If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you might know that I’ve been training to run an ultra-distance high alpine trail with my girlfriends this month. We’ll be tackling the iconic 28-mile Four Pass Loop in a single day and I can’t wait to be up exploring the top of the mountains in my backyard in just a few short weeks. I’ve been really enjoying the excuse to book myself training runs in the high alpine, and generally spending more time in the high country these past months – a trend that I intend to keep going until the snow starts to fall.
While many of you know that the sport of cycling has a very large piece of my heart, I spent many years as an ultra-distance runner and marathon enthusiast, and there’s something about the ease of tying on a pair of shoes and JUST GOING. But it’s true that you need quite a bit more than just a pair of running shoes to tackle a trail adventure like the one I’m plotting and this month’s “ORBIT” is all about what I’m carrying in my pack for this summer — for high alpine pursuits and everything else!
There is a very real part of my being that might have been inspired to run this high alpine route by these shorts and these fabrics. Trail running is having a moment, and it feels that there is a new clothing company out there to suit every single personality and sense of personal style…and Satisfy feels deeply like mine. Soft, wearable fabrics, high environmental conscience, minimal aesthetic and a spirit that whispers for us to “GO!” I’ve been eyeing the Space O 5″ short for years and finally pulled the trigger on a couple of pairs to train in earlier this spring. It’s a purchase that is impossible to regret – I’ve worn them on 99.5% of my runs. Run, wash, repeat. I have two hats from Satisfy – a “Rippy” Nylon cap and the new PeaceShell in white, the light color will help to deflect the sun’s rays when we’re hanging out at 13K feet across four mountain later this month.
If you’re looking for a new pair of trail glasses that will basically do everything, the Sutro Lite Sweep is my rec. I considered purchasing a steezy new pair of sunglasses for running but then realized that this was a bit superfluous. I use these glasses religiously for mountain biking, brought them along for a long run a few weeks back and haven’t thought at all about swapping them out. The lightweight frame, shape, and the lens color are ideal for high alpine pursuits and deep forest missions alike. I have the Prizm Trail Torch lens and the matte black frame.
I have a running belt, and an 8L pack from Salomon that I’ve been using for training runs, but for this bigger day in the alpine (and for higher speed hikes and fast packs) I’m loving this pack. It’s compatible with a hydration pouch and has plenty of pockets for organizing gear. I don’t have to take it off to reach items I’ll be using through the day, and the water-resistant pouch on the back will carry a rain jacket, extra layer, snacks etc without being a squish.
Earlier this spring, I made the switch away from my beloved Salomon Speedcross shoes (I can’t even count how many pairs of these I’ve had over the years,) and dove head first into Norda. I LOVE these shoes. Nimble, rugged, trustworthy on tricky and technical terrain, and with a selection of colorways that speak to me (I just can’t do neon running shoes) I highly recommend them. I have both the 001+ which I use for winter weather and inclement weather running, and the 001 which I plan to run on this high alpine adventure.
After switching to the Coros Dura on the bike this winter, trusting the Apex 2 on this mission was an easy sell. Coros computers are solar powered, touch-screen enabled, and the interfaces don’t offer me so many options that I feel like an idiot. I wanted a watch that was lightweight, not too big for my wrist, didn’t have more bells and whistles than I could manage, and would offer GPS mapping so I can track our route through the backcountry with ease. The Apex 2 does it all! I love having it so I can access maps and put my phone away while in the mountains. That’s why I go in the first place!
I rarely leave the house without this water filter in the summer . Whether I’m headed out on my bike or by foot, this little water filter is likely stuffed somewhere in my kit. Because I have a deep fear of running out of water, and because there’s something so special about making a stop at the river (wherever you might be) and drinking ice cold water straight from the earth. Easy to use and clean, this flexible little bottle packs up and stuffs into a pocket, bar bag, or the back of your pack. I’ll be using it to refill my hydration pouch on the Four Pass Loop, and I’ll likely carry it full as an extra source of water.
I really hope we aren’t actually racing any storms in the high country above Aspen, but if we are, this jacket will be the perfect companion. Specifically designed for trail running, the fit goes underneath a hydration vest like a dream, it’s extremely lightweight Gore-Tex, so it will truly protect from wet weather and pack down into my little pack which is something that my other rain jackets can’t say. It seemed like a crazy thing to need to buy a special rain jacket for this mission, but now that I have it I’ve been taking it on so many other little day hikes and runs, and as we all know – better safe than sorry, and a wet woman in the high alpine is not a healthy woman in the high alpine.
High alpine mountain missions are sometimes best started before the sunrise, and that will certainly be the case when we head out on the Four Pass Loop. Besides this, a headlamp is always something that I carry in my pack just in case I need it…and there have been so many times when I want to go early, or stay later, when the little torch is much more suitable than my iPhone. I love the discreet size, shape and weight, and that it tucks easily into a pocket without protruding.
There are a few things that I could forget when heading into the mountains, and I would survive. But lip balm is not one of them. I love the un-scent of this Utu face + lip balm, the convenient tin, and the hyper protection. Plus, it’s reef safe, mineral-based, water and sweat resistant, and conscious for planet and people. I also have a little squeeze tube of their SPF 30 tucked into my day bag for all the other sunny moments this summer.
You won’t see any weird packaged gels, bars or “pouches” if we run into each other on the trail. Instead, you’re likely going to see me noshing on something homemade (rice cakes! brownies! cookies) wrapped in this Skratch Paper. There are so many recipes in the Recipe Library for this purpose, every high alpine trail adventure is practically a delicious picnic! : ) These rice cakes will surely be on the menu for our Four Pass Loop, as well as Alpine Glow Bars, brownies, and probably a sandwich to properly lunch at 13k feet!