Summer solstice on FS 381 and the east slopes of Mt. Rosa

I like to do a long run around the summer solstice each year. The long hours of daylight make it the most enjoyable time of year for me. In previous years, I've done the Bottomless Pit on Pikes Peak or other similar high-altitude adventures. 

At this time, the road up North Cheyenne Cañon is closed to vehicles, so I opted to do the classic Mt. Rosa loop, starting from the bottom of the canyon.

My day did not end up quite like that! But I still netted almost 23 miles and over 4800 feet elevation gain, so I would call that a success, even if I didn't quite reach the summit of Rosa. (I was about 1000 vertical feet short, which is so close yet so far.)

I started out just after 5 am on Tuesday, June 22nd, near the Starsmore Nature Center.

Views on the N. Cheyenne Cañon road at sunup.

It was a treat getting to see the sun come up while ascending the road.

I've run on the road in the canyon many many times before. I used to run on it after work at the bagel shop in my younger years. (Usually, I would run up on the Columbine trail and run down the road.) At that time, the population of Colorado Springs was significantly less and this wasn't as dangerous of an endeavor.

It has been several years since I've run on the road itself, and I am glad I took this opportunity to do so without vehicles!

My effort felt very athletic, in the cool morning air with a smooth uphill climb. I was soon at the top of the canyon, where the new parking lot with designated spaces is.

I continued onto the dirt road and jogged at a decent effort to the St. Mary's Falls split.

On the way, I bypassed a huge washout with tons of fun rocks. I have actually scrambled up this class 3-ish slope before. It is a fun thing to do, but not today! I had a goal in mind!

At the top of the paved road segment of my run. 

The class 3-ish washout slope that provides a fun practice scramble (not today though!)

Sunrise over N. Cheyenne Cañon and the St. Mary's Falls sign at the split. 

I continued to the right at the split and into the fresh, green and gorgeous canyon.

Words don't exist to explain how fresh the air was and how deeply scented the forest was, with morning dew shimmering on every green surface. This was the first real highlight of my day. I focused my breath and was overwhelmed with joy.

The forest, the trail, and dewdrops on a flower.

The St. Mary's Falls trail, dewdrops on leaves, and a tiny tree that smelled just like Christmas.

I soon ascended out of the canyon and hit the sun. At this point, I reached the split where the St. Mary's Falls trail goes to the left, and the Mt. Rosa trail to the right. I skipped the Falls detour and went right towards Rosa.

I wanted to save time for one specific detour that I'd had in mind when I planned this route. Soon after a large rock outcropping, there is a trail split that leads down to the river, not far off the main trail.

I'd visited this spot many years ago (maybe 15 years ago) on my very first Mt. Rosa attempt as a young 20-something. At that time, there were trout swimming in a little pool below a small waterfall.

Little did I know that making this detour would set me off course. (More on that later.)

Green, green, green even everywhere! Trail and ground cover.

A campsite after the trail split to the creek, a small footbridge and a pool where I'd seen fish many years ago.

I peered at the little waterfall pool, but no fish were to be spotted today.

I headed back up the short hill and turned back to the west, on what I thought was the Mt. Rosa trail. At the time, I didn't know that the trail I was intending to get back on was actually a little further than the split I'd just taken.

My memory of the Mt. Rosa trail was a little fuzzy since it had been a few years. I kept going through green-carpeted forest and gradually uphill until I popped out somewhere... somewhere that I knew was wrong. I could tell I was on Forest Service Rd 381, which intersects with the Mt. Rosa trail, but after consulting my GPS, I was much further south on the road than I was supposed to be. At least a mile or more off course, plus the additional mile it would take to get back on course, I realized I was running out of time for this adventure. I wouldn't have time to ascend the full summit of Rosa today.

Nonetheless, I topped out a small sub-summit of Rosa that I was near, and got some photos of the interesting rock outcroppings off of FS 381. I was at nearly 10,500 feet of elevation, which was close enough to see the summit of Rosa clearly, but not close enough to reach its 11,500 foot peak.

I enjoyed a short additional jog along FS 381, taking in the sweeping views of the valley between Mt. Rosa to the west and Cheyenne Mountain to the east, complete with antenna farm - where I was at on my last adventure!

Top: The true summit of Mt. Rosa, less than a mile to the west but 1000 feet up. Bottom: The central strip of mountains that includes St. Peter's Dome (center-left outcropping of photo.)

Rock outcroppings at a sandy sub-summit of Mt. Rosa, along FS 381.

FS 381 outcroppings panorama. 

After I'd gathered some views, it was time to turn around. I descended the wonderland of a trail, bypassing small waterfalls and green stream beds.

I stopped and peeked over the big rock outcropping on the way down. 

Some clouds began to build over to the west, giving a little respite from the burning sun.

As I descended from the canyon, I actually looked forward to my downhill run on the road. I had turned around at approximately 10 miles in, planning on a 20-mile day. I flew down the road (safely), setting my fastest mile of the day in mile 19 during my descent.

When I arrived at the base of North Cheyenne Cañon at the closed road, my husband wasn't there to pick me up yet, so I continued on towards Bear Creek Park, utilizing the bike lane and the sidewalks along 21st street, adding just one more hill to my workout 😀! This bonus mileage gave me another almost 3 miles, ending the day at nearly 23 miles. And I felt strong even at the end!!

Despite my directional error and missing the true summit of Rosa, I'd seen a new part of the mountains, and had a successful training run. What more can a happy trail runner ask for?

The day after my run, Wednesday June 23rd, I rode an hour on my exercise bike and felt good for the cross-training.

Then; on Thursday, I got up and did a short morning recovery run, netting 10k mileage with 600 feet elevation in Palmer Park.

Palmer Park 10k recovery run on Thursday, June 24th.

Combined with another hour on the exercise bike Thursday evening, I feel ready for the next long one already. I feel strong and my endurance is up. Maybe it's time for planning a 50k or so? I am tentatively thinking something in the 30-mile range will be my next run, although it'll probably be a flat one.

It's summer and I never want to stop!