After the ice storm, "postpone" or "cancel" were possible options for the race this year. Fortunately for everyone, Headfirst Performance took on the challenge. This was Cynthia & Todd Heady's 2nd year at directing LLTH & it was another successful event!
The light rain that was forecast didn't happen & the course, for the most part, was only damp with just a few muddy spots here & there. Trails were in great shape, considering what they looked like only recently. Even though most of the course had been cleared at least a couple times, a few new branches & maybe a tree or 2 had fallen onto the trails by race time, but there was nothing very big or hard to get over or around.
THANKS again to all the workers & volunteers who cleared the trails & made the race possible! Special THANKS to Larry Hilton with the JMF staff who went above & beyond to meet the deadline. Also, THANKS to all the runners & volunteers who helped make LLTH a success!
I'm having to post this from another computer as I've been without power at my house since the wind storm hit Wednesday:
With the rain & high winds earlier in the week, plans were set back for the chainsaw crews, but they are working now as I type this to finish the last mile or so of the trails. There was also a last minute (small) re-route on the Yost (Yellow) Trail on the 2nd loop yesterday to avoid a heavily damaged section of trail as it was easier to do so than to cut & remove all the trees. Don't be surprised if you encounter an obstacle in your path tomorrow, in fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't encounter something! Dangling limbs & branches & damaged tree tops left over from the ice storm have continued to fall on the trails. Even going back on the trails to mark the course, it felt at times like a clearing operation. Normally, the trails here are trimmed back fairly well. This year there will be branches & brush that extend into the trails at some locations, so be cautious for those at head/eye level!
40+ volunteers & workers showed up yesterday for the cleanup of the trails - most impressive! Many THANKS!! More work was done than all the previous weekdays combined. There were a half dozen groups & 3 chainsaw crews scattered thruout the Forest at any given time. Although temps reached the 60's and it had been above freezing for several days, everyone battled the icy conditions on the shady sides of the steeper hills. The thick ice was thawed just enough to be able to kick in steps or dig in with your heels to get a foothold -- that still didn't keep everyone upright when it came to dragging & manuevering fallen trees off the trails. Some fell numerous times on the steeper icy sections. One chainsaw operator slipped & slid 20 feet down a slope, chainsaw in tow.
Only about 2 miles remain to be cleared of the smaller trees, brush & debris & about 7 miles of trails have only the large trees to be cut & removed -- almost all of these are on the segments hit the hardest, the 2nd loop (Yellow Trail) and in Tom Wallace Park. With above freezing temps forecast for the rest of the week and the continued dedication of volunteers & Jefferson Memorial Forest workers, the course will be clear race day (if no other trees fall!)
Cynthia & Todd (Race Directors) and Kim on the Blue Trail:
I would have posted this earlier, but like most residents in the Jefferson Memorial Forest area, I was without electric for 7 days & internet service for 9 days:
On January 26-27, a major ice storm, called the worst in Kentucky history, hit the Jefferson Memorial Forest (JMF). It first started with a couple inches of sleet, followed by a day of freezing rain, then it was all topped off with 4 inches of snow. Park roads were closed the 1st week until the trees could be removed and the powerlines restored. Countless trees, tree tops & branches have filled in the trails from start to finish. The monumental task of clearing has begun (MANY THANKS to the dedicated JMF workers & all the volunteers!) -- progress has been slow with the icy conditions. If anyone is interested, meet at the Welcome Center this Saturday or Sunday at 9 am as small groups are assigned different trail segments to clear.
If we have good weather & the current effort is continued, I believe all the trails will be passable by race day.
Pictures taken on the course 5 days after the storm first hit:
Starting line is at the gate (15m, 50k): Entrance to the Siltstone Trail (50k): Tom Wallace Lake Road (inbound portion 50k): Former aid station location at Tom Wallace Lake: Even the outhouses at the Start were not spared:
