Arnot Creek / Highland Lakes

Went for an 8-hour "dress rehearsal" for PQ on Saturday. My loop took me from the Arnot Creek trailhead near Dardanelle to the Highland Lakes and back. Track on MB.



There is still plenty of snow above 8000ft in the Sierras. And this was a very low snow year. I'm starting to wonder how PQ is going to work, given the mountains in Montana are at similar altitudes, but much farther north. Perhaps they do not get as much snow there.

I spent several miles walking on snow with little evidence of the trail. Snowshoes would have been a hindrance and were not needed due to the dense spring snowpack. Check out the full photo album to see what I mean.

In other news:

• Two weeks ago I went for a crappy training run in the Ventana Wilderness. No trails, no fun, no nothing, just poison oak. See track.
• Last weekend I raced in NORCAL AR #3 at Henry Coe State Park. I was with Tim K. and Wendy W. We took it easy and placed fourth. Not too shabby. Tim and Wendy are also going to PQ, both on different teams (Dancing Pandas and Marmot).