Keyhole Sink Hike, Chicken Point, Hog Wash

While I did not attend the run in Sedona, I have posted the hike I led to the Keyhole Sink petroglyph panels. Enjoy. We will repeat this wonderful hike next Saturday!

Saturday Update thanks to David Blanchard!

Always looking for new routes and variety in our runs, Susan and
David decided to start at the Broken Arrow trailhead on Morgan
Road rather than the Margs Draw TH on Schnebly Hill Road.
Starting up Broken Arrow Trail, we took a quick right onto the
unmarked "Hog Wash" trail (see map) that would take us around
the north and west sides of the mountain. We then took "High on
the Hog" which brought us over the saddle and back to Broken
Arrow trail just as the main group of NATRA runners were heading
back down. We fell in behind the group and ended our run at the
Broken Arrow trailhead. Estimated distance on this run was
about 4 to 5 miles with some challenging sections and some
amazing terrain.




The rest of the group did the standard run on Margs Draw Trail
and then onto Broken Arrow to the turnaround at Chicken Point.

As has become our custom, we had an apres run get together at
Ravenheart coffee in West Sedona.

On Thursday, Susan and David also biked in Sedona and encountered a swollen "not so" Dry Creek!

Ponderosa Trails

Don, Sabrina, Janel, Bruce, Buddy, Craig and I decided to hit the pavement rather than take chances on the crusty compacted snow. We crossed over I-17 and found the paved path to Ponderosa Trails free of snow. What a great run! With streams flowing aside us, we just had to be careful of the icy low spots. Afterwards the oddest part of the day began. While we were finishing up chatting at the Campus Coffee Bean, a co-worker from years back said hello. Stephanie, a geologist, was visiting friends and getting ready to leave town. While that was out of the ordinary, there was nothing stranger than driving home and seeing a runner with a familiar gait. Well, turns out it was Kate O'Brien, one of the original 1995 6 pre-NATRA runners. Kate left Flagstaff more than a decade ago. and had returned to visit friends and surprise her brother in Sedona. Strangest 15 minutes this year...who else am I going to run into today? Download photos from today's run.

Munds Wagon Trail - Merry Go Round

Runners included David and Susan B, David McKee, Mackenzie, Cameron, Rhiannon, Chris and Tobin, Bruce, Sabrina, Amber and Dave, plus dogs Annika, Soren, Wyatt, and Josie. Trail conditions were excellent with damp but not wet conditions and there was running water in the streams. Mackenzie, Cameron, Amber, Dave, and Bruce composed the NATWA contingent (Northern Arizona Trail Walkers Association). David and Susan, David M, and Sabrina explored a new route that went up Munds Wagon Trail, branched to Cow Pies Trail, then onto Damfino, Hangover, and back to Munds Wagon. (See attached map). Awesome! Other runners went to Merry-Go-Round rock. The day started out cool and cloudy but turned warm and sunny by the finish and we all enjoyed our apres-run at Ravenheart (Thanks to David Blanchard for the report and photos). View David Blanchard's photos.

Bowl for Kid's Sake

As the group run was cancelled due to half of Flagstaff participating in the Ragnar Relay, NATRA once again hit the Starlites lanes to help raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff. Tim, David, Rhiannon and Sami all broke 100 while Neil bowled a lowly 75. The highlight of the evening was when Cameron came over to taunt Neil about his poor effort. View and download photos.

Buffalo Park and the Kahtoola Uphill Challenge

Most runners opted to forgo the Saturday group run and save their energy for the Kahtoola Agassiz Uphill Challenge. Neil and Don ran into Buffalo Park. Blinded by snow, they headed for the back of the park and found what they thought was a bubbling spring alongside the cinder road. As Neil stepped closer, the mysterious water erupted into a fountain. Their discovery was short lived as it was just their weight on top of the ice forcing the water upwards. Realizing the trails were too icy, the intrepid runners decided it was time for NATRA to be renamed NARRA, at least for this day. They turned around and hit the empty streets of McMillan Mesa, connecting over to Ponderosa Parkway, dropping off the hill onto Turquoise and returned via Cedar Hill.



The evening's main event was the Kahtoola Uphill Challenge. As Hilary changed the venue changed from an early morning to evening event, and made it a round-trip race, throngs of athletes came to party. Crow Wing belted out tunes and great costumes abounded. Ninja Turtles, Thing One and Thing Two, the Cat in the Hat, Father Guinness Time, a cow and pig and even the shirtless wonder, Ray Loboto, took on the course in a blinding snowstorm. No surprises as Jared Scott and Sara Wagner won the race titles. View and download photos.

Tom's Guitarathon for Cory

About a dozen runners ran up Schultz Creek today. The weather was magnificent, and you could hardly tell that we were floating on top of 3 feet of compacted snow. Kahtoolas were not even that necessary. Afterwards, we attended Tom Sheeley's Guitarathon benefit for his daughter Cory. It was a great turnout and Cory's fiance Gene even made it up from Tucson and reported that she was in great spirits! Great News!

Beaver Creek or Mormon Lake?

NATRA runners divided themselves today. While a contingent escaped the snow and ran Beaver Creek, others competed or supported the first Kahtoola Mormon Lake 10K Snowshoe race. Proceeds from the race benefited Flagstaff's premier environmental program, Camp Colton. Reports gave the new race course a thumbs up. Jared Scott came flying across the finish line in first place, followed closely by Mark Thurston and Steve Rhode. On the women's side it was a sprint to the finish with Gail Hughes nudging out Abby Okrent. The biggest surprise was the number of families with kids who turned out for the Fun Run. Lots of kids testing out snowshoes for the first time. Mormon Lake Lodge hosted the post race party with hot chocolate, coffee and hearty chili for all. Kahtoola sent just about every participant away with Micro Spikes or other great gear! Don't miss this one next year!

Bruce and Sabrina supplied the following report from the warmer climes of Beaver Creek: Chris, Tobin, Janie, Sabrina, David, Susan and Bruce along with Wyatt, Josie and Skyler ran the Beaver Creek trail today. It's obvious a lot of rain fell last week, with rocks & boulders strewn along the trail along the cliff. The main side draw was flowing but easily fordable. You could hear the sound of rushing water for most of the run from the creek below. The streams were active, but not overflowing by any means. Beaver Creek was up and a bit murky, but not nearly as expected. No one
volunteered to swim today, with snow melt feeding the stream! Several of us gathered at Ravenheart afterward, as 89A had reopened with only one spot pinched down to one lane.