Friday, September 2, 2011

8-31-2011 The Pfeifferhorn Speed Record

Winter!
The Pfeifferhorn is one of my favorite places in the Wasatch.  Every time I've been up there it's been good. Last week Jared and I ran pretty casually to the top in 1:22, I heard the fastest known ascent time was 1:10 and figured that shouldn't be out of reach.  I still haven't heard a cat to car time. Wednesday evening Jake, Josh and I all decided to give the Pfeiff a time trial effort and see how fast we could get up and down it.  From the White Pine parking lot I ended up going 8 minutes to the first bridge, 25 to the second, 55 to the ridge and 67 to the top. New record?  I guess my hopes of a sub 60 minute ascent were a little ambitious for the day.  After I topped the ridge out I had bilateral calf cramps that slowed me up a bit.  It was 95 degrees in the Valley when we started, I think that may have contributed the cramping, the steep trail and fast pace didn't help either.

As I summited, I was pretty tired. So tired that I debated the idea of hanging out and forgetting the round trip time. This seemed lame though since I had already made my mind up that I wanted a car to car time.  I sat down until my watch read 1:08 and then slowly started making my way down.  Being tired, I took it easy until the trail mellowed out on the ridge.  From there it was a pretty good run out ending at the parking lot in 1:54.13.  Jake and Josh a few mins back.  Not bad.  Besides the obvious fitness, I think easy gains could be made with cooler weather and a little more familiarity with the trail.  I think we should all meet and make a race of it.  Andy? Jared? Lane? Bart? Swain? Okeefe? Keith? Derkas? Say yes.

Andy and Brian gave the WURL a go today.  Here there are looking fresh about 7 and a half hours into it.

5 comments:

  1. I went up it yesterday for the first time. We went via Maybird which probably cost us about an hour what with the boulder hopping and ridge scrambling. Some familiarity would definitely help.

    Yes on the "race." I'll try and make the club run next time.

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  2. I want in on the race- sorry to have missed the TT. Good work!

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  3. What's my name doing on that list? Good sense of humor there, buddy! No worries, though - I'm in. You and your brother can take turns carrying one another, Swain can pull my chariot, while Inouye clears the low branches with his machete. Bart can ride his bike up the Pfeiff (has that been done yet?); that should slow him down some, although he'll be fast on the down. Dunno what the other fellas will do.. Carry large, water laden backpacks? That should make it a 'race.'

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  4. Thanks for the invite to this pain parade you are assembling. Let me know when, if my better judgement is taking that day off, I will show.

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  5. I'm in. and all this time I didn't think you'd been running.

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