Auburn, September 9, 2022

My previous visits to Auburn have lined up with me either being too busy or too beat up to explore the wealth of trails the area is known for. I have family in the area, and after rolling my Pine to Palm 100 entry to 2023, I had an ideal use for vacation time I’d carved out: visit loved ones and finally get around to seeing this destination point in the trail scene for myself.

The fires in and around Auburn are a serious and sad state to see, and I hope that those effected by them are getting the healing and support they need.

For my purposes, I’d decided I wanted a long run to experience as much of the area as I could. I had the time and fitness, no idea when I’d be back, and AllTrails showed me the Auburn Overlook to Olmstead Loop, which got me nodding and smiling the more I read about it.

Then, I looked at the weather.

Hot and dangerously smoky, AQI what you’d expect from a significant fire zone.

My cousin Jason showed me a map like a dartboard, with the colors and shades darkening as one approaches the bullseye. A deep plum purple like a bruise centered the active fire, with the second and third layers above it smothering the area where I wanted to run.

This wasn’t a great choice to make. But I figured I’d check it out, see what I could do, and if things got too dangerous, I’d come back.

Jason’s wife Chelsea mentioned the smoke might serve as a cover against the hotter temperatures the sun had been bringing to the area (105 fahrenheit and up) recently, and I think she was right. I was grateful that the temperature stayed cool for most of my time on the trail, especially since wearing a mask held back on my breathing a bit, though I was glad to wear it.

The smoke ran thick and thicker from the start. A surreal too-bright orange light fell on much of the trail, in other areas a hazy blue-gray. I never felt like I was in too deep, though with the imagination I have I gamed out what I’d do if I saw flames, if the edge I was running on dropped into the superheated temperatures behind the walls of poor visibility and pungent burning I was riding on.

I will say the hardest parts of the run came at the end, as warmth and fatigue high-5ed each other and teamed up when I lost the trail for a bit. Downloading maps to my phone has never steered me wrong. Seeing the “WS 100” logos spray-painted on boulders along the way was heartening in a great way, so I knew I was close, and it’s fun to see this sort of thing firsthand after watching legends pass this way on linefeeds and highlight reels.

While a true completion of the loop would have been farther with more vertical gain, I was fine with turning in 22 miles for my first run in Auburn, especially in these conditions.

I can’t wait to come back soon, and definitely have to so I can spend more time with loved ones and study the trails more before taking on Canyons 100k next April.

Huge shoutout to the crew at The Aid Station for some sweet storytelling and hang time afterwards, with a gym and bar connected to the shop this is hands-down one of the coolest running stores I’ve ever been to. Extra love to Auburn Bodega, a local favorite, their big fat salad with tuna is a dream situation, and was a fantastic carrot on a stick when the trail was less-than agreeable.

My new Pinnacle 12L NATHAN pack performed perfectly on its first rodeo, and the Mafate Speed 4 continues to be a highpoint in one of a few favorite franchises at HOKA, sharp and cozy in all the right places for a model that I expect a lot from, I just can’t get enough of this color way, either.

Stay safe and happy trails, everybody!