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Ouray to Telluride with Steven Moore

July 14, 2017 (Night)

Exercise Type: Run

Weather: 60 - low 50s, clear and amazing

Comments:
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We hung out in Ouray, at or near the AS, as the sun went down, tracking Steven with his GPS. Around 945, he finally came in. Turns out he (among many others) got lost on the way into town, on trails heavily populated (and likely tampered) by random hikers.

He was in good spirits and didn't sit too long. I left with a TON of gear: pack, headlamp, TWO jackets (including puffy), 1st aid kit and a small amount of emergency food.

Then we took off!

The course takes you out of town, which sits in this small valley between two ridges. As we climbed out...we lost the course. It was essentially unmarked at a fork and we didn't know were to go. After adding nearly a mile out and back, we found the right direction, to a dirt road that would eventually climb west about 2-3 of the way to Telluride.

Steven hiked like a BEAST. And we did a lot of it. Lots of 5-10% grade on that hill, with some flat sections, into the pitch darkness. We saw no one other than maybe two cars. The road climbed and climbed, with a roaring creek below and to the left of us.

Finally, after nearly 9 miles, we neared the aid station, passing one runner + pacer. Steven sat and had some hot drinks and calories. I had some instant coffee.

I decided to do the "Zack Bitter Challenge" again -- pace, no calories. No big deal, especially since I ate dinner with CA a few hours ago.

From there, we climbed some more. The nice dirtroad became double track Jeep road...and steeper. This road climbed for maybe 2 miles before plateauing at a huge basin. From there, we climbed a ridge onto an even tighter path.

Up here, it was incredible: in this basin, surrounded by a ridge of mountains. Best of all, the sky was clear and the moon was out. A couple times I pestered Steven to look up (and turn off his lamp) to take it in.

Once in the basin, we had two major (steep, but not too long) climbs to get to the iconic Kroger's Canteen AS: both snow covered. Steven went first, chipping his feet into the snow steps. I let him get a big lean: if he fell, he'd pinball into me.

Up on the next basin level, you could see the light of the AS on the ridge above. They began to ring bells and blow a horn. More snow trudging across the basin, then one last STEEP pitch.

Again, I let Steven go, then I hauled ass up there. The crazy thing was, the altitude wasn't that bad! At this point we were nearly 13000' up. But it wasn't til I really pushed to get into the AS that I felt it.

Once in the AS, it was amazing. This little AS, maybe 100 square feet and maybe six people, including long time AS captain and Hardrocker Roch Horton, along with a couple other Hardrockers: Bronco Billy and Jerker! The former was super friendly (if not a bit weed buzzed); the latter said nothing. Roch was really friendly to Steven, the latter having worked at the aid before. Steven sat for a bit, and - as is customary - we were offered a tequila shot! Steven passed, and I was told that it's "tradition" for the pacer to take it! So I took this small (maybe half-) shot from an old-tyme metal cup. It was GOOD! SMOOTH.

And my only fuel of the night.

From the aid, we left the razor's edge of the ridge AS, down the other side. In doing so, we hugged the ridge, running WSW, gradually losing altitude. It was pure pumice and light rock dust at first, making slow-going. Then once we descended about a mile and 1000', it doubled back and got on more solid ground.

Steven did a *solid* job of descending...but not great. The tight singletrack ceded to rocky jeep road, at which point it remained fairly steep (8-10%), but quite runnable. He did OK...but slow: that gear where I damn near was able to keep up, HIKING, downhill. Not a good sign.

Long, long, long descent, meandering down, toward Telluride. It was a nice landmark. Like the end of Pine to Palm, you descend a ridge into the city. Steven perked up a bit, conjuring memories of his time spent there (as his parents live nearby). Finally, onto the road and into town. His son (about 19) was waiting at an intersection and ran us in.

We arrived at just before 3AM, so 5 hours for about 17 miles. NOT BAD for those conditions! Once again, he sat and fueled for a bit, while Matt Hart prepped to do the last 30 miles!

I had a blast, but was grateful to be done! I bid them all farewell, then went to find Callie.

She'd found a camp park spot no more than 600m away. Found the van, hopped in, changed, and rolled into bed. Hard to sleep after that "midnight" run!

Really cool. Might've hooked me on HR!

Wore the Salomon Ultras