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camels hump
October 2008 
Camel's Hump Run
Posted on Aug 14th, 2008
by 
Beagle
Beagle
When we trained for the Vermont 50 seven years ago, one of my favorite training runs was a loop up and down Camel's Hump. I did it today. I was unhappy that I did not have my amazing wife with me, as I did last time, but I managed to have a good adventure.
I started up the Long Trail from the Winooski River, formerly the Bamforth Ridge Trail. Bamforth Ridge is a great hike and today I discoverd that yet again. It is not too long, about six miles to the summit, but it is steep in many places. It is not a running trail, although I did get some good stretches in on the exposed rocks.
Those exposed areas are part of what makes the trail so amazing. You get vistas as you go. They pop out several times as you hike. I had some good views today. About half way up the trail I ran into a couple who asked if I might help them. They wanted to make sure they were headed in the right direction. They were not.
They had wanted to do the Burrows Trail/Forest City Trail loop but never got close to the Forest City Trail. They too a left at the Long Trail instead of a right toward the summit. Once I convinced them they needed to head back the way they came, they still had a hard three miles or so up up up.
I thought of them as I hiked up up up myself. They were not moving quickly, although they had plenty of time to get where they needed to go. I suggested they head back down the Burrows Trail and I hope they did. The Long Trail past the summit is pretty steep for a ways. I thought of them, too, as I stopped to pick blueberries at a patch that offered a big bounty. I hope they saw it as well. I might have eaten a pint there were so many.
The blueberries were key because I was afraid I did not have enough water. And I didn't. I ran out with about three miles to go in my overall loop. That loop took me up to the summit, where I hung out for about ten minutes. Someone there asked me about my hike, and I his. When I noted I was ready to split, he said "Mission Accompished?" But the summit wasn't why I was out there. I was there for the long hike/run. The summit was just a bonus. I had considered not taking the time to head up there, but it was such a nice day...
A half mile before the summit there is a flat area that I think of as the alien spaceship landing zone. It is the junction of several trails. I met a couple there as I was headed up to the summit. As I walked away I said, "I'll see you on the way down." I later thought how odd that must have sounded. Why would I see them again if I was just headed up, with a mile plus there and back, plus time to linger for the view, if they were already headed down?
But I passed them. I passed a few people. The Monroe Trail is pretty gradual, as trails go, and well maintained. So for most if it, excluding areas that were too steep or wet, I ran. It was the most fun part of the journey. I jumped and leaped and had a grand old time. At the bottom I though about getting water at the pump that is there but decided against it. I am confident it is safe to drink but I thought that it would be a bummer to not be able to run the 50 not because of a twisted ankle or bad knee but because of giardia.
The road run was fine, easy and downhill. I ran out of water but was OK given the easy nature of the remainder. I have to admit, however, that I was done before I was done. With a mile to go, I was ready to stop. I walked and ran and walked and ran, and eventually made it the car. I was hot and sweaty and salty and thirsty and hungry and tired. And I felt great.
Just a hop up the road is the Bolton boat launch. I stopped there to jump in the river and to change clothes. By the time I got home, with one stop on the way, I had polished off a brownie, half a bag of chips, and 32 ounces of Gatorade. I took a bath and had some dinner and I am on the way to feeling even better.
A good run, and with 15 miles under my belt from yesterday, I feel confident I can get there. Although I have a month to go with much less flexibility (work starts Monday) I will run the 50 as long as I don't get hurt. Here's to good health.
I started up the Long Trail from the Winooski River, formerly the Bamforth Ridge Trail. Bamforth Ridge is a great hike and today I discoverd that yet again. It is not too long, about six miles to the summit, but it is steep in many places. It is not a running trail, although I did get some good stretches in on the exposed rocks.
Those exposed areas are part of what makes the trail so amazing. You get vistas as you go. They pop out several times as you hike. I had some good views today. About half way up the trail I ran into a couple who asked if I might help them. They wanted to make sure they were headed in the right direction. They were not.
They had wanted to do the Burrows Trail/Forest City Trail loop but never got close to the Forest City Trail. They too a left at the Long Trail instead of a right toward the summit. Once I convinced them they needed to head back the way they came, they still had a hard three miles or so up up up.
I thought of them as I hiked up up up myself. They were not moving quickly, although they had plenty of time to get where they needed to go. I suggested they head back down the Burrows Trail and I hope they did. The Long Trail past the summit is pretty steep for a ways. I thought of them, too, as I stopped to pick blueberries at a patch that offered a big bounty. I hope they saw it as well. I might have eaten a pint there were so many.
The blueberries were key because I was afraid I did not have enough water. And I didn't. I ran out with about three miles to go in my overall loop. That loop took me up to the summit, where I hung out for about ten minutes. Someone there asked me about my hike, and I his. When I noted I was ready to split, he said "Mission Accompished?" But the summit wasn't why I was out there. I was there for the long hike/run. The summit was just a bonus. I had considered not taking the time to head up there, but it was such a nice day...
A half mile before the summit there is a flat area that I think of as the alien spaceship landing zone. It is the junction of several trails. I met a couple there as I was headed up to the summit. As I walked away I said, "I'll see you on the way down." I later thought how odd that must have sounded. Why would I see them again if I was just headed up, with a mile plus there and back, plus time to linger for the view, if they were already headed down?
But I passed them. I passed a few people. The Monroe Trail is pretty gradual, as trails go, and well maintained. So for most if it, excluding areas that were too steep or wet, I ran. It was the most fun part of the journey. I jumped and leaped and had a grand old time. At the bottom I though about getting water at the pump that is there but decided against it. I am confident it is safe to drink but I thought that it would be a bummer to not be able to run the 50 not because of a twisted ankle or bad knee but because of giardia.
The road run was fine, easy and downhill. I ran out of water but was OK given the easy nature of the remainder. I have to admit, however, that I was done before I was done. With a mile to go, I was ready to stop. I walked and ran and walked and ran, and eventually made it the car. I was hot and sweaty and salty and thirsty and hungry and tired. And I felt great.
Just a hop up the road is the Bolton boat launch. I stopped there to jump in the river and to change clothes. By the time I got home, with one stop on the way, I had polished off a brownie, half a bag of chips, and 32 ounces of Gatorade. I took a bath and had some dinner and I am on the way to feeling even better.
A good run, and with 15 miles under my belt from yesterday, I feel confident I can get there. Although I have a month to go with much less flexibility (work starts Monday) I will run the 50 as long as I don't get hurt. Here's to good health.
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