Distance: 50.00 km
Type: Loop, Trail Ultra
Difficulty: 6 / 10
More Info: Visit Web Site
Address: PO Box 970, Leadville, CO 80461
Phone: 210-573-3997
Filed Under: Running
The course will be +/- 25-kilometer (15 ? miles) loop with about 790 meters (2,600 ft.) of climbing each lap. There is a 4 hour cutoff for the first loop. First lap is counter clockwise around Turquoise Lake, past May Queen Campground, up Sugarloaf Mountain, and down to the HMI campus. The second lap is in the reverse direction. This will be an informal and simple race with one aid station and only a few raffle prizes. No t-shirt. Runners must carry water and food. The start and finish will be at the HMI campus; Free shower (bring a towel) after the race. This race is limited to the first 75 folks, so sign up early. HMI operates the High Mountain 25/50 km Trail Run by permit on the San Isabel National Forest.
Driving from Denver
Take I-70 West. Exit #195 Copper Mountain/Leadville exit. Follow Highway 91 South 24 miles into the town of Leadville. The first stoplight is on the edge of town, at the Safeway. At the second stoplight, go west (right) and downhill onto West 6th Street. In just under 1 mile, 6th Street ends at McWethy Drive.
Go north (right) onto McWethy, also known as County Road 4. Follow County Road 4 as it bears to the west (left) in 1/4 mile. In 2-1/2 miles, you will cross train tracks, and then the Arkansas River (a small stream). In less than 1/2 mile, the road splits into three (the middle is dirt); go south (left).
Pass the Mt. Massive Golf Course at the end of the golf course (about 1/2 mile from the fork), take your first right turn (west). This is County Road 5A.
The HMI driveway is 1/2 mile down on the north side (right) of the road. You may park anywhere in the cul-de-sac.
Driving from the South
You will be on Highway 24, heading north toward Leadville. Approx. 2 miles before town, look for signs to the Leadville Fish Hatchery & County Road 300 to the West (on your left). Go west (left) on County Road 300. In 1/2 mile, you will cross the Arkansas River (a small stream), take an immediate Right (north) onto an unmarked paved road.
Follow the road north for about 1 mile.
Turn West (left) onto the first paved road (County Road 5A) (If you pass a golf course, you have missed the turn.)
The HMI driveway is 1/2 mile down on the right (north) side of the road.
You may park anywhere in the first cul-de-sac you come to on the left.
References and External Links
Posted by: Unknown and last modified on Aug 17, 2006 by Unknown
Comments
Dave said ...
I ran the High Mountain Trail 50 K race in Leadville, Colorado on July 19, 2003. The High Mountain Institute (www.hminet.org) sponsors the race as a fund raising activity.
The course is a 15 mile loop around Turquoise Lake, up the Colorado Trail and down the Sugarloaf Mountain power line. The Leadville Trail 100 race also follows the Turquoise Lake and power line sections. Starting from the HMI at 8 AM we ran through a beautiful meadow, up a gravel road and up a short power line hill to the Turquoise Lake dam. Then we followed the rolling trail around Turquoise Lake to an aid station at the May Queen campground. Both the meadow and lake trail were sunny and hot. Then we took the Colorado Trail to the summit of Sugarloaf Mountain. This trail is quite beautiful and shaded but has plenty of rocks and roots and climbs constantly to the summit. So the sweat still poured! The power line road toward the Fish Hatchery has three vertical bumps and a steep descent and was HOT. There were some rock sections but no roots! Leaving the power line we ran about a mile on the level but HOT paved road away from the Fish Hatchery to the HMI entrance road and on to the HMI to complete the first loop. The second loop was just a reverse of the first loop.
The first loop has a 4 hour time limit. My time for the first loop was 3 1/2 hours (OK for a 63+ year old geezer) but the reverse loop took 4 1/2 hours.
Aside from basic skill and ability; the 10,000+ ft altitude, dehydration and inadequate fueling led to my demise late in the run. The course is challenging but not severe if you are used to the altitude, don't need to share your water with another dry and hapless runner, and use an energy powder in some of your water. The people who performed well (under 7 hours) drank up to 15 pints of water as compared to the six pints I consumed. NEXT TIME I'll drink 3 pints of liquid each 71/2 mile section! Electrolyte pills every 2 hours or so are also critical for me. I ran quite comfortably and safely (thanks to the cleats on the soles) in Brooks Trespass II shoes from Boulder Running Company, used Body Glide to control chaffing and slathered on plenty of sun screen for UV protection. Sun glasses and a hat (if your head is hair-challenged) also help.
As a final note, if the HMI 25K & 50K races are also the Colorado USATF 25K and 50K championships in future races, sign up for USATF membership ($15) on race day. You might win an age group medal because most runners DON'T belong to the USATF. For example, surprisingly, the third place Masters (40+ yrs. old) USATF finisher in the 50K race finished after I, a non-USATF member, finished.
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