Hardrock 100 Mountain Run, Friday July 10th, 1998

Profile & Stats:

Distance 101.3 miles

Location Silverton, Colorado, USA

Climb 33015 ft

Elev Range 7680 to 14048 ft

Average Elev 11180ft

Time Limit 48 hours

Starters 82

Finishers & % 38, 46%

Route anti-clockwise

web page www.run100s.com/hr/

Silverton is an old mining town at 9310ft surrounded by 14000ft snow-capped peaks. It is easily accessible only in the summer months. The town lays claim to “Notorious Blair Street” where the likes of Wyatt Earp used to gamble in the 40 saloons along with the thousands of miners and 120 odd ladies of the night. There are many ghost towns located around Silverton and also hundreds of old mine buildings some in the most inaccessible of places. The area is called the “Swiss Alps of America”.

The race is run in the opposite direction each year, argument ensues about whether clockwise or anti-clockwise is the most difficult. The finishing times seem to conclude that clockwise is the harder although some knowledgeable people (locals) suggest it depends on the weather i.e. the amount and location of the snow.

I will start by saying this is a “toughy” and not for the faint of heart. If you’re after a run then this is not for you, as I would say about 60% is hiking. The terrain varies from jeep road (fire trail) to animal trail to rock scree to snow/ice climbing. There is a relatively strict entrance screening of runners, (I think you have to display a mental incapacity!).

A major factor in this race is the altitude. Ideally you would need at least 4 weeks acclimatizing although we all know this is virtually impossible in the real world. I managed 10 days, which during the course of the race I realized left me at a significant disadvantage to some of the “locals”.

Silverton to Cunningham Gulch (9.2m)

The race started in heavy rain at 6:00am. I decided to take a heavy-duty Gore-Tex jacket along with a few other essentials; this was in stark contrast to some of the lightweight gear being carried by many others.

The initial warm up involved a climb up to Dives-Little Giant Pass at 13000ft, starting on a forest trail then within a few miles moving to a jeep road than winds it’s way upwards. The lead bunch pushed ahead while I managed to hold a conversation with Chip Lee who is a regular at Hardrock and director of a nearby 50 mile race.

After the summit we crossed the east face of little giant peak. I will quote part of the course description to try and give you a picture of the trail.

“exposure, acrophobia… the steep grassy slope meets cliffs that are several hundred feet high so a slip here could be fatal”

We then passed the ruins of the Shenandoah Mine buildings before descending on a zig-zag un-maintained trail down to the aid station at Cunningham Creek. I pulled away from Chip on the downhill finding myself a distance from the next runner. I had misgivings about this as I wasn’t familiar with most of the course so made a decision to at least keep in sight the runner in front, hopefully they would know which way to go! I should mention that for much of the rest of the race the course was well marked, not suprisingly there were exceptions, which I will mention later.

This climb up a pass then descend steeply was a sign of things to come, also the 1st of many occasions we had to wade across a creeks.

Cunningham Gulch to Maggie Gulch (16.6)

Maggie Gulch to Pole Creek (22.1)

Pole Creek to Sherman (31.7)

Sherman to Grouse Gulch (42)

Grouse Gulch to Engineer (48.2)

Engineer to Ouray (57.5)

Ouray to Governor Basin (64.7)

Governor Basin to Virginius Pass (67.9)

Virginius Pass to Telluride (73.2)

Telluride to Chapman Gulch (82.3)

Chapman Gulch to Kamm Traverse (89.1)

Kamm Traverse to Putnam Basin (95.1)

Putnam Basin to Silverton (101.3)

Results

1. ricky denesik telluride, co 30:12 (course record)

2. david horton lynchburg, va 30:27

3. kirk apt crested butte, co 31:14

8. jonathan worswick solana beach, ca 33:01 (1st strider)

19. eliza maclean mebane, nc 40:57 (1st woman)