generates educational content and resources, while fostering an inspirational community that encourages self-advocacy and life-long friendships.”

https://trailsisters.net

jds, to Bloomscrolling
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I can’t get enough of the yucca blooms this spring. They have so much presence. Nice morning with the low clouds burning off.
#bloomscrolling

Close up of the white flowers covering the tall stalks
Looking up a white flower covered tall stalk with the deep blue sky behind

jds, to HikingPics
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My nephew said he wanted to climb a mountain this visit. He said he wanted to be challenged. So I took him to Mt Whitney.

#SierraNevada #Mountains #California

A climber ascending a steep snow slope on the side of a mountain
A climber resting on a rock on a steep slope on the side of a mountain
A climber resting on a rock on a snow covered high alpine trail

jds,
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We got to trail crest a few minutes before the sun broke over the horizon so it was nice to watch both horizons transform with color.

Looking west across a snow covered range of mountains early morning before the sun begins to hit them

jds,
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@hikingdude hiked it overnight starting around 10:30 pm. Wanted to get crunchy snow on the way up and be down early enough before it’s too slushy. It was tricky to plan timing since I normally speed solo this and my nephew had never been above 3000 meters. I had no idea what pace we’d be doing, but it all worked out great to the minute for sunrise!

jds,
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Cool perspective shift. Ascending the main trail chute, then looking back at it later through the notch below Aiguille Extra.

#SierraNevada #Mountains #California #Hiking

Climbing a snow covered high alpine slope before dawn
Looking back at a high alpine snow covered slope from much higher up the mountain

jds,
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@elaterite @hikingdude it’s so pretty in the morning it’s worth the effort (also, I wanted to get as far as possible in the dark so he wouldn’t get discouraged by seeing the immensity of it all).

jds,
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@elaterite @hikingdude I love moving at night also. Ironically, I’m most often summiting Whitney in the dark and catching sunrise on the way down. No summit this trip though, the conditions further past the JMT junction weren’t acceptable to take my nephew over so we made sunrise at trail crest our goal.

jds,
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About the best capture I could get of the earth shadow during sunrise with a phone (or Belt of Venus, thanks for the info @KrajciTom
)
#SierraNevada #Mountains #California #Sunrise

jds,
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numbers:

10:30 pm / 0 miles / 8,400 feet / begin at Whitney Portal trailhead

3:00 am / 5.5 miles / 12,000 feet / start snow chute climb at Trail Camp

5:30 am / 6.4 miles / 13,700 feet / finish snow chute climb at Trail Crest

7:40 am start snow chute descent

Back at the portal at noon. Nephew did awesome.

No wind, temps below 20 f at night, above 70 f in the day. Coming down the chute Sunday morning was gorgeous.

(attached: 4 visualizations of a slope)

? ?

Screenshot of gps data showing elevation over (distance or time, COROS data is confusing, very bad user experience). Numbers show min and max elevation of 8,325 feet and 13,785 feet with an average of 11,529 feet and a total elevation gain of 6,148 feet
Screenshot of thermometer data showing min and max temperatures of 19.5 F and 72.4 F

Walking down a long high alpine snow slope with bright morning sunlight reflecting off the snow covering everything

jds, to PacificCrestTrail Dutch
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Sunday long run up Pacifico mountain. PCT south from Mill Creek to Fountainhead spring then off trail back over the summit with a nap up top. The higher, eastern San Gabriel mountains still have lots of snow, but it’s getting hot and the sun feels intense again.

Looking east to the higher San Gabriel mountains that are still snow capped
Looking east to the higher San Gabriel mountains that are still snow capped

jds,
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Encountered about a dozen thru hikers Saturday, so I left a small trail magic stash near the trailhead when I went out Sunday. Saw about a dozen people again. This first wave seems solid this year. They’re doing well and moving quickly. I think the heavy snow last year spooked less experienced people out of the “start early” trend that was growing during drought years.

Inside view of cooler and container showing ice and sodas and chips and snacks
A cooler and container on the side of the trail with pacific crest trail markings on them

jds,
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@jerzone yeah I saw that the other day. I’ve seen heli pickups close up doing trail maintenance. It’s amazing how fast and precise they can be. Cool to see the view from above.

freeder23, to HikingPics
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? EVERYTHING!

I think I have finalized my gear. I still have a few days to make minor tweaks.

For food, freeze dried dinners have been purchased but I still need to go to the store for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.

16.5 pound base weight. I think that's pretty good for a guy that's 6'2", 255 lbs, and needs XL/2XL everything. I've been hiking with a 22lb pack recently and I hardly feel it.

You can check out my gear list here:

https://lighterpack.com/r/6u2tsq

jds,
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@freeder23 almost time! That’s exciting, all that preparation will pay off huge. You’ll be sailing down the trail ⛵️

jds, to wildflowers Dutch
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Spring is popping around the yard. Fig tree is starting and the yellow carpet is bordering the backyard trail. These little blue things start adding color in numbers also.

A tree bud bursting with tiny leaves emerging
Tiny blue wild flowers speckled around high wild grass and other wild flowers

jds, to goodyearwelt Dutch
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The cheap $36 knockoff minimal trail runners I’ve been using just crossed 1,000 miles. The knit upper is the same as day one. No wear through at the toe joint on either side like other trail runner uppers. 🤯

Most wear is on the outsole where they’ll likely fail first. These would be unstoppable with a Vibram outsole, 3 thousand miles easy.

This winter I used 6mm wool felt insoles with them providing good thermal insulation. Trying cork this summer.

Screenshot from Strava activity tracking app showing mileage tracked on this pair of shoes, which is one thousand and thirty eight miles. Exact text follows: Whitin Minimal Trail (11) Brand Whitin. Model Minimal Trail (11). Mileage 1,038 miles. Default Sports Run, Trail Run, Walk, Hike, Virtual Run.

jds, to hiking Dutch
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Night starts are my favorite. I have the whole park to myself ❤️

The near full moon has two large rings around it

jds,
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Sun walling (cool Norwegian activity) at Black rock camp before heading back in to cross back to the north entrance.

jds,
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🥾so yeah, wanted a pile of miles so I went out back on the CRHT traversing Joshua Tree NP twice.

Started 10:30 pm Friday at North Entrance, jogged westbound 18 miles overnight till 3:30 am. The near full moon lit the trail and I didn’t need headlamp. Bivied in the backcountry outside Ryan camp, got up, grabbed my water cache (and bonus soda) and was back on trail by 7:30 am.

Trail napped several times Saturday while progressing 40 miles to Black Rock camp on the west end and back to Ryan camp by 10:30 pm. A wind storm was now in full effect and most everyone had abandoned the campground. The backcountry area outside the camp that I was permitted for doesn’t have anything more than small bushes for cover so I bivied under a leaning rock in an empty pay camp site.

Sunday, grabbed my cache and was out of Ryan by 7:00 am getting 10 by 10. I jogged and hiked the 18 miles back to the north entrance with a couple trail naps on the way.

jds,
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Nice halo around the moon Friday night. Very windy Saturday night but mostly still Sunday.

Equestrian and hiker signs next to a trail
Mid day high desert landscape
A trail weaving off into a high desert landscape

jds,
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Variety of sleep and nap stops going out and back.

Nice bivy spot for a couple hours pre dawn Saturday. Long nap in the grass Saturday afternoon watching clouds. Long bivy under a rock out of the wind storm Saturday night. Long dirt nap Sunday aft reclining on a sun warmed rock.

Spontaneous stop and drop is key 🤗

Resting in the grass in the afternoon during a hike
Early morning after taking shelter under a giant, leaning rock for the night
Resting on the ground amidst rock formations and desert bushes

jds, to PacificCrestTrail Dutch
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Trail work weekend, day one. Lots of tread work, mostly digging water bars. Pretty happy with this huge one I made to start the day. Took about 4 hours. Ground is perfect after recent rains for digging and shaping.

Looking down the trail after work is completed. The berm of the trail has been dug off, the and trail shaped with an out slope to shed water off the trail. A large water bar forms a mound to direct large flows of water off the trail into a ditch that was dug off the side of the trail. The trail itself has been raised to bypass the water drain.
Looking up trail before beginning work. The trail is rutted from water and there is nowhere for it to flow off the side of the trail.
Looking up trail after finishing work. The large water bar mound crosses the trail to direct water off trail into a ditch that had been dug. The trail has been raised to bypass the water drain.

jds,
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@ai6yr yeah, accounting for trail animals is a lot. It’s interesting. We always have to look up, imagine someone riding on a horse, and cut branches a lot higher than expected.

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