Crews and Pacers
While you are allowed pacers and crews, we have limited the areas in which you will have access to both. The decisions that we have made about this are for our runners safety and health and for environmental concerns, logistical reasons and because we are a bit old school. Runners do risk disqualification due to the actions of his/her crew and pacers. We recommend that you choose experienced pacers that can handle distance and tough terrain. This is not a race where you can swap out pacers every 5 miles. Your pacers will need to be able to go the distance with you. The same can be said of your crew. Your crew must not only be able to take care of you, but also themselves. The La Garita Mountains do not have great cell service, so it’s best to assume you will not have service. Depending on your cell phone carrier, it is very hit or miss. It is best to have crew members that are not directionally challenged!
very IMPORTANT!
Some aid stations are extremely far apart via car - we mean hours and hours and hell and gone from anything! If your runner is self sufficient, we recommend saving yourself a few hours of driving and skip crewing at the first aid station Hanson Mill. If you like driving and being in the car, feel free to go. It is a beautiful drive up to Hanson Mill. Just know from Hanson Mill to Stone Cellar, you are looking at about a 4ish+ hour drive.
Please stick to the provided driving directions - DO NOT look at a map and choose a different route for the following reasons:
For safety, we do not want crew vehicles traveling on the same road that runners go down. We have tried to limit that as much as possible.
Our directions will keep you on roads that all vehicles can travel on. Some of the roads in these mountains are nasty and require 4WD and high clearance vehicles.
We do not care if you have off-road capable vehicles, if we catch crews taking short-cuts to aid stations, this may lead to the disqualification of your runner.
Pacers
Runners are allowed to pick up pacers starting at Aid Station #5 Stone Cellar (runners second time through) at mile 90.48. Pacers must pick-up a pacer bib and sign a waiver. At this time, pacers are required to show their CORSAR card. Pacers can pick up bibs and sign waivers at either packet pickup or any aid station that allows pacers to start pacing. Runners are not allowed to pick up bibs for pacers at packet pickup.
Pacer Locations:
Stone Cellar Aid Station #5 (mile 90.48)
Big Springs Aid Station #7 (mile 130.28)
Prong Creek Aid Station #8 (mile 154.96)
Cathedral Aid Station #9 (mile 175.11)
Pacer Rules:
Pacers must present his/her CORSAR card while obtaining a pacer bib.
Pacers must wear bib at all times
Pacers must sign a waiver
When a runner leaves the aid station, we must be made aware that that runner has a pacer with them
Pacers must have the GPX downloaded to a device
Pacers must stay with their runners at all times (runners are not allowed to “drop” their pacer).
Pacers must be able to make it to the next accessible crew aid station. We will not transport pacers.
Pacers must care the same required gear as runners (minus the tracker). Failure to do so may result in disqualification of runner.
Pacers cannot be picked up or dropped off at non-crew aid stations (only at pacer locations)
No muling - runner must carry his/her own gear
Only one pacer per runner at a time
Pacers are allowed food and water from aid stations while pacing.
Sleep stations are for registered runners only. At the discretion of the aid station volunteers, you may be allowed to sleep in the tents if empty, but you will be the first to be woken up and asked to move if a runner is in need of that space.
Crew info and rules
Ok crews, listen up! Your main goals are to keep your runner motivated, fueled and healthy so that he/she can cross that finish line. You cannot support them if you cannot find or get to them. Just as a runner has a plan, you need one as well. We have provided directions and GPX files below, but here are some other helpful tips and rules.
Assume you will not have cell service: Depending on your cellphone carrier, cell service is very hit and miss. Make sure that you have pulled up any maps you may need well ahead of time. Even our main roads and small towns in the area have limited cell service. Print out driving directions ahead of time! And dare I say it, carry a paper map as well.
Have a full tank of gas: We cannot stress this enough! Even though you may see a town on your map, many of the towns are so tiny they do not have gas stations. You can fill up in South Fork, Del Norte, Center and Saguache. To that end, tow trucks or AAA may take longer to get to you than it will take the runners to finish the race (ok, maybe not that bad but it’s not like they are around the corner either), so don’t run out of gas!
Be self-sufficient: In order to get from aid station to aid station, it will take you multiple hours and there is little in between them. You should come prepared with food and water to get yourself through the race. As mentioned before, many of these towns are small and they roll up their sidewalks at 8 or 9pm. Don’t think that grocery stores or restaurants will be open, assuming that there even is a grocery store. Aid stations are for runners and pacers only. We will not feed you too.
Vehicles: Once off the main roads you will be traveling on dirt roads. Some of them can be rough with washboards and rocks. Please drive responsibly and slowly. Although all crew accessible aid stations are attainable by car, they can be hard on tires. With that said, your crew should be familiar with changing a flat tire - AAA is hours away and you will miss your runner. No RVs, tow campers or fifth wheels at aid stations please. All crew vehicles must be able to fit in a standard parking space (9ft x 18ft). We have narrow roads, limited parking and small turn around areas. Also, one car per runner at the aid stations for the above stated reasons.
Speed limit: Our small towns take their speed limits seriously. You have been warned - unless you want to make a donation, it’s best to stick to the posted limit.
Parking: Roads and trailheads are still open to the public, so be courteous and do not block roadways. Some roads have logging truck traffic, so leave enough space for large trucks to drive through. Please limit your parking to one side of the road and absolutely no parking in the grass off the roads. If the aid station is at a campground, no parking in camp spots. If a race volunteer asks you to move, please be respectful and listen.
Timing: Crews cannot arrive at aid stations hours ahead of their runner or camp out. Please try to arrive about 30 mins before your runners. That should leave plenty of time to set up. You must leave when their runner leaves.
Sleeping: Runners are allowed to sleep in crew vehicles at crewed aid stations only. In fact we encourage this! It will be more comfortable for you.
Noise: Please be respectful to other crews/runners and the public by keeping your noise and voices down. While you may be excitedly waiting for your runners to arrive and are having fun amongst yourselves, keep in mind that there may be a runner trying to sleep in the car parked next to you! This also includes not sitting in your car waiting with your headlights on pointing directly into a window where a runner is trying to sleep!
The prevention of invasive species: The USDA Forest Service requires that vehicles be washed prior to entering forest service boundaries to help with the prevention of invasive species in the area.
Dogs: Dogs must be on a leash at all times and never left unattended. Dogs are not allowed within close proximity of aid station tents and all waste must be picked up. Barking, aggressive, or otherwise disruptive dogs may result in you being asked to leave the aid station. If rules are not followed, your runner will be at risk of disqualification.
Special Needs: If you have members in your crew with special needs, please contact us before the race. We will do our best to work with you to meet those needs.
directions
Start: Race begins and ends in the town of South Fork, CO at Brown Memorial Park (86 C R 15, South Fork, CO 81154)
Crew Access Locations:
AS#1 Hanson Mill
AS#3 Stone Cellar
AS#4 Mexican Joe
AS#5 Stone Cellar
AS#7 Big Springs
AS#8 Prong Creek
AS#9 Cathedral
Aid Station Directions: In progress - please check back
Start to AS#1 Hanson Mill:
From the start, turn right on to highway 149 towards Creede. In 13 miles, turn right off highway 149 onto FR 600 (Pool Table Road). In about 10 miles you will arrive at Hanson Mill.
Start to AS#3 Stone Cellar:
From the start, turn left on to highway 149 and go about 0.9 miles. At the stop sign, turn left onto highway 160. Drive 16 miles to Del Norte. Turn left on to Oak Street (highway 112). Drive 13.1 miles where at the stop sign you’ll turn left onto highway 285. Proceed 23.5 miles on highway 285 to Saguache. (If you are low on gas, you will want to fill up in Saguache before driving to Stone Cellar. This is the last place to get gas for a long time). Turn left on to highway 114 and go roughly 35.5 miles where between mile marker 26 & 27 you will turn left onto CR 17 GG (at this point, you may want to set your trip odometer on your vehicle to zero here to make keeping track of mileage easier - it can be confusing and if you miss a turn or make a wrong turn you could end up in the middle of nowhere). Drive 5.32 miles to a “T” and turn left onto NN 14. Go 1.18 miles and turn right onto 17FF/FR 787. In 8.3 miles you will see an old wooden building called the Salt House. Stay straight and drive 4.91 more miles to the stone cellar campground (this is 19.71 from when you turned off the highway). It gets a little confusing here so pay close attention. Turn left to stay on FR 787 and immediately go through the Stone Cellar campground and cross a bridge over a creek. From the campground, drive 3.2 miles to the aid station (about 23 miles from the highway).
AS#9 Cathedral to Finish:
From Cathedral aid station back track to highway 160. Turn right onto highway 160 and travel 6.93 miles where you turn right onto highway 149. Go 0.9 miles and turn onto the North River Road/CR 15 for a 100 yards to Brown Memorial Park and the finish.