Mt. Wilson via Echo Mountain, Mt Lowe Railway, 23.5 miles

The weather here in Pasadena has reverted back to winter this weekend, with a good rain Friday night and again last night.  It was predicted to rain this morning with the snow-line dropping to 3500 ft. So this morning I got up  early, packed a day pack with extra clothes, donned my Goretex-lined Merrell Ascend Gloves, and headed to the Lake Avenue trailhead of the Sam Merrill Trail to Echo Mountain for a 6:30am start, intending to run to Wilson summit for a 24 miler and enjoy the snow:

                               

It was a beautiful morning!  Clear and cold, but no rain, just magnificent cloud walls over Los Angeles and the back range.  I fast hiked to Echo Mountain (2.7miles) and started running there on the traverse trail over to the Mt. Lowe railway.  I ran comfortably up to Markham saddle and took this photo looking east towards Mt Wilson and the Mt Baldy high country:

On through the Mueller tunnel and hit the Mt Wilson Road for the 2 mile run up to Wilson summit (11.75 miles, 2:25).   I was mindful of my footing as there were patches of ice on the road and it was COLD.   I picked up water at the faucet north of the summit snack bar and ran the return trip down after donning a windbreaker as my fingers had gone numb.

It was a fast run down and I felt solid the whole way;  total time was 4:06 despite the 4800 ft of climb and having walked the first 2.7 miles.   Wonderful morning!  Hip felt good as did the achilles; it felt to good to run reasonably fast.

https://connect.garmin.com/activity/709109236