3/27/13 Another trip to the Bay Area gave me a chance to run the famous Dipsea trail again. This time I was able to run the full Double Dipsea, from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach and back. 14 miles and 4,200' of gain.
1 Back on the Dipsea and the famous stairs.
2 This flight of stairs was closed last time I was here. Great to see it open again, it's a great section.
3 A new walkway where the trail had been closed and washed out last time I was here.
4 Jump forward to Mile 5 where my pictures from the last trip ended. This is the first time I've run the trail beyond this point other than during the actual race. A much different experience when you're all alone!
5 Switchbacks descending down into the section known as The Swoop. It's thick fog like usual.
6 Into the redwood forest. Single track doesn't get much better than this.
7 Back and forth between the redwoods and the rain forest. Amazing terrain and foliage.
8 Probably my favorite section of the entire trail.
9 Beautiful, spongy, single track.
10 This picture definitely doesn't convey just how steep these steps are. They wind down through the amazingly green foliage in a 1,200' mile.
11 More steep, winding steps.
12 Down to the bottom of the canyon, crossing Web Creek.
13 Down to The Moors heading out to Stinson Beach.
14 More brutal steps.
15 Mile 7. Now less than a 1/2 mile through the small town of Stinson Beach and to the shoreline.
16 First glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. It would have been visible much earlier had it not been so foggy.
17 A good look at Stinson Beach. Almost there, still dropping elevation fast.
18 A panoramic view from the ridge.
19 Made it to the beach! Looking South along Stinson Beach.
20 The Pacific Ocean. There are only a few people on this whole stretch of beach.
21 Looking North along the beach.
22 Time to head back now. The forest looks like it's out of a movie. I have to make good time to get back to my hotel in SF before they kick me out.
23 The 1,200' mile is tough going uphill! I had a mostly uneventful return trip to Mill Valley and was back at work in SF an hour later.