The 1st Annual Cuchara Trail Runs (2022) were rerouted due to a major area of blowdowns on the planned course. We ran an altered course in 2022 and 2023. Some of the blowdowns may be cleared in time for our 2024 running of this event; and some will not have been cleared. Therefore, we have had to reroute the course once again. This year’s reroutes are currently the same as the 2023 reroutes.

What Happened?
In Mid-May 2022 I got an email from a runner sharing a photo of blowdowns covering the road up to Trinchera Peak. She went out for a training run on the course prior to deciding to sign up or not. Her words were, “I’ve never seen so many downed trees in my life.” She asked if the race was going to be cancelled due to the downed trees, and my answer to her was “NO.”

I communicated with the USFS on Friday, May 20, 2022 and included the picture the runner had shared with me. The USFS indicated that they are working hard to clear blowdowns off of the Indian Creek trail from Blue Lake Campground to Bear Lakes Campground and they were uncertain when they would get to the trees down on USFS 436 (Trinchera Road). Due to this unforeseen issue, the 2022 Cuchara Trail Runs courses were heavily altered in order to still host the event. 

I received a call on Tuesday, May 23, 2022 from the USFS. It was communicated to me that the area of blow downs is from one of the many 100+ mph wind speed events to occur in the area over the 2021-2022 winter. It is 300-500 acres in size. Blow downs also cover The North Fork Trail heading down towards the Purgatoire Aid Station locale (50-Mile & 60k). These roads and trails are impassible. The district ranger then made the decision to close these roads and trails, as well as the Blue Lake and Bear Lakes campgrounds for the entire 2022 and 2023 seasons, which now currently extends into 2024. Blue Lake was to be an aid station locale for this event. We are still unable to use these trails for our event and have been instructed by the USFS to reroute our courses for race weekend on June 15th. This does NOT affect the 5-Mile, but DOES affect the other distances. 

I am as disappointed (if not more) than you are. This race is 8 years in the making and has taken me longer to build than any other event prior to it. I wanted nothing more than to send everyone to the top of Trinchera Peak. That will also not be happening this year. As race directors we must deal with extreme heat, bone crushing cold, snowstorms, wildfires, pandemics, lack of volunteers, and yes… even blow downs.

For this year’s event, we are not yet permitted to use the trails south of Cuchara Mountain including Bear Lakes, Blue Lake, Trinchera Peak, or The North Fork Trail. Those permissions have been revoked due to conditions on the ground, which are a serious health and safety issue. We are hopeful that some of these trails will reopen prior to the 2024 running of this event. If they do, we will bring them back online with new course reroutes for this event.

Thankfully the event is NOT cancelled! We’re still going to host our 3rd Annual event on June 15th, with some course reroutes still in play. I have been hard at work making the necessary changes, and I am prepared to share those with you at this time. These changes are OFFICIAL as of 11/23/2023. I wanted to make sure that our re-routes do not add considerable difficulty or mileage to any of the distances as well, which is not easy.. but we managed. Please do know that this is one of those worst case scenarios no race director wants to deal with, and trying to get these routes to match up in distance and elevation change is near impossible. There is a possibility that these routes change again. If they do, I will communicate those changes ASAP.

Here are the changes:

2023 AID STATION CHART     <click to download  

2023 UPDATED MAPS      <click to download

2023 Interactive Maps on CalTopo CLICK HERE.

5-Mile: Unaffected
No changes. This event remains intact as advertised.

King/Queen of the Mountain: Affected
Next year we’ll head up to Trinchera (finger’s crossed), but for this year, you’re going to run out and back to Forbes Park aid station

• Was 16.7 Miles +5,371’/-5,367’

• Now 15 Miles +3,317’/-3,313’

The King and Queen event is now 1.7 miles shorter with 2,054′ less elevation gain and 2,054′ less elevation loss; and no longer goes to 13,510’.

60k: Affected

• Was 37 Miles +10,715’/-10,715’

• Now 36.7 Miles +8,767’/-8,767’

The 60k is .3 miles shorter with 1,948′ less elevation gain and 1,948′ less elevation loss; and no longer goes to 13,510’. The new highpoint is 11,223′ at Raspberry Mtn.

50-Mile: Affected

• Was 52 Miles +14,711’/-14,711’

• Now 47.9 Miles  +12,624’/-12,623’

The 50-Mile is now 4.1 miles shorter with 2,087′ less elevation gain and 2,087′ less elevation loss; and no longer goes to 13,510’. The new highpoint is 11,223′ at Raspberry Mtn.

I know this is not the greatest bit of race news. I want to make sure everyone is aware that this is considered an act of God. Because I’ve managed to get these routes to about the same distances and elevation change, there will be no credits, refunds, or deferrals associated with these changes. I do apologize that we will not go to the top of Trinchera Peak, but the race will still be plenty challenging and on many of the same trails we intended to use prior.