The first of the summer’s big-time events, the 28th running of the San Juan Solstice, takes off on a literal sprint from Lake City Park at 5 a.m. this Saturday, June 22, with the last stragglers crossing the town park finish line by mandatory cut-off 16 hours later.
The 50-mile mountain ultra race is coordinated by a vast corps of volunteers who routinely receive high marks from the runners and public-at-large for conducting one of the friendliest ultra runs with most helpful volunteers to be found in Colorado.
Jerry Gray heads the board of directors of San Juan Solstice, Inc., overseeing the race and tells inquiring journalists that the popularity of the ultra-run continues to expand.
The race is Federally permitted by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management for a maximum of 300 runners who are allowed to traverse the route on public lands. For the first time in its history, a number of those on the waiting list with hopes to be able to run will in fact not be among the 300 fleet-of-foot starting on Saturday morning.
In addition to 300 runners registered to take part in this Saturday’s Solstice, as of Tuesday this week the waiting list numbered a total of 92 and “almost certainly,” according to Gray, “some of those will be disappointed.” Optimistically, Gray refers to those who will inevitably be disappointed and helpfully suggests for those on the waiting list who are not allowed to run that there “are plenty of other attractions in Hinsdale County,” among them the five 14,000’ peaks and innumerable, less-traversed 13,000’ peaks, for those wishing to burn off a little energy.
The list of registered and waiting list runners is fluid, according to Gray, with four registered runners dropping on just Tuesday morning alone as the result of schedule conflicts or, more probable as Gray suspects, injuries which result from over-training.
Prior to trotting off from the town park starting line at 5 a.m. on Saturday, three briefing sessions are planned for the lucky 300 registered runners, families, friends and admiring public at 3 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. on Friday, June 21, during which runners will be advised on current trail conditions, bountiful aid station locations and drop-off protocol for the individual runners and, of course, the dreaded “grim sweeper” cut-off times for laggers at individual aid stations and the 16-hour, 9 p.m. mandatory finish in town park.
A highlight of the Friday afternoon briefing sessions will be Mark Wing and his wife, Rita, of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe who will reference the terrain through which the Solstice runners are about to run as traditional Ute lands.
Like last year, Mark and Rita Wing will also be up pre-dawn on Saturday conducting a smudge ceremony prayer at the 5 a.m. starting gate.
This year’s 50-mile San Juan Solstice route is identical to prior years despite earlier concerns expressed just last month about expansive snowfields along the Continental Divide portion of the race route. Those snowfields, according to Gray, have now greatly diminished owing to warm temperatures in the high country.
Far from smooth sailing, however, the adaptive corps of runners may still expect a succession of bracing stream crossings on the dash up Alpine Gulch, together with snowfields at the upper portion of Alpine and stretching down into higher elevations of Williams Creek.
Runners are also advised of several snowfields which they will traverse along the Continental Divide.
Trail conditions on portions of both Alpine Gulch up from Henson Creek and Williams Creek leading down into the upper Lake Fork Valley were complicated by windblown deadfall which would have made it necessary for runners to hop across or detour around fallen trees. As timely improvements just days prior to Saturday’s ultra run, a Bureau of Land Management axe and saw crew was out on both Monday and Tuesday this week segmenting and removing sections of fallen timber blocking the running trail.
San Juan Solstice is revered for its empathy toward runners who are competing in the annual race and inteegral to the run are bountiful aid stations which are set up at key locations along the route.
After leaving Lake City and trotting up Henson Creek, the first significant climb is up Alpine Gulch and up and over a grassy ridge before dropping down into Williams Creek.
After leaving town park and the preliminary route up Henson Creek, a watering station is located on CR 20 at the turn off to Alpine Gulch.
The trail up Alpine Gulch is challenging with a total of seven creek crossings. Water depth this year is described as “normal” — in other words, “challenging,” this year.
The first runners’ aid station — an ideal location, perhaps, to change sopping wet sock and/or running shoes carried by the runners — is located at the upper end of Alpine Gulch captained by a crew led by Craig Blakemore.
Due to this first station’s remote, high elevation location, water is not available, although runners can graze on energy-producing snacks. Cut-off time for runners to reach the Alpine aid station is 7:30 a.m.
Subsequent aid stations — all equally well equipped with sustenance, water, the energy drink Tailwind and the energy gel Embark Maple Energy — are Williams Creek Campground, David Maxwell and team in charge of operations and cut-off time for runners 10 a.m.; the aid station on upper Wager Gulch near Carson is once again being coordinated by Lily Virden, cut-off time noon.
Next up for replenishment is the Continental Divide aid station captained by Susie Arnold, cut-off time 3:45 p.m., followed by Mary Kay Jergens and crew with an aid station adjacent to Highway 149 at the base of the Sawmill Park Road, cut-off time 6 p.m.
The final two aid stations respectively captained by Peggy Vickers and high-energy crew, and multi-generational Malinda McDonald and her mother, Bobbi Vickers McDonald, are respectively located amid aspen groves at upper Vickers Ranch and, finally, at the finish line in Lake City Park. Respective cut-off times are 8:15 p.m. at Vickers and 9 p.m. town park.
For runners trudging along and at a mid-way point on the route after cut-off-times, returning “grim sweepers” following the runners are Solstice veterans Kirk Apt and Jim Baker.
Essential to the runners are drop bags with specific sustenance, dry socks and other requisites, which by prior arrangement may be picked up at the Williams Creek, Carson, and Slumgullion aid stations.
Although fluid and continuing to change right up until the last minute, the list of 300 registered Solstice runners consists half-and-half in terms of veteran runners who have competed in past Solstice runs and an equal number who cite 2024 as their very first Solstice appearance.
Youngest participant in this year’s run is a Lake City runner, 18-year-old Silas Frost Hartman, who was one of four 2024 Lake City Community School graduates. Silas is continuing what has become something of a family tradition, following on the fleet heels of both his father and mother, Christian and Amanda Hartman, both of who have taken part in past San Juan Solstices.
On the other end of the age spectrum, oldest contender in Saturday’s race will be 69-year-old Steve Bremmer from Manitou Springs, Colorado.
In addition to Silas Hartman, this year’s list of local runners includes first-time runners Sarah Poet, Deputy with Hinsdale County Sheriff’s Dept., Mark McClung, CDOT employee Jonathan Broadway, and Brant Cunningham.
Returning San Juan Solstice runners from Lake City are Patrick Woods and Wade Wandrey, both of whom have competed in two prior Solstice races. Both Mariah McClung and Mike Ralph have one prior Solstice under their proverbial running belt, Ralph’s prior finish with a time of 16 hours, 9 minutes after the race cut-off.
Veteran Solstice runner Seth Withrow from Lake City has competed in three prior Solstice ultraruns and is once again registered this year.
In addition to local runners who are registered, other notables in this year’s race include past top-place finishers such as Brendon Trimboli (respectively 2nd and 3rd male finisher in 2014 and 2021, 4th in 2011) who, with his wife, Laura, will compete again this year. Another returning favorite is Colorado Springs MRI technician Carlos Ruibal who finished fifth among men, time nine hours, 48.42 minutes last year, and fourth place, eight hours, 50.19, in 2022.
Familiar faces in this weekend’s race lineup include the lean Gunnison journalist Chris Dickey, who has taken part and finished six prior San Juan Solstices, often crossing the finish line among the top six male runners; new this year as a first time Solstice competitor is Anchorage, Alaska, runner Nicki Naylor whose uncle, Boulder, Colorado, resident Chip Lee, will be cheering on the sidelines; Lee and his wife, Kathy, were founders of the initial Solstice run in 1995.
In terms of race perseverance, Hannah Vogan-Darezzo has started but not finished three prior San Juan Solstices and is once again registered this year.
Also notable for persistence are David Coblentz from Los Alamosa, New Mexico, who has started and finished a total of 19 Solstice ultra runs and is registered for his 20th run this weekend; Ponderosa, New Mexico, runner Devin Farrell has successfully finished 18 prior Solstices and is registered for his 19th race appearance on Saturday.
Also notable for return appearances are Kyle Stone, Fruita, Colorado, and Mandy Geisler, Heber City, Utah, who are once again registered this year, Stone entering 16 prior Lake City races (finishing 14) and Geisler a veteran of the race who has finished 10 Solstices.
