12 more lucky ducks will be treated to this view. Congrats to UncleHo Hughes, entrant #100, who will receive absolutely nothing for that distinction. See the whole list of 111 entrants here. Awwwwhooooo!
As with other families, the Coyote clan grew, these representing 10 years of
C4P. How big will the Coyote Backbone clan grow? Enjoy your own family, no matter what size, on Turkey Day!!
A little more than one week after the official Coyote Backbone Trail Ultra launch, 68 of our alloted 150 spots have been taken by those willing to jump off the “physical cliff”. See the full list of your fellow swimmers here.
We can’t thank you enough for your rather misguided faith in us, but we will try come race day. Bwaaaahaaaaaa. Happy Trails!
El Nino, The Movie: When GoreTex isn’t enough.
Like a little course preview, or perhaps have a need to complete some official trail maintenance requirements? Join us and the Santa Monica Mountains Trail Council for Backbone Trail Maintenance. Two dates to choose from this year (more next): Dec. 1st and 8th. Get there early for your pick of the McClouds, and bring your pick-a-nic basket for lunch. Details on the SMMTC website; be sure to contact the Leader at the number listed for the date you select to let them know you’re in.
Superintendent Dave Szymanski keeping an eye on the kids (photo courtesy Zev Yaroslavsky)
Great read about the new superintendent of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Dave Szymanski, who is clearly a Cohort in the making.
Said the park service veteran, who has overseen parks in Minnesota, the Everglades, and even Madagascar: “My wife went out for a walk last week…and took a movie for our children, so they could hear the coyotes yipping in the background.”
Wow, we didn’t realize we were being so loud.
Click here to read the full article.
Mark near the start of his FKT attempt, blissfully unaware of what’s ahead.
A little pu’ pu’ for those of you thinking about attending the whole luau, Mark Hartell gives his account of setting the FKT for the Backbone Trail in March, 2012 here.
Per Mark: “Heat seems to be a significant factor in accounts and it’s pretty much impossible to do the thing unsupported because there is little or no water for most of the route.”
The way we see it, you can either do this thing the hard, lonely, parched way on your own, or the fully-hydrated, official Coyote Cohorts way with us. Just sayin’.
For details of previous FKTs, click here.
P-23 makin’ some noise. Or is that P-24?
From LA Observed:
“National Park Service biologists affixed tracking devices recently on male and female kittens born to one of the adult female lions already being tracked through the mountain range. The newborns, believed to be six to eight weeks old, are now designated P-23 and P-24. They were found in the mother’s den near Circle X Ranch above Malibu and were released back into the wild.
Unfortunately, DNA testing conducted at UCLA found that the cubs were fathered by P-12, who also was the sire of the cubs’ mother, P-19.”
P-12 is obviously getting in some good training.
Read the full article here
Beauty and a little cultcha’ (that’s Debussy, y’all) from Rangers Mike and Anthony. Timelapse from Circle X Ranch along the Backbone Trail – you people are in for a treat!
credit – Ranger Mike and Ranger Anthony, courtesy National Park Service — at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Coyote Backbone Trail Ultra 