Running Events on the Fast Track in Gunnison County, Colorado

Fun runs, relays and races on tap from April - December

GUNNISON-CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO (April 5, 2011)- The trails that have made Gunnison County, Colorado, world renowned for mountain bikers also are a haven for runners. From mid-May, when snows gradually begins receding to reveal a carpet of wildflowers, to early October, when the aspen have concluded their stunning fall show, trails in the area always astound with their beauty and variety. Yet, the running season stretches even further with the new Sage-Grouse 5k and 10k on April 9, new Living Journeys Half-Marathon on July 30 and a New Year's Eve resolution run on Dec. 31.

This may be why many runners who train at the high altitudes of the Gunnison-Crested Butte valley have a strong presence in high-profile endurance races in Colorado and around the world at all levels, from prep, college and beyond.  While Gunnison-Crested Butte athletes tend to take their sports seriously, there also is a sense of camaraderie in welcoming all levels of participants for running events and a desire to keep it fun. 

2011 RUNNING EVENTS
Sage-Grouse 5k & 10k, Gunnison, April 9
Crested Butte Mountain Runners Fun Runs, Gunnison County,  May - Sept.
4th Annual Sage Burner Trail Race (50k/25k), Gunnison, May 28
Gothic to Crested Butte Run, Walk or Crawl 1/3 Marathon, Gothic to Crested Butte, July 4
Epic Rocky Mountain Relay, Woodland Park to Mt. CB, July 22 - 23
Lead King Loop (25k) & Quarry Climb (12.5k), Marble & Crystal, Sept. 18
Living Journeys Half-Marathon, Mt. Crested Butte, July 30
Crested Butte Fall Colors Classic (1/2 marathon), Crested Butte, Sept. 24
Frozen Buns Resolution Run (5k), Crested Butte, Dec. 31   
 

Sage-Grouse 5K/10K, April 9, Gunnison
Gunnison Trails' new Sage-Grouse 5k Run/Walk and 10k Race on April 9 are part of the Sage-Grouse Festival and Summit taking place in Gunnison on April 9 - 13.  Both the 5k and 10k start at the Fred R. Field Western Heritage Center at 11 a.m., and the routes will include off-road sections in addition to pavement.  The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of the Gunnison sage-grouse among recreational and fitness-based trail users and the importance of honoring seasonal closures and restrictions (primarily in the spring) on lands important to the various life stages of this endangered bird. All proceeds benefit Gunnison Trails' Sage-Grouse Conservation Initiative.

The cost is $25 and includes a t-shirt and lunch. Kids 12 and under are free with a registered adult.  To register and for more information including a tentative course map (will depend on conditions), visit www.gunnisontrails.com.  For details about the festival, visit www.siskadee.org. 
 
Crested Butte Mountain Runners Fun Run Series, May - September
Crested Butte Mountain Runners typically organizes 13 morning and evening fun runs annually, from May through September, that are open to any level of runner.  These are fun runs, not competitive races, and feature refreshments and socializing after each event.  Most of the runs have distances for walkers and less serious runners.  A full schedule will be available in April or May. 

One of the local favorites is the "Grin and Bear It" run that happens in July and traverses a 9-mile course from Crested Butte to Green Lake and back, gaining approximately 1,500 feet in elevation.  Another favorite is the "Cart to Cart" run in June that goes from Crested Butte to Crested Butte South, covering 15 miles mostly on trails.  A $25 annual membership in the Crested Butte Mountain Runners includes entry into all runs, with a few exceptions such as "Grin and Bear It."  Non-members pay $5 per fun run.  For details, visit www.cbmountainrunners.org. 

Sage Burner Trail Race, Gunnison, May 28
The fourth annual Sage Burner Trail Race is set for May 28 and features 50K and 25K races at Hartman Rocks Multi-Use Recreation Area, both starting at 7:30 a.m. The number of racers is limited to 250. For information and registration (including costs), visit www.western.edu/sageburner.  Proceeds will benefit programs at Western State College of Colorado and Gunnison Trails. 

The race is part of Rage in the Sage Weekend in Gunnison, which also includes the Original Growler mountain bike race, 24 Hours of Gunnison Glory rock climbing and the Pedal to Paradise Gran Fondo road ride from Gunnison to Mt. Crested Butte and back.  All events take place at Hartman Rocks except for the Gran Fondo. 

43rd Annual Gothic to Crested Butte Run, Walk or Crawl 1/3 Marathon, July 4
This longtime Independence Day favorite is a fund-raiser that benefits the nonprofit Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL).  The race begins at 8 a.m. in Gothic, winds through the aspen woods and meadows to Mt. Crested Butte and ends in downtown Crested Butte.  Shuttle buses from Crested Butte will transport all participants to the starting line in Gothic.

Online registration is available at www.active.com or go to the RMBL website www.rmbl.org for a registration form.  Register online before July 1 and save $5 on the registration cost for adults.  Pre-registration will be held on July 3 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Crested Butte Visitor Center, located at Elk Avenue & Sixth Street.  On the day of event, registrations will be accepted from 6 to 7 a.m. at the Visitor Center, only if the cap of 500 runners has not been met.  Day-of-race registration is $35 for ages 12 and up and $10 for children ages 11 and under.  For more information, contact RMBL at (970) 349-7420 or visit www.rmbl.org.

Epic Rocky Mountain Relay, Woodland Park to Mt. Crested Butte, July 22 - 23
Imagine yourself and 11 friends starting from Woodland Park and running past four 14,000-foot mountains, over three alpine passes and through four national forests to finish in the official "Wildflower Capital of Colorado" and "Last Great Ski Town," Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte. This 190-mile epic adventure is billed as a "Running party with friends. You might sleep, you might not." For registration information and more, visit www.epicrelays.com/rmr-home.

Living Journeys Half-Marathon, Mt. Crested Butte, July 30
In conjunction with the 12th Annual Living Journeys Summit Hike, a half-marathon will be offered for the first time this year.  The race begins at 8 a.m. at Crested Butte Mountain Resort in Mt. Crested Butte and winds up the mountain on a combination of dirt roads and single track trails, featuring steady uphill, downhill and rolling cross-country terrain.  The field is limited to 75 runners, and prizes will be presented to the top male and female runners in general and masters categories as well as the top runner fund-raiser. 

Living Journeys provides local men, women and children living with cancer with direct financial grants, emotional support via counseling as well as education and awareness.  Pre-registration is $40 or $50 the day of the race, which includes a t-shirt and barbecue celebration after the run and hike.  Register online at www.crestedbuttesummithike.zapevent.com. 

Lead King Loop & Quarry Climb, Marble & Crystal, Sept. 18
The 25k Lead King Loop course starts in Marble, rounding Beaver Lake, climbing 2,900 vertical feet in about 4 miles into the backcountry Lead King Basin, and switch backing down past waterfalls to the old mining town of Crystal.  The race passes the famous 110-year-old Crystal Mill and climbs out of the river valley before a fast downhill finish at Beaver Lake Lodge. The 12.5k Quarry Climb course starts at the Beaver Lake Lodge, winds through Marble until crossing the Crystal River and climbs approximately 1,200 feet in 3 miles through an aspen grove to the base of the marble quarry. Return downhill to the finish with amazing vistas of the valley and Yule Creek.

There's also the Lake Kids Loop, a scenic and relatively flat 1.25 mile run around Beaver Lake for kids and their parents.  The races benefit Marble Charter School.  For more information, visit www.leadkingloop25k.com or call (970) 704-1275.  Register online at www.active.com.

Crested Butte Fall Colors Classic, Crested Butte, Sept. 25
The Crested Butte Fall Color Classic is a beautiful half marathon from Kebler Pass down Ohio Pass during the peak of the changing aspen leaves.  This race is almost entirely on dirt road with only about 100 feet of pavement.  The descent offers breathtaking views of the Ohio Creek Valley, but don't be fooled as it's not all downhill!  Registration is available starting April 1 on www.active.com.  Cost to be announced.  Shuttles will be provided to the start and from the finish, with the race beginning at 9 a.m.  Please call (970) 642-8406 with questions.

Frozen Buns Resolution Run, Crested Butte, Dec. 31
The annual Frozen Buns Resolution Run, a 5K organized by the Gunnison Valley Health Foundation to kick off New Year's on the right foot, starts at the Crested Butte Visitor Center at 5 p.m. and makes its way toward Peanut Lake with tiki torches, glow sticks, flashlights and alpenglow lighting the way.  The resolution part of the run comes when each participant carries their personal resolution for the new year on a piece of paper to the halfway point and places it into a small cauldron of fire, where hot chocolate and cider await.  Kids can take part, too, with the "Are We There Yet?" one-mile run, also at 5 p.m.  The cost is $25 for adults - $10 for kids. Registration is available the day of the race. Dress warm!

VISITOR INFORMATION & PERSONALIZED VACATION PACKAGES
To find out more about Gunnison-Crested Butte's calendar of events or to book personalized vacation packages, visit www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com or call (800) 814-8893.  During summer and fall, air access to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport is provided by United Airlines.

ABOUT GUNNISON-CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO
Gunnison-Crested Butte is nestled among almost two million acres of pristine wilderness in southwest Colorado.  Winter sports enthusiasts know the area for its world-class alpine skiing and snowboarding at Crested Butte Mountain Resort, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing.  Gunnison-Crested Butte is also a haven for outdoor summer activities.  In the warmer months, visitors can choose from recreational activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking, boating, whitewater rafting, kayaking, fly-fishing, camping and horseback riding.  Year-round visitors enjoy distinctive restaurants, unique shops and stimulating cultural opportunities, and have a wide range of lodging options - from rustic inns to guest cabins and bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resort hotels. 

Gunnison, county seat and a real western town, is home to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport, Gunnison Whitewater Park, Gunnison Valley Observatory, Pioneer Museum and Western State College, which offers bachelor's and master's degrees in liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional fields.  Both Crested Butte and Gunnison have thriving historic central business districts packed with shopping and dining opportunities. 

Recognized as the "Official Wildflower Capital of Colorado" by the Colorado Legislature and one of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's "Dozen Distinctive Destinations" in 2008, Crested Butte is 28 miles from Gunnison and the site of rich mining, ranching and skiing heritage and home to the Crested Butte Mountain Heritage Museum and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.  Only three miles up the road is the resort village of Mt. Crested Butte, home to the ski area, an active base area, the area's conference center, and outstanding hiking and biking trails. 

Marble is located in the Upper Crystal River Valley along the Elk Mountains and is the gateway to nearby Crystal, home to one of the most photographed mill sites in the country. Marble has seven sites on the National Register of Historic Places and is the location of the Yule Marble Quarry.

In Gunnison County, visitors will find the Curecanti National Recreation Area, where dinosaur fossils were recently discovered; the Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado's largest body of water and home to the largest Kokanee salmon fishery in the United States; and The Black Canyon of the Gunnison, one of our country's newest national parks.  Gunnison County includes the quaint and historic towns of Pitkin, Gothic, Tin Cup, Marble, Powderhorn, Almont and Crystal, plus the better-known communities of Gunnison, Crested Butte and Mt. Crested Butte.  Gunnison County is part of the West Elk Loop and Silver Thread Scenic & Historic Byways.

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Photo: Running at Hartman Rocks Multi-Use Recreation Area near Gunnison. Courtesy of David Kozlowski.

For a Word version of this press release, click on the link below.

Contact:  

Beth Buehler    
Gunnison-Crested Butte Tourism Association  
(970) 349-1168 or bethbuehler@qwest.net   
www.GunnisonCrestedButte.com