In 2014 I was able to take part in the full Sierra Challenge as I did in 2011 and 2012 but only one day in 2013 because that was when I was in the midst of working on my floor. As usual I had not prepared as much as I would have liked to - both in plotting out routes and bonus peaks and in the much more important conditioning realm. I wasn't totally off the couch, but I was hardly in the shape I wanted to be in either. I can make up lots of excuses like a hip/hamstring injury, but mostly I just didn't get out as much as I would have liked to or should have.
As usual Bob Burd did a ton of work planning the challenge and keeping track of stats and so on. He has maps, distances, elevations, and lots more info on his page here:
Bob's 2014 Sierra Challenge Page
We assembled at 6 am and started off from Mono Village by Twin Lakes out of Bridgeport. I kept up ok for a while but once it lightened up I was frustrated by my lack of a "good" camera (it was stolen) - all I had was my waterproof point and shoot - advantage = small, disadvantage = the pics just aren't the same. I guess that should have kept me from stopping so often to take pics - but it didn't really slow me down a whole lot. By the time we were passing Robinson Lakes I was flagging a bit, but I made it up to the summit before many people had left. Then I decided to head east to drop down into the valley and back up to the summit of the Matterhorn. The downhill went fast enough, but the uphill was a bit slower. I was definitely flagging on the last uphill to the summit. In fact I felt downright lousy heading up to the summit of Slide Mountain and the Matterhorn. Then I was pleased to be able to drop down the east side (I came up the S side) and there managed to find a good but very very long trail back down to twin lakes. There was a rescue helicopter flying around - it turned out there was a slip on the ice and a fall on a different peak. I got back just as it was getting really dark.
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This was another 6am start out of Silver Lake. I started feeling lousy sooner this day and couldn't keep up with the pack. I ended up hiking much of the day with Bill Peters who at least on the uphills was setting a more reasonable pace. Still, I just didn't have much pep in my step and there was a definite lack of alacrity (which combined with the 19+ mile and over 6,000 feet of up day made for a long one). After Mount Andrea Lawrence we cut over to Donohue which was some nice scrambling. Then headed back to the trail and down. Once again I finished just as it was getting really dark.
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Thankfully this was a relatively short day. I parked above the construction area and walked down to the trailhead. Nobody was there when I got there only a few minutes early so I was a little worried until others showed up hiking up from below. The peak was relatively short which was nice because I needed a break. We waited for a while at the summit for everyone to arrive, then there was a little memorial and people shared a bunch of stories about Pat Hadley who died during the 2013 challenge. She touched so many lives and is sorely missed.
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Then I joined Michael Graupe and we traversed the most excellent ridge over to Pointless Peak. We descended a long and mostly pleasant scree chute and then bushwhacked back to the trailhead. Then I headed back home for a much needed shower and to run a batch of laundry. Of course I got less resting in than I planned.
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This was one of the 2 long ones this year so we had a 4 am start out of South Lake. I had a better camera now and I actually felt pretty good for most of this day and kept up with the crowd pretty much to Bishop Pass and beyond. It helped that the old trail shortcut saved me a few minutes over most of the group. As we descended into LeConte Canyon from the pass we got better and better views of our target peak. It looked like there would be a ton of popular climbs on it if it wasn't such a long approach. The final descent down the slabs next to a waterfall saved us many tedious switchbacks. The ranger there was a little surprised to see such a crowd dayhiking so early in the morning, but after a short break we were off again. We took a nice little chute up to the left of the bowl on the south side of Langille and then all picked our own way across the talus towards the final summit ridge. Once again I managed to get there before the lead group descended. Then we had to reverse everything to get back. I ended up hiking with Mason most of the way back. I actually felt pretty good although we were both slowing down near Bishop Pass and at the end of a 25 or so mile day with 8,700 feet of elevation gain.
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Unfortunately my feeling good was relatively short lived. I was able to keep up over Piute Pass and even getting "bobbed" (following Bob Burd up over an unnecessary ridge), but I couldn't keep up on the final push up the target peak. The last bit of loose scree up to the pass was pretty unpleasant. I imagine it is usually covered in snow. I did make it there before very many people had left though. As usual my return hike was a lot slower than the leaders, and today it was even slower than I usually am. I did get to go home though for another hot shower.
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This trip report will be continued in 2014 Sierra Challenge Part 2 (if the link doesn't work, sorry it isn't up yet)