2016 Crown King Scramble – Recap

Hayley PollackRace Report

Every race is special, but sometimes a race just has something about it which dictates that the feelings and emotions of the day will never leave you. That was what this past weekend’s Crown King Scramble was like for me. I fell in love with this race last year during a course recon with Jamil (blog post). The 2015 race was also my first solo attempt at race directing and was just about the scariest experience ever. No pressure. just one of the oldest continual footraces in Arizona with a lot of history and meaning to a lot of people. I started planning 2016 almost immediately after the conclusion of last year’s race. This year …

Crown King Scramble

Aravaipa Trail Talk – Episode 002 – Crown King Scramble

Jamil CouryAravaipa Trail Talk

In this episode of Aravaipa Trail Talk we speak with Kate Hansen who not only ran the very first Crown King Scramble back in 1986 but is running again this year. She shares with us some insights from that very first year which was supported by a couple friends on motorcycles and was dubbed the “Crown King Mud Scramble” as well as her tips for getting up the hill for first timers. [mc4wp_form id=”7105″]

jamil coury
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Aravaipa Trail Talk – Episode 001 – Barkley Marathons

Jamil CouryAravaipa Trail Talk

We’ve started a new podcast show that will feature a new topic each episode relating to trail running. We want your questions! Ask us on social media with the hashtag #asktrail and you may be featured on the next episode! In our first show, we talk about the upcoming Barkley Marathons and answer YOUR questions.   Barkley Marathons Each year in April, 40 athletes come from around the world to compete at the Barkley Marathons. It begins between midnight and 11 a.m. with the exact time being determined by the blowing of a conch shell. After the shell is blown you have one hour before the race begins. The course is built around five loops. …

white tank mountain trail

Mesquite Canyon Evolves

Jamil CouryRace Preview, Ultra Thoughts

I’ve been camping and backpacking in the White Tank Mountains east of Phoenix most of my life. It all started with a couple of trips a year with my Boy Scout troop. We’d do day hikes with fully loaded backpacks as training prep leading up to our annual trip to Havasupai Canyon. Our packs which back in the day were upwards of 40 or 50 pounds, you know, the ones with big metal frames that you’d bungee down a sleeping pad and bag. We’d head straight up Ford Canyon, attempting to scramble up the famed “white tanks” and find a nice lunch spot high up in the range. I remember the trip back down Mesquite Canyon to …