Barr Camp...again

I took yet another trip up to see Neal and Teresa today. The little mini-storm that pummeled me in my evening jaunt last night left the trail quite a bit slower on an otherwise brilliant morning. There was ~1" on the Ws, 2" at No Name, and five fresh inches at Barr Camp itself. However, the soft snow provided some tacky footing on the usually icy downhill, so I was able to open up the stride a little more than usual.

Some may question repeating the same run multiple days in a row, but for me it's all about consistency and doing something I enjoy. I don't get bored running the same trail, even when there are so many others to choose from. There's something comforting in the familiarity of a given run that usually makes it easier to endure (because, let's be serious, no matter how much I like running in the mountains, there are moments in a 4000' climb that are undeniably endured rather than, say, enjoyed).

But, for me, it can all be summed up in a quote from the pioneering mountaineer Willie Unsoeld (among other things, first ascent of Everest's West Ridge), brought to my attention by a good friend: "Life begins at 10,000 feet." That alone should be enough reason to run to Barr Camp as often as possible.