JMT13: Runnable?

For the second weekend in a row, the day off I had planned somehow turned into an afternoon run with guest star Aidan Ashe. Today, with the sun burning hotter than it has in the history of JMT, we set out to check off what might be Mount Tam’s best-named trail: Widowmaker.

Like many runs, this one started from the foot of Tamalpa, and for the most part, followed the path from my Eldridge run in JMT10 for the first few miles. We headed up the first section of Tamalpa, proceeded onto Hoo-Koo-e-Koo Fire Road, and climbed “The Extra Point” up to Indian Fire Road. That’s where this run deviated from the last one, and it’s also where the climb really ramps up.

Widowmaker didn’t get its name for nothing. An unmarked trail just to the left of Indian Fire Road, it quite literally shoots straight up the mountain at about a 30-40% grade the entire time, but I’ve heard people say that it’s “technically runnable.” It intersects the Eldridge switchbacks three times, so I like to think about it as the toothpick that holds together the Eldridge sandwich. Or Eldridge burger. Either one.

No matter which way you look at it, this climb is absolutely brutal. It’s “riking” - run hiking - at its finest, and it most certainly got us up the hillside in a hurry. At a couple of points we actually had to climb over large rocks and ledges with all four limbs. Aidan told me that he felt like Alex Honnold.

Fun fact: a few years back, there was a race up Widowmaker. I can’t even imagine trying to sprint up this thing.

After the third and final Eldridge intersection, we pushed up the final section towards the Verna Dunshee Trail, the concrete path that circles the lookout atop East Peak. But in between is one of the coolest lookout spots on the entire mountain. It’s a great view, and it feels even better after climbing Widowmaker.

The concrete of Verna Dunshee is just after the lookout point. From there, we circled around, past the visitor center and Gravity Car Barn monument, and headed over to Railroad Grade for the way down. Before half a mile was up, we turned right onto the Tavern Pump Trail, which heads down for only a short while before joining up with Fern Creek Trail at the old tavern pump. Tavern Pump is pretty much just a less steep, less traveled, Fern Creek, and is really just another one of those short, random single tracks that covers the mountain.

Our arrival at the Tavern Pump marked the last new terrain exploration for the day. We headed down Fern Creek, down Railroad Grade, over on Hoo-Koo-e-Koo and down Tamalpa before engaging in a heated debate over wet burritos on the way down the street. See you tomorrow!

👊✌️

Jonathan