The WURL*

Lars and Tom had this planned for several months now and I always said I wasn't going to join.  The desire to repeat the WURL after spending 26+ hours on the route with Noah last year was non existent.  I was positive I'd never do it again but then they kept talking about it.  Then I agreed to join for part of it.  Then my work schedule came out and I had the day off.  Next thing you know I'm walking up Cardiff Fork with Amanda to drop off a food cache at Pole Line Pass and was fully committed.   It's funny how other's enthusiasm is contagious.

The plan was to enjoy the outing and not try to push the pace too hard.  Lars finished Leadville (6th, 19hours) two weeks ago and Tom just finished the Park City Point to Point a few days earlier so we figured the lingering fatigue of those big efforts would make this more of an enjoyable scenic day as opposed to a fast paced one.  With this in mind I packed a big camera and we were off.

We've always thought the WURL might be more aesthetic if it headed up Deaf Smith and out Jacob's Ladder.  That would at least straighten the ends out.  I'm not sure but I do know tradition is important to me and I have nothing but respect for Jared Campbell. So we decided we would start at Ferguson and end at Bell's just as he did.  Unfortunately that's not what we ended up doing.  By the time we hit Lone Peak we were 20 hours into the day and the mental/physical fatigue of the group was quite high.  I've been up and down the notch into Bell's half dozen times and find it to be a rather loose and dangerous place.  With this in mind we decided to head out Jacob's Ladder.  It's didn't feel great deviating from tradition but I think that for our party, that day, it was the right call.  I don't know.  Is it even the WURL if you don't exit Bell's?  Hard to say but I think we found the little bit of great scenery, adventure, and suffering that we were hoping the WURL would provide.

*** Special thanks to Amanda for refueling us at Hidden Peak.  I've never had a Deep Dish Little Caesar's pizza that tasted so good.  Thanks Ryan for the Ensure and Red Bull at the top of Red Pine. And THANKS Andy for taking our phone call from the top of Lone at midnight and then driving to the Jacob's Ladder trailhead at 3AM to give us a ride back home.  I'm not sure why you guys were all so willing to help but it made our day MUCH better!!!

Here are far too many pictures.

Early morning in Ferguson

Above Stairs

Between Storm Mountain and SLC Twins

Summit of SLC Twins

Heading towards Jepson's Folly, Sunrise and Dromedary

More of the same

Sunrise (O'Sullavan) Peak

Heading up Drom

Between Drom and Monte Cristo

Lars and Tom heading up Monte Cristo

The small bit of easy travel between Superior and Point Supreme

Lars

Devil's Castle

Tom mid Devil's Castle

My girl and the feast she provided 

Lars on the AF Twins

Tom on Red Baldy

White Baldy

Box Elder and Timp

The boys on the Pfeiff just before sunset

Lars on South Thunder