Photos of SMUT

That title might earn me a few more hits, and resulting disappointment, than other titles I could have come up with. So I went with it.  I know, really going overboard with the creativity here.

SMUT. Scout Mountain Ultra Trail.

In a quiet little mountain range, just past some nestled little cabins looms this awesome and beautiful course. I failed to fully appreciate it last year, so, I tried harder this go 'round. Despite being; down one kid (the helpful one), hefting a 25lb toddler along with my gear, stopping nearly every 10 minutes for potty breaks and to check our progress, and inhaling our own dust all day,  it was a spectacular day to be outside, to be crew and to witness this feat of a race. I throughly enjoyed myself.

We started off our weekend with a little reconnaissance. 

First, I wanted to get closer to Scout Moutain- the epic climb near the end of the race. We found this one mile trail that goes through the Scout Mountain Aid station- just before the runners climb to the top.

 Cody and our peanut. This trail offers some shade, a nice view of Scout Mountain (below) and a chance to get our own exercise during race day.

The runners scale this pretty piece of rock then proceed to run the ridge and speed on down the gravel-like face before another smaller climb and then the finish. I am most the way up the mountain here.

 My token flower shot for this year. Just a nod to my attempts last year.  (see previous post on the Pocatello 50).

This is an option for lodgings at SMUT.  I think it is brilliant to camp directly on the starting line. Especially with the limited parking and 5 am start time for the 100k. This was taken at about 10pm the night before the race.

Morning of the race at City Creek. Trail marking at SMUT was amazing. No flimsy plastic markers here. They run a legit operation. Everything is recyclable, reusable and very eco friendly.

Cody coming in to City Creek.

 Again, at City Creek. This is one of the easiest spots to spectate this race.

 This is up the trail at the West Fork Aid Station. About 40 miles into Cody's race. Beautiful walk for crew and awesome spot to cheer on the runners. We may have spooked a few, sitting just around a corner as we were. Not to mention my darling girls throwing dandelions at their feet. At this point, the unexpected seemed a whole lot harder for the runners to take. I apologize to any who were traumatized.

This is the Scout Mountain Aid Station. The volunteers were all so darn nice. Especially the one who smuggled us some cookies. Sadly, the girls and I pulled in about 30 minutes AFTER Cody ran through. 

A shot from the road headed back down the mountain to the Big Fir Aid Station.

 This shot is looking north west, towards where the runners have come over the course of the day. Only several ridges is all....Taken from part way up Scout Mountain.

 Cody at the finish. He is impressed with how put together he still looks, considering how he was feeling.

And, the shot of the aftermath. He's had worse.