Extras
Wildflower News
July 22nd, 2008
Wildflowers in Yankee Boy Basin are about a week to ten days out from peak ... there are a lot of buds up there and they should be "popping" soon!
Upcoming Events
June 2nd
San Juan Odyssey
July 21st
Colorado Touareg Rally
July 23rd
Quilt Show
July 23rd
rhythm of the dons
July 23rd
Hip Hop (ages 10+) in Ouray
Blog Headlines
Races
Imogene Pass Run
The Imogene Pass Run (IPR) is a 17.1 mile point-to-point mountain race within the western San Juan mountains of Colorado, run along a route which connects the towns of Ouray (7810 ft.) and Telluride (8820 ft.) by way of 13,120 foot Imogene Pass. The IPR is held on the first Saturday after the Labor Day holiday, at the seasonal transition from late summer to early fall. Mountain weather at this time is famously "squirrelly" (rapidly changeable), and participants through the years have encountered a variety of weather conditions ranging from virtually perfect to terrible. This spectrum of weather during the race is in fact part of its lure and mystique. In good weather years the challenge of the mountainous traverse is rewarded by unsurpassed vistas and no small feeling of accomplishment upon crossing the finish line. In bad weather years, the wind, fog, rain and/or snow along the course make the successful arrival in Telluride a virtual rite of passage into the realm of true mountain running.
Except for short pavement stretches at the start and finish and a short trail section immediately below the pass, the IPR is run along a course consisting of normal to 4x4 dirt roads. This is a traditional summer travel way between Ouray and Telluride.
The mountainous setting of the IPR is impressed upon the participants as they assemble in Ouray each year. As they gaze upon the peaks which rise steeply on three sides above town, they are faced with the realities of the alpine environment through which they will soon find themselves moving as they negotiate the rocky route from one mountain town to another. Some years, the day dawns clear and cool with the promise of inspirational views; more often there is a mixed message with variable wind and skittish clouds moving among the peaks; occasionally there is a ominous message as the peaks are obscured at dawn by gray clouds with the promise of rain and snow in the wind.
The Imogene Pass Run has increased greatly in size and importance from its humble origins in 1974. Where once it was an adventure run for a few pioneers, today the race is immensely popular and the number of registered participants is by necessity restricted, due to safety and logistics reasons. From the original field of six, it has grown to encompass more than 1400 participants!
There is much more information about the run on the Imogene Pass Run website.
Hard Rock Hundred Mile Endurance Run
The Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run or the Hardrock is an ultramarathon 101.5 miles (163.35 kilometers) in length, with 33,000 feet of climb at an average elevation of over 11,000 feet. The race is held on a loop course on 4WD roads, dirt trails, and cross country in Southern Colorado's San Juan Range, USA. The race is dedicated to the memory to the miners who settled in the area built the mining trails which much of the race is run on.
The run starts and ends in Silverton, Colorado and travels through the towns of Telluride, Ouray, and the ghost town of Sherman, crossing ten major passes in the 12,000' to 13,000' range. Entrants must travel above 12000 feet of elevation a total of 13 times, with the highest point on the course being the14,048' summit of Handies Peak[1]. The race has been held in early July of each year beginning in 1992, except for 1995 (too much snow) and 2002 (nearby forest fires). Each year's race is run in the opposite direction of the previous year's event (2006 was run in the clockwise direction, 2007 was counter-clockwise). In order to complete the event, instead of crossing a finish line, runners are required to "kiss the Hardrock", a picture of a ram's head painted on a large block of stone mining debris.
The cut-off time for finishing the race is 48 hours. Current course records are held by Scott Jurek (26:08) and Krissy Moehl (29:24), both set in 2007 [2]. The average time required to finish this race is 41:10:15 [3], which is longer than the cutoff times of most 100 mile races. This is due largely to the high elevations, which can cause altitude sickness or edema in some runners. In addition, the course covers extremely rugged terrain including steep scree climbs and descents, snow packs, river crossings, and boulder fields. The race starts at 6am, so runners who finish in over 40 hours see the sun set twice before finishing. Runners continue at night using flashlights or headlamps. Portions of the trail are adjacent to steep dropoffs and are described in the course description with the word "exposure".
The extreme altitude changes bring runners through several climate zones. Much of the course is above the tree line, which in Colorado is around 11000 feet.
While Hardrock is nominally a running event, many entrants use equipment typically used for hiking or mountain climbing, such as trekking poles or crampons. Weather can be very extreme in the San Juan mountains, where nighttime temperatures can drop to subzero Fahrenheit in the high elevations [4]. Severe thunder storms can also roll in quickly, bringing rain, hail, high winds, or lightning with little warning. Thus most runners must be prepared for any type of weather. Most carry additional layers clothing in backpacks, as well as enough food and fluids to go several hours without aid.
There is much more information about the run on the Hard Rock 100 website.
Ouray Mountain Trail Run
The Ouray Mountain Trail Run is a 14-mile endurance trail race organized to support local Ouray youth recreational programs/events. This challenging course circumnavigates the beautiful town of Ouray, Colorado nestled in the heart of the San Juan mountains. Most of the course covers rugged and historic mountain trails surrounding the town.
There is much more information about the run on the Ouray Trail Run website.