Author: Kara Folkerts

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Runner Profile: Aaron Davis

“Who goes on Aspire trips?”
It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails.
We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited to add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with a series of Aspire trail runner profiles. We enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!

Name: Aaron Davis Age: 45 Hometown: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho

What is your occupation?

Heavy Equipment Sales – Latin America & The Caribbean

I also served in the Idaho Army National Guard from 2002 until 2010 as an artillery officer, ending my service at the rank of Captain, and after serving in Iraq in 2005 during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

What Aspire Trip have you participated in?

Wonderland (Longmire to Mowich Segment 2015)

What is your favorite trail snack?

Chipotle peanuts, bacon, oatmeal creme pies

Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences?

I always tell my wife that my dream “job” would be to just clear and build trail all day and run! I wasn’t much of a runner growing up in Boise, Idaho; however, I did do a lot of backpacking, hiking, and camping as a Boy Scout which I loved. In fact, my Eagle Scout “project” was organizing trail work and camp site restoration and clean up on the trail from Chinook Campground into Loon Lake in central Idaho (which for any ultrarunners out there who have run the IMTUF 100-Mile, you ran as part of the race course, albeit many years after I was swinging a Pulaski there with my fellow Scouts…). From my teen years until derailed by a hand injury in my mid-20s, my passion was rock climbing. When injury forced me to explore other activities, I made a goal to run a marathon.

Long story short, I got hooked on running (and marathons in particular), and even did a stint on the All-Guard Marathon Team while in the Army National Guard—my one and only experience at being somewhat of a “pro” and actually getting paid to run – “thank you” to you all tax payers out there 😊.

In 2015, when I was going to turn 40, I set an outlandish goal to break all my PRs in all the more established distances between the 400m and the 100-mile. There were many I’d never really run before, so several were basically “if I finish–I PR!” And though I had dipped my toes into the trail and the ultra world on occasion previously, my only ultra finish before this year was the 2013 Trail Rail Run 50-mile near the Idaho/Montana border. There were a few races I didn’t get to run that PR year, and a few more that I ran but failed to beat the PRs I’d set in my 20s; but it was an awesome year and was also when I really became a born-again trail/ultra runner.

That year, which also included my epic Wonderland trip with Aspire, I ticked off the longest runs of my life, including a sub-30-hour 100-mile finish at IMTUF, which I’ve since gone back to do twice more since.

This crazy COVID year of 2020, I branched out even further and got into fast packing. I spent hours in my wife’s kitchen scale weighing gear and trimming 1/8s of ounces here and half ounces there as I poured over my packing list. This culminated with a 100-mile, 4-day/3-night fastpack trip with a 23.5 pound pack in the Sawtooth’s of Central Idaho with a running buddy of mine.

I also spent much of 2020 with my trusty Rogue Hoe 70HR54 cutting and benching in my own trail system on the wooded hillside behind my house—I’m up to 4-miles with 1,000ft. of vert if you run all 10 x concentric loops. 😊

What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip?

I had a few questions about logistics, format, etc.–I think it was Aspire’s first year (2015), and I was relatively new to big days in the backcountry on this type of running trip. BUT, all those concerns were easily resolved with a couple e-mails and it was an AWESOME experience (and the food was SOOOOO GOOD!!!)

How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how?

I was actually training a lot before the trip, and spent a fair bit of time in the backcountry hiking and backpacking as a kid, so I was fairly prepared and in pretty good shape when I showed up to run with the group. The Wonderland is a pretty tough trail, so it’s definitely going to enhance the experience if you are prepared to enjoy it (and not slog through and suffer too much…)

What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip?

I honestly kind of liked that it was a “solo while part of a group” type experience. I was out there for stretches on my own, which totally suits me. But, there were also stretches were I was with one or two others, which was also nice, as we could each take pictures for each other and experience an epic place with others who share a similar passion for the outdoors.

What was a difficult moment or a surprising episode from your trip?

I can say without a doubt it was coming around a corner and bombing down toward a meadow about half way through the run and looking left to see a good sized black bear about 200 feet away bolting out of the meadow as fast as he could. Needless to say, I was glad he didn’t stick around to wait for me!

What advice or thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip?

DO IT!!!! I suppose like a race, it is a significant amount of money to put down to spend a day or more in the mountains; BUT, an Aspire trip is so much more! It’s different than races or other trail running experiences you’ve likely done, and is so worth it.

And the food – man, my wife thought it was worth it just for the culinary experience. I’m not kidding! It’ll leave you wondering how on earth it could be possible to have such amazing food in the outdoors without a full kitchen. Unreal!

Not to mention, there just aren’t races that can take you to some of the places that Aspire can. It really is an amazing experience start to finish, and I can’t say enough good things about it (especially the Wonderland!!!)

It was just a great overall experience, with a good group of people – participants and Aspire staff alike. A great time and a great memory (that I need to repeat in the near future!)

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Aspire Trail Runner Profile: Rachel Beda

“Who goes on Aspire trips?”
It’s a question we hear often. The truth is, the runners who show up for our trips come from diverse backgrounds and bring a wide range of running and mountain experience with them to the trails.
We all relate to mountain spaces in unique and personal ways. We are excited to add some depth to our response to the “Who?” question with the Aspire trail runner profile series. We’ve enjoyed hitting the dirt and building friendships with these runners on our trips, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing their stories!

Name: Rachel Beda Age: 45 Hometown: Seattle, WA

Thanks for sharing your story with us for the Aspire Trial Runner Profile! Which Aspire Trips have you participated in?

Stehekin 2018 and Wonderland 2020

Describe your experience, background, and enthusiasm for running and/or wilderness and backcountry experiences?

I started trail running during medical residency 17 years ago and it never, ever gets old. Wilderness is my meditative, sacred place, and I feel the most at peace and alive while I’m moving through it on my own two feet. A busy work and family schedule means running is the most efficient way to get the most views in the shortest amount of time. 

I’m not fast – I hike the uphills and then love to bomb the downhills. I am typically mid-to-back-of-the-pack at trail races and on Aspire trips. What I lack in speed, I make up for in enthusiasm! 

I don’t have many running buddies – my friends are either short-distance hikers, or genetically gifted speed demons that I can’t keep up with, so I’m typically running alone. I’m comfortable running alone, but I really appreciate the safety net Aspire provides. It’s allowed me to go deeper into the wilderness than I would be comfortable doing by myself. 

What questions, concerns, or unknowns did you have going into your trip? How were they resolved?

I was afraid I wouldn’t be fast enough for the group. I shouldn’t have worried. It’s not a race and there’s no pressure. 

For Wonderland, I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to do 3 long days back-to-back-to-back, and Abram worked with me to make a modified itinerary that worked for me. 

I was afraid it would be all young gunners and I would be too old. It was actually a great mix of all ages. 

How did you prepare for your trip? Given your experience would you prepare differently, if so how? This can be answered in terms of fitness and/or gear.

For Stehekin: I did long trail runs of up to 16 miles with plenty of vert, and weekly mileage of about 20-25mi and it worked great since there is a day of rest at the Ranch between run days. 

For Wonderland: I increased my mileage to 30-35 mile weeks including some long trail runs of up to 18 miles with vert, peaking at a 40mi week. Spoiler: it was NOT enough, and I rode ahead in the van on day 2. For next time (oh yeah, I want to go back and get it all next time!!!), I would aim for more 40 mile weeks, and I would schedule a back-to-back trail weekend of at least 15-20 mi/day + 4000ft of gain on both Sat and Sun. If you are a shorter-distance runner like I am (25k races are my favorites), do not make the mistake I did of underestimating the legitimacy of that amount of vert on day one (9700ft of gain from Longmire to Mowich).

I highly recommend using hiking poles for the climbs and bringing a lightweight water filtering method so that you can minimize water weight. 

What story or description would you give to represent the group dynamic on your trip?

Encouraging, supportive, and ego-free!

What was the most difficult moment and/or a surprising episode from your trip?

I was so excited as we started out on day 1 of Wonderland that I forgot to keep up with my nutrition and hydration in the first few miles, and I started to battle nausea around mile 7. By mile 21 I was dry heaving, and by mile 24 I had to lie down on the side of the trail. Kara, who was the sweep on the Aspire Team, was so incredibly patient, positive, and supportive. She GPS-texted ahead to camp and Ian from Aspire started out towards us with supplies in case I really couldn’t make the last few miles. Thanks to their help and encouragement, I was able to rally and make it 10 more miles to Mowich Lake and the rest of the group. Although I could have done without the dry heaving, it taught me that my strength and endurance is bigger than I thought. I also was blown away by the kindness, patience, and encouragement of the Aspire Team. If they could believe in me after only knowing me for one day, I could certainly believe in myself. That lesson is going to help me whenever the miles get tough in the future. 

What info/advice/thoughts would you offer to someone considering signing up for an Aspire trip?

All the things I was worried about – ego, speed, pressure to perform, competition – none of that exists on an Aspire trip, clearly by design. Abram sets up the most supportive, chill, happy adventures.

Explore our Wonderland Circumnavigation trip.

Have a story from an Aspire trip you’d like to share for a Aspire Trail Runner profile? Fill out the form here and we’ll be in touch!

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Sawtooth Backcountry Women’s Trip: 2020 Trip Report

Washington’s Sawtooth range in October means bright golden larches reaching their peak, crisp autumn mornings turning into a warm sunny days, and endless routes to choose from, with of every option setting you up for a stellar day out in the mountains. The set-up for our Sawtooth Backcountry trip couldn’t be better. Oh yeah, and did we mention it’s for women only? 

The Sawtooth Backcountry trip was a fitting close to the Aspire season with a spectacular group of women.  The combination of delicious meals, connecting with new and old friends, and continually pinching ourselves on the runs due to the sheer marvel we all felt out on the trails was a perfect way to wrap up a summer of running.

Our Women’s only Sawtooth running adventure is set up in a different manner than our other more ‘objective’, point to point trips such as the Wonderland trail or the North Cascade Traverse.  Instead, runners meet at base camp on Friday evening to introduce ourselves and connect while sharing a hearty meal together. This also serves as a perfect time to go over a map of the area and give everyone the chance to decide which routes they want to spend their day on.  In years past, we’ve offered anywhere from a 15 to 30 miles but a majority of the women this year settled in the sweet spot for an idyllic 23 mile autumn run! 

Running through the endless yellow larches, stopping alongside stunning lakes, feeling the burn in the legs and lungs climbing up to high mountain passes that gifted expansive mountain views, it’s no wonder the group was continually ‘hooting’ and ‘hollering’ as they basked in the joy felt moving through such a special place together. 

Something special happens on an all women’s trip. We are all there to support one another and enjoy time together on the trails. Our group waited up for everyone at trail junctions, stopped to stand in admiration along the shores of the peaceful lakes and encouraged each other along route. That supportive atmosphere created a feeling of contentment, connection, and belonging while doing what we love most: running in the mountains! 

So what brings all the ladies together for this weekend women’s trip? Many have chosen this trip specifically as a ‘weekend getaway’, as a quick escape from the day to day family tasks, a chance to meet like-minded trail running friends, or wishing to feel empowered as a women on the trails. Some want to squeeze in one last long run in the mountains before the weather turns or simply revel in the beauty of running in the mountains in autumn. 

The joyful buzz of the trip continued as women returned to the trail head and made their way back to camp. Upon arrival, Aspire camp greeted runners with cold beers and seltzer’s, a spread of salty, fresh and satisfying appetizers, hot backcountry showers, and a fresh, nourishing dinner made with a whole lot of love. Followed up by a cozy night around the camp fire while sharing stories from the trail, the group went to bed feeling all kinds of happy exhaustion from a wonderful day spent running in the mountains.

Waking the final morning, bottomless coffee was prepared along with a big breakfast spread, prepping runners for their return trips home. Some women took down camp and grabbed a quick breakfast before hitting the road, while others took time and savored the slower pace of the morning, huddling up around the backcountry heaters, eating a wholesome breakfast and sipping on the second or even third cup of coffee before exchanging contacts with new friends and saying goodbye.

Check out the course page for more details on the Sawtooth Backcountry Women’s Trip.

Kara Folkerts is a plant powered trail runner, sustainable travel advocate, yoga teacher, and passionate about all things travel, sustainability, health, and outdoor movement.  Originally from Canada, Kara has spent the last few years living and travelling in various places across the globe, guiding trips and going on personal expeditions before joining the Aspire crew in 2020.  She writes about her experiences and adventures on her blog at www.karafolkerts.com.  

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When Things Go Wrong On the Trail

It’s inevitable, not all days on the trail will go smoothly. Aspire provides the backbone of information and preparation to mitigate risks, but when things don’t go according to plan, we approach challenging situations with focus. The Aspire crew enter each season with current Wilderness First Responder certifications, and hit the trails with extra fuel and water, a fully stocked first aid kit and a Delorme InReach for emergency communication between staff and emergency services if need be.

Wilderness travel is accompanied with inherent risk. With that in mind, Aspire approaches each trip with protocols in place to mitigate that risk.

The Safety Sandwich

When runners head out on the trail, an Aspire crew member leaves with them. This runner takes the role of “Sweeper”. The sweeper travels at the back of the pack, ensuring no runner is left behind.
Later in the day, another Aspire crew member heads out from the route’s finish in the role of “Super”. The super carries additional calories, electrolytes and hydration, and runs out to meet runners as they come in on the trail. When the sweeper and the super meet, they confirm that all runners are accounted for and share any important info about runner conditions.

Inclement weather

When traveling in the mountains, unexpected shifts in weather have to be expected. The Aspire season stretches from May to October, and heat, big rain storms, lightning, fog, snow and freezing temperatures are all possibilities. We do our best to prepare all participants for a safe and comfortable experience with a required gear list and pre-trip weather briefings.  Insulating layers, a rain jacket, buff, emergency blanket, headlamp, and GPS are all a part of our required gear list.

Any runner who’s finished a rainy race knows it doesn’t take long after you stop running for your core temp to drop and the chill to set in. This is where our Aspire base camps really shine.  We deck our walled 10′ x 20′ tent out with propane heaters to create an incredibly warming atmosphere for you to hang out in and warm up after a cold day on the trails.  Oh, did we mention hot showers? When it comes to cold days, we’ve got you covered. 

Feeling Sick on the Trail

We like to call this the ‘puke and rally’ and we’ve seen it multiple times on the trail – runners fall ill while on the trail, recover, and dig deep for that final push to make it to camp in the evening. Whether the heat has become all too much, you ate something bad, have nerves creeping in or dehydration has made you weary and sick, our guides hit the trail with the knowledge, mindset and supplies to help you continue moving on trail, supply the proper fuel, water or medication necessary, or prepare for a potential night on the trail with additional comforts if it becomes too much.   

Dehydration and Bonking

Balancing nutrition with exertion on big runs is a core challenge of mountain running. Inadequate hydration and fueling during big days on the trail is all too common for many folks.  We understand that high heat or feeling too cold can play into how much you feel like eating or drinking on any given day on trail. Every body is different, but eating consistently and maintaining an hourly caloric intake of between 150-300 calories will ensure your body has the spark needed to keep moving. Depending on the weather, hydration should be near constant, with electrolytes balanced with water intake.
Aspire provides an assortment of bars and electrolytes, as well as a ‘lunch bar’ each morning for runners to pack for the trail. This includes all the fixings to make a lunch wrap or sandwich and an endless variety of bars, gels, chews, and snacks. Our advice: LOAD UP!
As a fail-safe, our crew carries backup fuel and water filtration for runners who may fall short.

Injury on the Trail

All Aspire guides hold current Wilderness First Aid Responder certifications. They each carry a well equipped first aid kit, Garmin InReach, and two-way radio, should the need for emergency communication be necessary.  Our team applies our knowledge, risk management, and skill base to come to the best decisions possible for various injuries and medical emergencies. 
Our guides see a range of common injuries, and we’re pros at wrapping ankles and treating blisters. While we hit the trail expecting the nothing but miles of incredible running, we are prepared for anything. Should an injury inhibit movement, our crew works with the runner to gauge severity and make an evacuation plan. Information on our evacuation policies is provided in the pre-trip course packet.

The Unexpected Bivouac

In a worse case scenario, where a runner is unable to make it to camp due to fatigue or injury, it’s important to be prepared to camp in the backcountry overnight.  Every runner making it to camp each night is one of our highest priorities, but if circumstance decides otherwise, the Aspire team will work to make the night as safe as possible. When it becomes clear a backcountry bivy is likely, the “OH SHIT” pack comes out. This pack includes additional shelter, gear and calories. Our staff will communicate with each other, and a member of our camp team will make every reasonable effort to reach the stranded party with a resupply.

At this point, you’re solidly within type 2 fun territory, but hey, if you bivy out in the wilderness one night and go home healthy and well at the end of a trip, it will only add to your list of epic backcountry stories! 

Navigational Errors and Lost Runners 

Getting lost sucks, but it happens.  Taking a wrong turn or getting off route can happen for a variety of reasons.  We understand the varying levels of comfort and knowledge runners have with backcountry navigation and we make sure to have these conversations with runners before heading on the trails.  Prior to each day on trail, we hand out maps and go over the course information for the day.  We highlight potential places for navigational errors and want all of our runners to go out feeling confident in their ability to move through the terrain.  But even with these implemented measures, runners may find themselves off route.  

In the case of a lost runner, our guides note the time that the runners(s) went missing, identify the strengths and liabilities of the missing runner(s) and review the trail, terrain, trail intersections, possible points of interest, and obvious detours and distractions within a five mile radius.  Based on the specific terrain, runner, and weather conditions, our guides will make an initial search plan. If the runner(s) are not located within two hours, our Aspire staff will return to camp. At this point, any “Lost Runners” are declared AWOL.

Once runners have been declared AWOL, an incident form is initiated. A secondary search plan is created based on the weather, terrain, and resources to initiate a secondary search. As all Aspire clients are required to be equipped for an emergency bivy, in most cases this secondary search will begin the following morning. Any secondary search will require an Aspire staff person to remain in camp at all times. After 12 hours of AWOL status with the missing runner(s), an emergency external runner search will be initiated. This external search will include notifying the appropriate land use agency, activating local search and rescue support, and notifying the emergency contacts of the missing person(s). 

Our highest priorities are for our runners health and safety for each trip, among endless miles of enjoyment and fun. Our protocols and expertise are developed to mitigate major risk factors and respond effectively when things go wrong on trail to get you home safely, while enabling epic backcountry adventures.  

Kara Folkerts is a plant powered trail runner, sustainable travel advocate, yoga teacher, and passionate about all things travel, sustainability, health, and outdoor movement. Originally from Canada, Kara has spent the last few years living and travelling in various places across the globe, guiding trips and going on personal expeditions before joining the Aspire crew in 2020. She writes about her experiences and adventures on her blog at www.karafolkerts.com.

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Nutrition Matters: A look into the Aspire Kitchen

We get it! Food on the trail is important. While we know the ravenous hunger that comes after a long day on the trail can make almost any kind of food appealing, we put care into all our meals to make your entire experience on our trips all the better.  We’re committed to using high quality ingredients to make delicious, satisfying meals. So save that old bag of mixed dehydrated mashed potatoes for your solo trips and let us work some magic.
 
Finishing a long trail day at Aspire camp means enjoying a big spread of fresh hors d’oeuvres – from juicy local figs, a full charcuterie board, or tomato, basil and fresh mozzarella caprese bites – prior to diving into a delicious and nourishing campsite dinner.

It’s been said that friendship is a history of shared meals. At Aspire, we love good food almost as much as we love mountain miles with friends. Meals are a focal point of our trips, where runners come together and connect over the day’s adventure. We take time to plan out a full menu to ensure everyone on the trip feels fully satiated and enjoys every bite, ready to get out for more running and more camaraderie when morning calls.

All of our guides have some background in the food industry or deeper connection to food – whether they’ve worked as a cook in various restaurants, make fresh sauces and preserves at home,  grow their own food in the veggie garden or continue to master their own cooking techniques in the kitchen. On top of this, all of our guides have completed the Washington State Food Worker course and have valid permits and education on proper health and safety regulations required to serve and prepare food on our trips. We believe that all of this experience and our love of quality food has carried forward to create a culture of delicious meals for everyone who joins Aspire trips.

Some of our personal favourite meals include freshly caught salmon with lemon wedges aside grilled seasonal vegetables, fully loaded breakfast burritos, burger night with all of the fixings, and a fire roasted seasonal fruit cobbler to end the night. 

We also can’t forget taco night, which has become a legendary bookend for those finishing the Wonderland Trail. After three big days of mountain running, you’ll come back into Longmire greeted with a full spread of fresh pico de gallo, roasted veggies, grilled chorizo, a dollop of sour cream and a handful of fresh cilantro. Top it all off with a mountain of guacamole, we like to think we know a thing or two about tacos.  

In addition to our delicious breakfasts and dinners to start and end each day, we also have food available to prepare a lunch for your big adventure on the trails.  With a large variety of bars, gels, chews, and snacks to take on route, we also provide various ingredients for loaded wraps and hearty sandwiches.  From hummus, veggies, meat and cheese wraps or a good old fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  And let’s be honest, trail snacks are great, but the added moral boost of a fresh lunch wrap can be a great pick me up to help fuel you better throughout a long day.  

For some, a cause of concern may be varying food preferences or dietary needs, but we have experience of catering to all diets.  Whether you’re gluten free, vegan, keto, a heavy meat eater or really just want your favorite salty snack at the end of the night – we got you covered.  We are diligent in our camp kitchen when it comes to issues of cross contamination for celiacs, various allergies that may be present, and happily cater for vegetarians and vegans alike.  

So not only will a trip with Aspire include epic trails, unreal mountain views, and connecting with amazing people, but we also ensure you are eating some of the highest quality, mouth watering, and thoughtfully prepared trail food you can get your hands on. 

Kara Folkerts is a plant powered trail runner, sustainable travel advocate, yoga teacher, and passionate about all things travel, sustainability, health, and outdoor movement.  Originally from Canada, Kara has spent the last few years living and travelling in various places across the globe, guiding trips and going on personal expeditions before joining the Aspire crew in 2020.  She writes about her experiences and adventures on her blog at www.karafolkerts.com.