Second Time Around in the Collegiate Mountains
51st 100-Miler(+) | 133rd Ultramarathon | 2nd HiLo
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| Colorado bound. |
Felt pretty lucky to get into High Lonesome for a second time since the lottery is a true 50/50 split, meaning I was only 1 of 125 males to get into the race of the hundreds that applied. Blessed for the opportunity and so could not turn down another run in the Collegiates.
I had to interrupt our bi-annual California family trip, yet again, and make a side quest out to Colorado to get some true mountain time in. I mean yes, I really had to. As the saying goes the Mountains are calling and I must go. It rings true to me as I do love the mountain scene! Leaving from the West Coast I hopped into a rental car (a Honda Civic) and started my way inland towards the Rocky Mountains. After the 15-hour drive time I arrived in Buena Vista, Colorado the evening before race check-in and race meeting. I got some rest and then decided to make the most of my trip into the Collegiate Mountains area and drove out to Denny Creek Trailhead which was the start of the Mount Yale summit trail. I spent a nice 3.5 hours hike up and jog down to bag my first 14er. It was an awesome day just enjoying the mountains and seasoning my quads for the following day(s). A nice little creek dip at the trailhead near my parked car to cool of my legs, and then I headed back into town and complete my race check-in process. After the race meeting, I finally found a local restaurant that was not too crazy compared to the rest in the overrun town (due to the race crowds). I sat down for large burger, fries, and nice cold NA Beer then it was off to the cozy seat of my rental for some rest.
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Pre-race portrait
Photo: Mile90 Photography | Rick Mayo |
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The Start
Photo: Mile90 Photography | Kristi Mayo
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Awake bright and early at 04:30 to drive out to the start line and get my parking spot nice and close. Volunteers were there assisting already parking cars lining them up nice and neat within the vastness of the open ranch field. I took a couple minutes to enjoy my cold brew coffee (I had bought the night before in preparedness) before heading over for race check-in which included a full mandatory gear check before being allowed to start. I was ready. The sun was slowly bringing a glimpse of light over the silhouettes of the Rockies to the East. As the clock ticked close to 06:00 there was a larger and larger buzz of people and crew gathering and running back and forth. The chute was lined with runners and all the supporters formed an outgoing chute of cheering and filming spectators. We all took off as the top of the hour arrived and the adventure began.
The first 2.5Mi was on pavement down from the ranch, which sat up on a plateau down through the Chalk Creek area and hot springs. Emerging past the housing you hopped onto a gravel dirt forest road for another 1Mi until we arrived at the Colorado Trail (CT) where the ascending began. Having done this course before I recalled the initial looooong climb, however I was mistaken on where it was. I kept expecting to come around the corner and recognize the climb I had recalled in my mind, but it never showed up (at least not yet). I just cruised in a nice train of about 7 of us runners as I kept to the back and paced off their effort which was a nice easy start to the day. Just shade after 7 Miles we arrived into Raspberry Gulch, which was the first aid station. Lots of friendly volunteers there with a high vibe still. I topped up water and then continued on.
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Photo: Mile90 Photography | Rick Mayo
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Not too fat after leaving the aid station I came to some familiar trail that I knew was the beginning of that long 7 Mi climb I had been recollecting in my mind. "I knew it was at the start of the race!" I noted to myself. This was the long grind up Antero Pass, which we passed just below the 14er summit of Antero and crested above 13,100' ourselves. This was the high point of the race and provided great views up there. Crossing over the pass was followed by a long descent broken up by the second aid station. It was a real quad crusher to continue for about 10km all the way down to this next low point.
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| Cresting Antero Pass (~14Mi). Photo: Mile90 Photography | Jordan Chapell |
The next section was the iconic cresting of Law's Pass and down Popular Gulch Trail to the Cottonwood road and aid station. This is the only out & back section of the course, so it was ~3Mi up followed by 3Mi down. You then got checked in at the aid station and turned around to do this 6Mi again back to the main HiLo loop. This was the time in the race I got to experience a bit of adverse weather. The clouds came in early and slight thunderstorms were approaching. It was still warm out, so the combination of approaching rain and the heat caused humidity to rise. As I got higher up on the Law's Pass it started to rain as the clouds surrounded the area. It was a nice refreshing light cooling rain mist at first as I crested up and over the first time. The rain picked up a little as I ran down towards the Cottonwood aid station at the bottom. Since it was the only out & back I started passing all the faster leaders on their way back again. Arriving at the bottom (i.e. the Cottonwood AS) it was really raining now. I got some fluids and fuel there underneath the aid station tents attempting to stay dry. Before leaving was a mandatory Divide gear check and so I had to unpack and show everything before leaving. Since I was already doing this, I put on my rabbit Treeline rain jacket before heading out on the trail. The rain continued heavier as I climbed back up Law's Pass, again this time from the backside. The trail even began to have slightly running water in some of the rutted-out spots. By the time I got back to crossing the Pass it was somewhat clear at the top again. I had climbed through the cloud, because I could see from the top the other side of the mountain was clouded in below.
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Descending from Law's Pass (~35Mi). The clouds are fully parted here just barley below the Pass.
Photo: Mile90 Photography | Kristi Mayo |
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2 Moose were hanging around Tin Cup AS.
Photo: Mile90 Photography | Kristi Mayo |
It was now just over 38Mi into the run as I arrived back at St. Elmo aid station and was about rejoined the main HiLo loop. Here I even got to visit with my friend Leo Fung whom was there volunteering as a Rescue Medic helping out at the aid station. We chatted and caught up for a bit as I sat down and emptied my shoes and took care of my gear, stowing my rain jacket safely back in my race vest. Just a couple miles down the trail to Tin Cup aid station where I got to spot a coupe moose just hanging out. From there it was onto arguably some of the most scenic sections of the course on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT).
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| Entering the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). |
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| Full rainbow. Photo: Mile90 Photography | Jordan Chapell |
The CDT took us into some of the most remote areas of the course which provided amazing views and scenery of the surrounding mountains. Here in these longer remote sections then night came after passing through Hancock (which marks the halfway point).
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| Up and over Chalk Creek Pass. |
A sharp 3Mi climb as night fall arrived up pass Hancock Lake was one of these climbs I remembered from my prior run here. It seemed to go on forever since you can see the string of headlights above you without seeing the top of Chalk Creek Pass in the darkness.
The night provided nice cool temperatures but never really got too cold even at the higher Colorado elevations. A brief stop at Lost Wonder Hut was a nice break as I was passing and being passed by fellow runners in the nighttime hours. A long trek to the last big landmark on the course, Monarch Pass, was next on the route. Passing through the high ridgeline at night I passed the makeshift aid station (Purgatory) in the middle of this section at the leading edge of the Monarch Ski Area. From there following the Ski Resort roads and trails lead me to the large main aid station at Monarch Pass right on Highway US-50. This had to be the biggest aid station of the course, easily accessible so the vibe was upbeat even for the wee hours of the night, errrr morning now at this point in my race. 70 Miles now complete. Only 30% of the race remain which is the equivalent to basically a 50 km distance left between me and the finish line. The sleepies were trying to catch me since I was entering the witching hour, as some call it, which is the point of circadian rhythm associated with highest Melatonin level and the lower Cortisol levels.
Managing through those last couple hours of night and into the first hour or so of sun up was the hardest part for me this go around. I really fought to stay awake and keep moving efficiently. My paced had slowed considerably, but at least my direction was...well...forward. After the sun crested over the mountains the heat of the day really started rising here on the second day. It was already warmer than the mid 60s from the fist day. In fact, I think overall it got up into the high 80s or perhaps even 90s (ambient wise) by the time the final cutoff rolled around. This made it challenging for the majority of people as the mid-pack in this race is between those 28-34 hour times, and of course even perhaps more grueling for the very back of the packers whom put up with everything, having the most grit of all, and coming in for that sub 37 hour official cutoffs.
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| Second Day. Mile90 Photography | Jordan Chapell |
Passing Blanks Cabin was a notable point as I am knowledge of this area just from the fame of being one of the end point for Nolan's 14. Besides it also signaled that there was only 1 more aid station that closed the HiLo loop and then it was just the 7.3Mi trek back to the ranch for the finish. Lots of people were out here at Blanks as the morning crews and volunteers were all awake and cheering people on now. My tiredness was left behind me somewhere on the mountain now that I was well into the second day. Back at Raseberry for the second and final time I ran into Leo Fung again, this time in his morning volunteering shift there helping runners staying cool and hydrated in the now scorching Rocky Mountain sunshine. He even found me a
non-advertised (as he called it) flavored popsicle. It was magical and cold!
Glancing at my watch I knew there was now well under 10 Miles to go and so I knew it was just a couple more hours of grinding through the forest back towards the Chalk Creek area and into the finish line back on the ranch. I kept my running pace up pretty good as I was chasing a female runner and her pacer for a good part of this section trying to keep pace. I had given up the fact on my goal times this go around and was now just focused on my ultimate goal of finishing and getting that buckle.
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| The final climb up Rodeo Road. |
Side Note my original goals were as follows. I was aiming for:
- A= sub-28 hr
- B= sub-30 hr
- C= sub-31:54 (prior time)
- D= finish/buckle!.
I feel it is always good to have layered goals I order to keep yourself not only honest, but motivated when your first one slips away.
Running up that last hill coming out of the Chalk Creek hot springs area seemed like a daunting task at the time, but in reality it was only a couple hundred feet and less than 1 Mile to the finish. However, being the very end of the race, on the pavement with cars passing by, and in the heat of the day it was not the most pleasant way to "run it in" but heh that is part of the deal here.
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My 2nd HiLo finish.
Photo: Mile90 Photography | Kristi Mayo |
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Finish Line vibes for my 51st 100+ Miler overall!
Photo: Mile90 Photography | Kristi Mayo |
Results & Stats
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| Photo: Mountain Outpost Livestream (via YouTube) |
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LAWS Whiskey House HiLo Special Edition Bourdon & Finisher 2X Buckle.
There is only one way to earn both of these!
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Gear Used
- [mandatory gear] Lighting setup - kogalla RA Adventure Light (waistlamp) & Black Diamond Storm-R (headlamp)
- [mandatory gear] Jacket- rabbit Treeline rain jacket (rabbitELITEtrail team edition)
- SS Shirt - High Country rabbit trail
- Arm Sleeves - rabbit UPF
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| Ultrarunning sock tan! |
Shorts - rabbit 5" Shredders 2-in-1 trail- Headwear - rabbit (Boco) RADrabbit team kit
- [mandatory Divide gear] LS Shirt - rabbit Layer One (rabbitELITEtrail team kit)
- [mandatory Divide gear] Pants - rabbit Runners (rabbitELITEtrail team edition)
- [mandatory Divide gear] Headwear - rabbit beanie
- Eyewear - Tifosi Optics
- Shoes - ASCIS SuperBlaze
- Socks - injinji
- Hydration - UltraSpire Traverse Hydration Pack 20L with x2 20oz soft flasks & Katadyn BeFree™ Water Filteration System™ (0.6L soft flask).
- Watch (with GPX track of course) - Garmin fēnix® 6X - Pro Solar Edition
- Cell Phone - apple iPhone 16e (also with Gaia GPS app)
- [mandatory gear] Emergency Bivy - SOL emergency bivy
- Post Race- rabbit RADrabbit hoodie & rabbit EZ slides
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| Finish Line 2X buckle photo with RD (Caleb Efta). |
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Hanging out with friend Dena Carr at the finish line after getting our LAWS Whiskey.
Photo: Frank Carr. |
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Thanks for reading.
What is Next?
It is Habanero season!
(NOTE: I vowed to never ever go do again. However, the brand new 135 buckle looks very-very-very cool. As someone who considers buckle prospecting a hobby I just could not stay away, even if this is a stupid (in a good way) race concept.)
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