Part V: Kroger's Canteen to Ouray

After recovering from the tequila, one of the aid station guys takes me around the tarp that was blocking my view of the course. I almost shit my pants.

“There’s no way I’m going down that.” I say.

“There’s only two ways to go, and the other is back the way you came” he tells me.

Holy fuck. I’m standing on a cliff and it’s basically a straight drop several hundred feet down. There’s a rope there, but I’m still freaked out. Had this not been Hardrock, I would have quit right here. But I grab the rope and begin the climb down. Eventually my hands get tired but there’s no way I was gonna let go of that rope. Not making things any easier is that the slope is covered in ice and snow. I’ve been in some sketchy situations on mountains before, but I’ve never been this scared.

After what seemed like an eternity I reach the end of the rope. The slope flattens out here, and I walk for a bit to get my wits back. There are a few more steep sections shortly after the rope, but they aren’t nearly as bad and I get to glissade down them, which turns out to be a lot of fun.

Things get less steep as I approach treeline, though more and more creek crossings are pissing off my feet, which have been sloppy for 35+ miles now. I pass the long abandoned Virginius Mine and head down Governor Basin, eventually hitting Camp Bird Mine Road. Some great waterfalls along Canyon Creek. I see a sign pointing up towards Imogene Pass, and remember Joe telling me that this part of the course runs along the Imogene course. Very beautiful scenery, very easy running along a groomed jeep trail. I do stop here to drop my first, and last, deuce of the race. I’ll see if it’s still there when I go back to race Imogene Pass.

A few more miles and I turn onto the nice singletrack trail that loops around Ouray (pronounced YOU-ray). Head through a cool tunnel over the Box Creek Canyon, dodge some crazy kids on bikes, and soon enough I’m at the Ouray aid station, probably the largest aid station of the race. And, at 7600ft, the lowest point on the course.

I’m greeted by tons of folks here. Katie is waiting with my drop bag. Melissa is begging me to let her pace me from here. Christian and Dave are there with cameras, not believing I plan on eating a Purple Castle cheeseburger here. 8 Yellow Snow shows up with a beer.

I have a seat on a park bench and dig into the burger. The beer goes down quick too. Yummy! Ouray is at 44 miles, and I’m still feeling pretty good despite all that I’ve been through. I head into the station at 7:59PM and leave at 8:08PM. I had bet the farm that I’d get to Ouray before nightfall, and it paid off.

I walk out of Ouray with my half eaten cheeseburger and my flashlight...