September 5, 2021
This is going to be a quick post, as I’ve already said all I’ve had to say about the Cedro Creek Nature Trail.
I hiked the trail for the fifth time on Sunday, September 5. I knew it was going to be quick, I just didn’t realize how quick it was going to be.
For frame of reference, the first time I hiked this trail, I did so on March 20, 2021. That outing, we only made it about halfway up the trail before turning around and heading back, giving us a 38 minute mile pace.
That outing saw us stopping to catch our breath a few times on even the slightest of inclines.
This time out, less than six months later, I practically ran the trail.
Well, I didn’t quite run it. But I walked it rather quickly. The only stops we did make were for Ash to mark territory; I never felt the need to stop to catch my breath, which was huge for me.
Thanks to the bone dry creek, I was able to ultimately wind up hiking beyond the posted end of the trail, finishing the hike with 1.9 miles. Thanks to the speed I was able to hike the trail, I finished with a 25 minute mile pace.
So again, to recap, Here are the comparisons between my first and most recent hike:
| March 20 | Sept 5 | |
| Distance | 0.9 mi | 1.9 mi |
| Time on Trail | 35 min | 48 min |
| Minutes/Mile (pace) | 38 min | 25 min |
The Cedro Creek Nature Trail is entirely under 7,000 feet in elevation, with a listed 114 foot elevation gain over 1.7 miles. Comparing this performance to my hike to the Sandia Peak Trail, where the entire hike took place over 10,000 feet, I came to realize how much of a difference 3,000 feet in elevation makes when it comes to stamina. As I mentioned in that writeup, the slightest uphill climb proved to be a challenge at that elevation. Experiencing that was a little disheartening at that time, but I was encouraged seeing how well I performed on this hike.
That was all I had for you on this hike. I’ve posted plenty of pictures of this trail on my prior posts, so no pictures from this hike, but I’ll leave you with this quote from the master wordsmith, Mark Twain, who said:
Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.
Mark Twain
I will have a writeup from my first ever solo camping trip next week. Keep an eye out for that, and until then, as always, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you.
Oh, and I saw a mountain lion on this hike.
-Phil