Trail Running Camp Recon

I spent last weekend at Vagabond Ranch, site of the Trail Running & Wellness Retreat for Women in Arapahoe National Forest.

The weather was perfect for trail running and ranch staff were busily preparing the lodges for the summer season, making sure that all the facilities (including the solar-heated pool) were in fantastic condition in time for the retreat.

Vagabond is the ideal place for immersing yourself in the alpine wilderness and letting go of your hectic routine, commitments and responsibilities back home.

We'll enjoy rejuvenating yoga classes, trail running through alpine meadows and past alpine lakes, evening campfires will immersed in the forest's stillness.

Vagabond Ranch lies at 9000 feet in elevation at the foot of Cascade Mountain (shown here). Unfortunately the mountain pine beetle have ravaged the forests in this area, but regardless, this alpine landscape is rich in beauty. Wildflowers were in full bloom during my recent

visit, and I was lucky to spot moose, elk and deer during my brief two-day visit.

One of our runs will take us to Lost Lake, by way of a short, rocky, rooty trail where we'll practice technical-trail running technique. Since there isn't an official trail around the lake, we'll have fun scrambling over boulders and scooting around trees to circumnavigate the small body of water that takes about 15 minutes.

Semi-shaded Sherman Creek Trail will take us from Vagabond Ranch to Lost Lake and the other connecting trails.

From Sherman Creek and Lost Lake, we'll enjoy soft, smooth singletrack on the Gilsonite and Wolverine Trails. This area offers a combination smooth singletrack and rooty, rocky sections that are mostly shaded by tall trees. If we get high enough, we'll be rewarded with spectacular views of Grand Lake, Cascade Mountain and other parts of Arapahoe National Forest.

We have a wonderful group of women coming together for the retreat so far, with a few more spots still available (as of June 24).

We will have two run leaders guiding the group, so everyone will be able to run at a pace and distance that is comfortable. The emphasis of each outing will be on even energy expenditure (pacing), trail-running technique, staying fueled and hydrated on the trail and having fun! The presentations will cover training, building endurance, preventing injury, gear and our experts will answer your running questions!

If you are interested in participating, email elinorfish@hotmail.com today!