Hardrock 100

About the Hardrock 100

In 1991, Gordon Hardman came up with the first idea for a 100-mile trail-running event that would take place across the San Juan Mountains. The event is held in honour of the miners who first arrived in the region and were responsible for building the mining paths that make up a significant portion of the course.

This event is 100.5 miles (161.7 km) long and has a total rise of 33,000 feet (10,000 m), with an average height of more than 11,000 feet (3,400 m). The event is on a loop circuit incorporating dirt trails and cross country in the San Juan Range in Southern Colorado, United States.

This route takes the participant through several temperature zones because of the wide variety of altitudes it covers (7,700 feet to over 14,000 feet). Forests of aspen, pine and spruce are typical at the lower elevations of this mountain range.

The local elevation of Timberline is around 11,800 feet. Above the tree line, you'll find alpine tundra and sparse vegetation, with krummholz thrown in here and there (low, stunted spruce, fir and willow).

Route

The route of the Hardrock 100 changes every year, and the one for 2022 is a circle route that is 100 miles long and goes in a clockwise direction via the backcountry of the San Juan Mountains, which are located in picturesque south-western Colorado.

The runners are obligated to follow the course outlined. Four legs connect the areas of Lake City, Ouray, Telluride and Silverton.

Stages of the Hardrock 100

The race has several stages, starting in Silverton and finishing at the same starting point.

The first stage goes from Silverton to KT Aid Station (0 – 18 km).
This first section involves passing over two summits, the Cataract Putnam Pass and the Porcupine Cataract Pass.

KT Aid — Chapman Gulch Aid (18 km – 29 km)
In this stage, you will pass over the third summit, Grant Swamp Pass, which is located at kilometer 24.

Chapman Gulch — Telluride (29 km – 44 km)
The fourth summit is Oscar's Pass which is at 4,000 m, located at kilometer 34.

Telluride — Kroger’s Canteen (44 km – 52 km)
No summit is passed in this stage, but there is a positive vertical drop of 1,325 m.

Kroger’s Canteen — Governors Basen (52 km – 58 km)
The fifth summit is the Virginius Pass. Be careful, there may be snow.

Governors Basen — Ouray (58 km – 70 km)
At this stage the team is not allowed to accompany the runner.

Ouray — Engineer (70 km – 83 km)
This stage is the lowest point of the race at 2,340 m and again the team is allowed to assist the runner.

Engineer — Animas Forks (83 km – 93 km)
The sixth summit is Oh Point, located at kilometer 86.

Animas Forks — Burrows Park (93 km – 110 km)
In this stage, two summits are climbed: American Grouse Pass (kilometer 99) and Handies Peak (kilometer 103).

Burrows Park — Sherman (110 km – 117 km)
In this stage, the team cannot assist the runner.

Sherman — Pole Creek (117 km – 132 km)
The Cataract Pole Pass summit found on this stage is at kilometer 125.

Pole Creek — Maggie Gulch (132 km – 140 km)
This stage climbs the Maggie / Pole Pass summit, which is located at kilometer 138.

Maggie Gulch — Cunningham Gulch (140 km – 150 km)
The Buffalo Boy Ridge summit (kilometer 143) and Green Mountain / Stony Pass Ridge (kilometer 145) are on this stage.

Cunningham Gulch — Silverstone (150 km – 165 km)
In this final stage you find the last summit, the Divas Little Giant Pass, located at kilometer 153. Since it is a circular route, the runner will arrive at the starting point of the race, Silverstone.

Classification

The Hardrock 100 is an ultra-marathon that holds its lottery to select the runners. This year, 146 runners were selected for the competition, and the candidates' ages vary from 19 to 73, with the most excellent age bracket accounting for 43% of the total applications: 40 to 49 years old.

Winners of Previous editions

Below are the winners of the previous Hardrock 100 editions:

Kilian Jornet and Dakota Jones in 2022 edition

Kilian Jornet won the race again and set the outright record of the race with a time of 21 hours 36 minutes. On the other hand, Dakota Jones came in third place, equaling his best result achieved in 2012.