Spawn Creek Trail Run

swmalone

Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2016
Messages
484
My first TR. It will most likely be a bit disappointing because I didn't take any pictures and even if I did I am not sure how to post them here.

I hope to eventually will post the map. I have it in garmin connect but I'm not sure how to transfer that map to something that can be posted on here. I think I need to do a bit more research but I wanted to post a trip report while it was still fresh.

Gear

Shoes - Salomon Speedcross 3 size 9 (wear an 8 street shoe)
Pack - Jetflow something or other (bad idea)

My wife and I decided we wanted to give trail running a shot. We initially headed up Logan Canyon with the intention of running the Crimson Trail. This is one of the first trailheads you come to when you begin driving up Logan Canyon. We arrived at about 10:30 am and the parking lot was full and cars were parked in every available space along the road. We decided to continue on, we ran into the same situation at the Wind Cave trail. After becoming a bit frustrated we decided to just drive up the canyon a ways and head to the Temple Fork Sawmill trailhead.

We arrived at the turn-off and the gate was closed. There is a parking area with a restroom on the outside of the gates and we figured what the hell. We took off from the parking area and ran the gravel road until we reached the trailhead area for Temple Fork Sawmill. We decided to continue on a little past this to the Spawn Creek trailhead and ran up that single track. The trail was fairly muddy, had some downed trees thanks to the beavers, and some holes thanks to the ground squirrels. We ran until the trail and the creek basically merged and turned around.

It was a fun trail and I think it was better that we chose this to trail run as opposed to the Crimson Trail. I think the elevation gain at the beginning of Crimson would have made us reconsider our adventures in trail running. It was also fortunate that the gate was closed. This area opens up to several gravel roads and trails and can be pretty busy with 4-wheelers and RVs. We were able to run the road portion only seeing a few hikers and mountain bikes and we had the trail to ourself other than a couple people fishing. The only couple of downsides were 1. That jetflow bag is a piece of crap. I have had it to loan out to people when we take them hiking, but it was awful for trail running 2. The night before I had eaten greasy fast food and apparently combining that with the trail running was a bad idea. I will skip the gory details but it made the last half mile or so of the run a bit more of an adventure.

Details

Distance 5.01 miles
Time: 1 hour 7 minutes
Elevation gain: 518 ft
Max Elevation: 6268

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...0&authuser=0&mid=1frUGlZE7fA5fGOABXl4An0_2ArM

Hopefully I will figure out why the map isn't showing and can get it dropped in.
 
I occasionally have people pass me trail running. I never got into that and am now too old for it. When I was younger I ran some 5k road races above 7000 ft. That was tough but this just looks tougher especially at altitude (esp after having had some greasy food too. I guess everyone who's ever run distance has had that experience and oxygen deprivation at altitude makes you want to puke anyway) My hats off to you!

I've never tried a jetflow bag, but it always sucks to have something fail to perform.

I assume by your name that you're a swimmer? Long distance? Do you do triathlons? Is participation in an Iron Man planned some time? Have you already done one?
 
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Not a swimmer actually. Just a screen name. Just noticed that it could be taken to mean swimming. I'm not sure age is much of an issue with trail running as long as you are in relatively decent shape. I am not going to be setting any speed records or anything. I'm 38 and this was my first trail run. That elevation doesn't really effect me, but I live at 4500 ft, so I'm only going up a couple thousand feet.

I have been treadmill running for about 4 years and have taken it outside to the roads and trails now. Running and watching calories helped me drop about 30-40 lbs.

As for triathalons I think my participation in one of those is pretty unlikely, but if I were to compete it would be more a duathalon. I have seen some interesting ones of those where you run a 5k then road cycle 18-20 miles and then finish with another 5k run.
 
Thanks. I would have liked to see pictures but I guess you really can't partake in photography while running.
 
I think I might strap a gopro to my head or something for part of the run next time. Just set it to time lapse and I can pull off whatever pictures I want, or turn my hour run into a 20 second video clip. Since it was my first trail run I didn't want to have the gopro bouncing around on my head, but for part of the run I don't think it would be too bad. My new pack arrived today and I took it for a 6 mile road run to test it out. It is an Osprey Rev 1.5 and it was awesome. I saw it on a post on here of a trail run on antelope island and did some research and picked up a 2014 model on clearance from REI. Now I can toss that Jetflow back to the family that shows up and I do forced march hikes with.
 
I was hiking in a state park near me a few years ago and there was a 50 mile trail run going on. Trees along the route were marked with little flags and glow sticks since the run went into the night.

Not to be a boob but the question of taking pictures while running reminded me of this scene from Yes Man.

 
I always park at the Trailhead in the Guinavah Campground, which is across the road from the Wind Caves. Spring Hollow can be very busy and the Wind Caves is even worse. Just head through the campground to the east, cross the bridge and you'll come to the trailhead on your right.

Wood camp/Jardine Juniper would be a good trail for you. Also, check out Temple Fork Creek, it's a pretty little creek! There's a bunch of options up Right Hand Fork. Lots of trails all over. If you pick up Cache Trails book it has many trails in the valley. Campsaver has it and I think Hastings carries it too.
 
I always park at the Trailhead in the Guinavah Campground, which is across the road from the Wind Caves. Spring Hollow can be very busy and the Wind Caves is even worse. Just head through the campground to the east, cross the bridge and you'll come to the trailhead on your right.

Wood camp/Jardine Juniper would be a good trail for you. Also, check out Temple Fork Creek, it's a pretty little creek! There's a bunch of options up Right Hand Fork. Lots of trails all over. If you pick up Cache Trails book it has many trails in the valley. Campsaver has it and I think Hastings carries it too.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have that little book, one of the first I purchased when I moved into the area. That whole area around wind caves was insane that weekend. I have done Jardine Juniper that is a good trail. I have also done Temple Fork Creek. I know the forest service used to sell that book right as you entered logan canyon but I haven't stopped in there in a while.
 
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