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, Very, very IMPORTANT!
Aid stations are extremely far apart via car - we mean hours and hours and hell and gone from anything! The same crew vehicle CANNOT make it to every crew location. If you try, you will miss your runner. Runners and crew need to make a plan on which aid stations they will meet at before the race. The same crew vehicle cannot make it from Long Park AS#1 to Stone Cellar AS#3 before his/her runner. It is highly recommended that crew vehicles DO NOT try to make it from Stone Cellar #3 to Bowers AS#5. Examples of what is possible: Long Park AS#1, Bower AS# 5 and Cathedral AS#7 -or- Stone Cellar AS#3 and Cathedral AS#7.
Pacers
Runners are allowed to pick up pacers starting at the Bowers Aid Station #5 at mile 54.55. Pacers must pick-up a pacer bib and sign a waiver. At this time, pacers are required to show their CORSAR card.
Pacer Locations:
Bowers Aid Station #5 (mile 54.55)
Cathedral Aid Station #7 (mile 78.9)
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
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
Crews
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 below, but here are some other helpful tips.
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 at aid stations please. 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. Please limit your parking to one side of the road and absolutely no parking in the grass off the roads. If a race volunteer asks you to move, please be respectful and listen.
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 Long Park
AS#3 Stone Cellar
AS#5 Bowers
AS#7 Cathedral
Aid Station Directions:
If the plan is to hit aid stations #1 Long Park, #5 Bowers and #7 Cathedral:
Start to AS#1 Long Park:
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 8.75 miles you will turn right onto FR 610. (If you hit Hanson Mill, you have missed your turn and gone too far). Drive 2.5 miles to a fork in the road. Long Park Aid Station is at the intersection.
AS#1 Long Park to AS# 5 Bowers:
From AS#1 Long Park, drive back to highway 149. Turn left and drive the 13 miles back to the start. Continue passed the start on highway 149 and go an additional 0.9 miles to the stop sign and 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. Drive 6 miles and turn left onto CR G towards La Garita. In 5.53 miles you will pass the La Garita store on your right. Continue just over 0.5 miles more where you will stay right onto CR 41G. Follow CR 41G for about 10.2 miles where you will then turn left onto FR 675 towards Moon Pass. In 10 miles you will hit Moon Pass. Stay left on FR 675 towards California Gulch. In just under 6 miles you will arrive at the aid station.
AS#5 Bowers to AS#7 Cathedral:
From Bowers AS, reverse steps and head back to the highway. Turn right onto highway 285 and drive 6 miles. Turn right onto highway 112 and drive 13.1 miles back to Del Norte. At the stop light, turn right onto highway 160. Drive roughly 9 miles and turn right (north) on to CR 18. Go 1.42 miles until you stop at the “T”. Turn right onto North River Road/CR 15. In 0.33miles turn left onto CR 65 (which will turn into FR 650). After 3.12 miles you will come to a “Y”. Stay left on to FR 640 and follow signs to Cathedral Campground which is roughly in 7.5 miles from the “Y”. At Cathedral Campground stay straight - DO NOT go into the campground. The aid station is less than a quarter of a mile down the road. ***NOTES*** 1. If it is dark when you arrive, please be as quiet as possible to not disturb campers in the campground. 2. You need to parallel park on the right side of the road only (on one side only) and do not block the road. 3. If you are in a car, you will want to park and walk the short distance to the aid station. The road gets rough and very rocky.
AS#7 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.
If the plan is to hit aid stations #3 Stone Cellar and #7 Cathedral:
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#3 Stone Cellar to AS#7 Cathedral:
From Stone Cellar aid station you will back track all the way back to Del Norte. At the stop light of highway 112 (Oak Street) and highway 160, turn right onto highway 160. Drive roughly 9 miles and turn right (north) on to CR 18. Go 1.42 miles until you stop at the “T”. Turn right onto North River Road/CR 15. In 0.33miles turn left onto CR 65 (which will turn into FR 650). After 3.12 miles you will come to a “Y”. Stay left on to FR 640 and follow signs to Cathedral Campground which is roughly in 7.5 miles from the “Y”. At Cathedral Campground stay straight - DO NOT go into the campground. The aid station is less than a quarter of a mile down the road. ***NOTES*** 1. If it is dark when you arrive, please be as quiet as possible to not disturb campers in the campground. 2. You need to parallel park on the right side of the road only (on one side only) and do not block the road. 3. If you are in a car, you will want to park and walk the short distance to the aid station. The road gets rough and very rocky.
AS#7 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.