NATRA runners set down shoe prints on the Flagstaff Loop Trail.
Bruce, Neil, Sabrina, Ron, Josh, Suzanne, Janie, Don, Dylan, and Skylar celebrated the season's first snowfall by running the Flagstaff Loop Trail counterclockwise. This meant starting out by running straight up the steep urban trail rather than a warm up on the Karen Cooper FUTS. The cold weather added insult to injury as it was even harder to breath going up the dreaded hill.
Hard to see turn from FUTS onto Loop Trail.
With a nice dusting of snow on the trail, the lead group flew past the turn off to the Loop Trail. This allowed the back of the pack to catch up and regroup at the well hidden turn. From there it was a cruise on Flagstaff's wonderful new trail. At the split rail fence, Bruce, Janie, Ron, Josh and Dylan took off towards Cheshire, while Neil, Don, Suzanne, Dylan, and Sabrina took the low road back to the south. We admired the brilliant Peaks adorned with snow. We were greeted to a slippery surprise on our descent off Observatory Mesa; the Urban Trail had recently been paved. With a dusting of snow, we all carefully walked down the slippery slope! We reconvened and warmed up at the Kickstand where David Blanchard joined in the celebration of the first snowfall.
Skylar and Janie find the sun.
