And a Few More Aid Stations

I decided to throw in a few more aid station pictures from Hardrock.  These are in the  correct order for the running of the race in the clockwise direction.  Actually, the first picture is of the Mineral Creek Crossing just a few miles from the start.  This is not an aid station.  The creek was low this year.  I think all of the pictures are borrowed from Blake Wood and taken during the 2010 Hardrock.

This is the KT Aid Station, the first AS, at 11.5 miles.

After KT comes Chapman Gulch and Telluride.  From Telluride, runners climb 4,390 ft to the top of Virginius Pass at 13,100 ft, mile 32.7, Kroger's Canteen.  The following three pictures are of Kroger's.

Looking back down toward Telluride

And over the other side toward Governor Basin and Ouray.

After Kroger's, you descend to Governor Basin AS then Ouray at mile 43.9.  Ouray is the low point on the course at about 7,700 ft.  From there the route climbs over 5,000 ft to the top of the next pass.  Engineer aid station (below) is located just below timberline on the climb up.

Engineer Aid Station located at 50.9 miles.  This is the Aid Station I was offered but had to decline.  To get to this AS you drive in a 4x4 up to near timberline on one side of a pass, carry everything up about 2 miles to the  pass and down 2 miles to the aid station location.  You are up all night supplying runners, then close after the last runner goes through sometime after daylight.  Then you pack up everything and climb back over the pass and back down to the truck.  I decided, actually, my wife convinced me, this would be really a dumb thing to do since the Tahoe Rim Trail 100 is the following weekend.

This is the Pole Creek Aid Station at mile 80.8.  They have to pack everything in to this one too.

And finally, Cunningham AS, the last aid station at mile 91.2.  After this aid station you still have a 2,500 foot climb over Dives-Little Giant Pass at 13,000 ft before reaching the final descent to Silverton.

I really wanted to help with an aid station but I also have to finish a Hardrock Qualifier 100 mile race this year to stay eligible for Hardrock in 2012.  I plan to go out to Silverton July 1 and do trail work a couple of days and do at least one day of trail marking.  That should be a pretty good final workout for the TRT 100.