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Steens Rim Run by Ron Hartwig

     I write an occasional article on a run in Oregon, not so that you know I am actually still running, but to try and interest members in trying new races. For me, going somewhere I haven't been before and doing a new race seems to motivate me. As you look forward to the 2002, you might want to consider the Steens Rim Run & Walk. Kathy and Steve Sansone, Jane Morris, Rob Rickard, and Charlotte and I have done either the run and or walk. About 100 people enter the walk with a similar number in the run. This year I thought we had talked Pati Swearinger and Joyce Crosse into joining us. With the blizzard its probably a good idea they didn't join us. But then I get ahead of myself.

     The Steens Rim Run is competed on Steens Mountain, which is in southern Hamey County. The county seat is Burns, which is about a five-hour drive to the east of Salem. Harney County itself is larger than eight of our states in the country. The Steens Mountain begins about 60 miles south of Burns. It's about as remote a spot as you can find in Oregon.

     The Steens Mountain is different from most mountains in that it stands alone in the desert. It is what geologists call a "fault" mountain. Most of the world's mountains have their approach guarded by foothills. As one comes toward them, he climbs a succession of these rolling hills, each a little higher than the previous one.

      But fault mountains are not like that at all. Each fault mountain is a huge upthrust block. Steens Mountain is twenty-three miles from its base on the west to the top. From the summit) the next step to the east might be a long one. The east side measures only three miles from top to the flat plain below. The view from the top is spectacular. The Steens Mountain is in the middle of what is called "the high desert." It has its own climate on top, greatly different from that surrounding it. To this Charlotte and I can personally attest. The run/walk is held the first weekend in August. This is the same weekend as the Mt Hood Jazz Festival so for the last six years we have alternated events. 1999 was a year for the Steens. In 1995 Charlotte entered the run and I entered the walk ( I was getting over an injury sustained on the Gallagher basketball court). The altitude caused major problems for her so in 1997 she entered the walk where she set a new age record and was sixth overall. This year we both entered the walk. It's interesting to note that most of the top finishers in the walk consider themselves runners who have chosen to walk.

     The race/walk is a 10 K and starts 6.2 miles from the top of the mountain. It is all uphill and on gravel. It begins at 7835 feet and ends at 9700 feet. There are no trees and it is wide-open country.
      In previous years we had worn singlets and shorts for the race. The forecast was for rain in the afternoon so we thought we would be fine. Wrong. When we went up the mountain to the starting line we noticed it was getting cooler and darker. An announcement was made that the visibility at the top was about 100 yards and that there were cars at three and five miles in case anyone needed to bail out. I wondered why you would need to quit because of fog. Foolish me. So at the last minute I accepted Charlotte's offer of a light jacket and light gloves. I figured I could take them off (I didn't).

     We met a running friend from Portland, Cal Alfsladen, who had won the walk last year. He had been challenged by the second-place walker to a rematch. Cal had spent a week on Mount Hood followed by a week on the Steens getting ready. He said the weather had been beautiful.

     We took off and Charlotte was among the leaders. Walking I can't keep up with her. I think it's a hip thing. In the early miles things were great. Charlotte was third overall and the first woman. I was about 10th overall. Then the storm hit. You know how before a lot of races you look around and see people that in your judgment have way too many clothes on? That's what I thought before this race. I would have paid LOTS to have some of their clothes when the storm began. I was almost to mile four when it began snowing. The wind had been blowing from the start. The wind and snow picked up. You couldn't see much in front of you as the snow was blowing parallel to the ground as it followed the contour of the land.

     It is interesting to find what goes through ones mind at a time like this. Once I got over feeling sorry for myself I thought that the ultra runners who say that it doesn't always have to get worse could have been wrong. I thought, "Boy are we going to have some good stories out of this one." As certain parts of my body began to get exceptionally chilled I thought that I was glad I wasn't planning on having any more children. The snow was stacking up on my right side while my left side was bare of snow. At one point I got a little excited when I saw a stream of cars coming down from the top of the mountain. I thought that the race had been stopped and that we would finish where we were. The cars didn't stop but people waved. What I think happened is that at the height of the storm it got to 32 degrees with winds at 25 to 30 miles an hour at the top. People waiting there for friends and family got concerned and demanded that they be allowed to go out on the course and pick them up. Nobody picked me up or offered a ride. The amazing thing is that 80% of the people finished including a man pushing a baby carriage. I kept on going up the mountain.

    I knew that as long as I could see the 2nd place women and didn't see Charlotte that she was still truckin' up the mountain. At one point I saw a couple of BLM employees asking us if we were all right. What could you say? "I'm suffering but am stupid so will finish," Later I found that Charlotte had asked one of the men for a jacket. She was wearing a short-sleeved shirt. He gave her a sweatshirt that he had to put on, because she couldn't use her hands to do it. At mile five Charlotte passed the BLM car and Cal jumped out. He had given up the lead for some heat. Cal has about zero body fat and was lightly dressed. I guess the sight of Charlotte got him going again. He ultimately finished 2nd overall with Charlotte third. When I got to mile five I tried to ask about Charlotte but my mouth wasn't working too well so I mumbled something and kept on going.

     When I got to the top Charlotte and Cal were waiting for me. We jumped into an extended cab pickup belonging to a man we affectionately called the beer man. The back of the truck had a beer keg and pop, which they provided for finishers. The heater was on full blast but we still shivered for a half hour. It turned out Charlotte had a slight case of frost bite. Her right arm and hands tingled for a month afterwards.

     The awards ceremony was moved a few miles down the mountain to a campground where we were sheltered from the wind. We were driven to our car where we put on all the clothes we had. A little heat and a couple of beers and I was feeling better. Charlotte received a beautiful book on the Steens for being the first female finisher.

     The next morning we went out for a ten-mile run. We were staying at the Diamond Hotel in a town of 8 people. It is at the relatively low elevation of 4800 feet. It was one of the best runs I can remember. We saw lots of deer, many geese, some sandhill cranes and various other birds. It was great to be alive. Only three vehicles passed us. Every driver waved at us.

     One of the things I like about coming to this part of the state is meeting the local people. Among those I remember this year is the woman at French Glen who will sell you something at the mercantile store then go through the door into the tavern and get you a blue Herron Ale, then go outside and pump gas. She says she burns off in the summer the weight she puts on in the winter. There was the most interesting rancher and his wife. They owned a small ranch on the Steens and a larger spread to the north. The larger place was half the size of Rhode Island or a quarter the size of Delaware (18 miles by 25 miles). He has more than one college degree including a degree in music. His wife has been featured on OPB's Oregon Field Guide and will be the subject of a program on the Discovery channel next spring. She flies a helicopter on the ranch and does things like drive cattle and inspect fence line. To meet people like this and discuss issues like cattle grazing on the Steens, coyote control and wild horses was a unique opportunity.

     This article is too long already so let me say that the last time a storm hit on race day was 14 years ago. Thus you can go and have great weather for years to come. Rooms are extremely limited in this part of the world so you need to make reservations as soon as possible. Just call us and we will give you numbers to call. Rooms are inexpensive as are meals so it's not an expensive trip. Give this unique race a try.

     Ed. note: Above is a report of the Hartwigs' 1999 Steens experience (which the editor apologizes for losing!) Ron and Charlotte also participated this year in the 19th Steens Rim Run. Ron reported: "As has been our practice we entered the walk rather than the run. There isn't enough oxygen for us to really run. The weather was great; neither too cold nor too hot. The awards ceremony was held back at the starting line due to wind but overall it was 100% better than two years ago. When Charlotte was recovering from her surgery she had to walk rather than run for the first six weeks after her operation. It must have paid off as she took almost a minute off her existing 50-59 course age group record. I also walked. Charlotte beat me by almost six minutes. Its some kind of female hip thing, I think."