Clear Trails
A run worth waiting for
It had rained the day before, so the usual layer of dust that lives on the hard-packed dirt was all but nonexistent. But more importantly, the layer of snow that had blanketed Corner Canyon’s upper trails had also finally disappeared. After a monotonous winter in the same few areas daily, I’d been waiting for this trail to be clear and dry since late November. Only in the past week had the final patches of consolidated slush melted away. Three Falls is my favorite route in my backyard trail system, and this morning I had it all to myself.
Winding switchbacks quickly carried me above the Peakview trailhead, away from the handful of mountain bikers in the parking lot, up to the split between Jacob’s Ladder and Three Falls. I had visited this location nearly every week of the spring, keeping an eye on conditions and waiting for this day. I took the much anticipated right turn.
How had the trail stayed so smooth and perfect after months of being six feet under? The malleable mud generally gets so rutted out during melting season that the trails are hazardous until a critical mass of traffic has groomed them, but this dirt felt untouched. It gently lowered me down to its namesake, three gushing streams, each with its own small waterfall. The mysterious patches of pine forests and the flowing water on this route briefly transported me back to the Pacific Northwest in a way that the desiccated scrub oak that smothers the rest of the area never could.
This was supposed to be an easy run, in the middle of an easy week. The relief of having, at long last, a down week was incredible. I had just capped off a block that showcased my weaknesses, wearing me down mentally and physically. After this time to recover, I was excited to shift the focus to more of my strengths. I could feel a little bit of the old familiar pop returning to my stride after weeks of being drained of energy. For just a minute, I let go and sprinted from bridge to bridge, enjoying how naturally it came.
Settling back into a relaxed rhythm, I returned on the same path I’d taken before. Today, an out and back didn’t annoy me—I could lap this trail all day.