I’ve been wanting to do this route for a few years now, but between other adventures and seasonal road closures due to rockslides, it just hadn’t worked out—until this year. With over 10 runners on board, I knew it was finally time to make it happen.
We left the Bay Area on Friday afternoon. After hitting some traffic, we stopped for dinner in Fresno, then drove straight to our campsite and crashed for the night.
Our adventure started just before sunrise at 5:45 AM. In summer, you can begin as early as 5:15 AM without a headlamp since the first two miles aren’t technical. An early start helps ensure you finish before sunset.
We chose to run the route counter-clockwise to get over Glen Pass early in the day and enjoy a more relaxed pace on the long descent.
The lead group made it over Glen Pass just before 11:45 AM. We lucked out with mostly clear weather, with only a bit of light hail and a passing shower in the afternoon.
Water was abundant along the route as long as you have a filter (optional but recommended). There are no toilets along the way, so be sure to bring wag bags and follow Leave No Trace principles.
A buddy system is crucial on routes like this—there are no exit points once you’re committed. Be prepared for anything: bears (we saw several, all non-aggressive), altitude sickness, injuries, and other unexpected situations.
Some runners finished as early as 6 PM, while others came in just after midnight. It was a big day out there for everyone.
Camping
We reserved for 2 nights (fri, sat) the week of because a lot of people cancel their reservations. Our orginal plan was to stay at a hotel in Fresno or a small town close to the park but couldn’t turn down a campsite which was 15min drive to trailhead vs 2hr.
- Campsite: Sentinel Campground
- Cost: $32/night
-
Ammenities:
- toilet
- water
-
Cedar Grove Lodge:
- shower
- hot food
- gift shop
Running
- Distance: 39.5mi
- Elevation Gain: 8,051ft
- Running Time: 11:35:21
- Strava: Rae Lakes Loop
