Fleeing the single digit temps in Flagstaff, 7 NATRA runners could not believe the wintery landscape as far as their eyes could see. Hopping out of the cars at the Wet Beaver Creek Trailhead, they looked in disbelief that several inches of snow still blanketed the desert scrub. Never before in our 13 years of winter runs in red rock country had we run in snow. The powdery white fluff still clinging to trees and the edge of the trail, actually made for good traction, and only got deeper towards the turn around spot at the "crack". As I lagged behind, the lead group thought they could outsmart me, and said they had all taken the annual polar plunge and that it was my turn. Noticing no one's lips turning blue, I decided this was the year to break tradition. After all, we were going to need all of our wits to avoid traffic jams in town. By the time we headed north, there was near gridlock in Flagstaff caused by visitors chasing fun in snow. Luckily, we all found alternate exits to get to Lone Tree road and were pretty pleased with ourselves finding a relatively mellow Wildflower Bakery, an island of no traffic in Flagstaff. Next Saturday join us at 9 AM and we will run up Schultz Creek from the "Y".
