Good Training Weekend for the Vancouver 100!

This past weekend the weather was fantastic for mid April in Vancouver. The weather was so warm for the season there were "weather warnings". We tend to associate warnings with cold temps or high winds. The skies were blue with temperatures around 20 C. This set us up for some good training runs.

Saturday we decided to climb Black Mountain from Nelson Creek and do an out and back. This is the big climb which you do from both sides in the upcoming Vancouver 100. Black Mountain is at 4,000 feet with 3,550 feet of elevation gain in 7.7km from the Nelson Creek parking lot. The trail starts out in a nice wooded forest but soon turns into scree fields, boulders and a near vertical climb for quite awhile. I decided to try the journey with poles. I've noticed others using poles on this route. I found them helpful and on the way down went with just one pole to act as an extra appendage. The views at the top of Black Mountain were so clear and with it being so early in the Spring there were no bugs! We could sit and enjoy our lunch without being eaten alive by black flies or wasps!

Heading up the scree section with the poles.

Rough terrain.

Beautiful Day!

Interesting use of Baden Powell trail markers.

We came upon this |"Vancouver Canucks Fan Club Hat" on a rock. The Vancouver Canucks just finished one of their worse seasons ever. The fan must have laid the hat to rest.

 The  journey of up and down the mountain took us 4 hours and 15 minutes including our stay up top.

Baden Powell trail returning from Mountain Highway.

 

Sunday we enjoyed the Baden Powell trail from Grouse Mountain to Mountain Highway and then return to Grouse. Plenty of ups and downs on a very gnarly trail. 3 hours. 

 

Tonight after work we met Marla for a climb up the Incline trail in Golden Ears Park (1.2km up with 500 feet of elevation gain) with a nice run down the fire access trail.

 I felt tired tonight - oh but it's a good tired ;-)