CTR 2013 Planning

[Gimmearaise]

Anybody thinking of how different it will be going in reverse, looks like that is the plan!
Jefe

Jefe,

The website says Durango to Denver? Do You have any inside info to report this being true?

[peteshoe]

I would be down for racing south to north this year

[Done]

During a long cross-country flight last week, I finally got around to reviewing my GPX tracks from the 2012 CTR. The track that I posted last year was well-received, so I've posted an update to my blog. Bonus: I've also included a detailed profile of the route.

Download Toby's 2013 CTR Track:
http://tobygadd.blogspot.com/2012/01/colorado-trail-race-gpsgpx-tracks-and.html

Note: If the route changes before the race, I will update my track accordingly. If you find any errors, omissions, etc., please let me know ASAP. Thanks!

[jakomait]

Anybody thinking of how different it will be going in reverse, looks like that is the plan!
Jefe

Are you thinking how it will be different Jefe?!  You going to try and do it on 1 hour sleep this time?
I think the big thing will be what time we start and how fast you'll have to go to make it to Silverton before the stores close!  Overcooking it on the first day could lead to a miserable time getting to BV.

Edit:  And look at that - 6am proposed start - The fast guys will have 15 hours to to get there otherwise you might as well chill and plan to be there the next morning at 7am.  Or start with 270 miles of food?..

[jakomait]

thanks guys....
One thing I have been thinking, here in N GA, I can pack a filter and get the water I need when deep in the mountains.  Since I am not out as long, it is sometimes easier than using iodine, and often times, I am too far out to depend on a store stop.  What do you do on the CTR?  Filter?, or are there sufficient water supplies that you don't need to worry too much about that?

Like the people here say, you can finish this with just about anything for gear.  There is no best way.  My advice if you are serious about racing is figure out what you need to stay safe in the wilderness and take nothing more.  If it functions the same, lighter is always better and find gear that is quick to use.  Its amazing how stopping a few minutes every once in a while can add up to 3 hours of stopped time in a day.  For your specific question, most of the water sources run cold and clean.  Out there 30g of iodine are as effective as a 400g filter.  The choice is yours.

[Done]

I'd rather ride from Denver to Durango. The closer the trail gets to Durango, the more wild, remote, and beautiful it becomes. The Denver side, while nice enough, is pretty bland compared to the San Juans. Riding down 285 into the smog of Denver would be a downer. Saving the best for last is definitely worth it--and highly motivating!

[Johnny_mtb]

How about a mass start from each end at 6am? It wouldn't be too difficult to coordinate and then racers could pick the direction they want to travel. Could even have a live web stream or something similar for the official start. Stefan could have the riders colored according to direction on the tracker map.
John

Plus the riders starting in Durango would be breaking the #1 rule 

Race from Denver to Durango, self-supported, under only your own power, along the entire CTR route.

[fastmtnbiker33w]

understood....I guess I need to clarify my position.  I have been in and out of the s..t in more more ways than one in my life.  I have been on high moutains, been to war, done multi-day adventure racing, consider night riding on the Snake Creek Gap trail in GA to be a given, have been alone in the wilderness and in the mountains, have been stormed in for a week at -40 on Denali, and have pushed myself to the limit in every way that I can possibly conceive.
I get it that the CTR is hard. 
But then again, isn't that the point?  Why would you do if you knew you would make it?

That last statement makes no sense whatsoever.  Why would you ever do something and put doubt into your head that you would not be able to make it?  That's a defeatist attitude and I'm sure one of the big reasons people don't finish.  It never once crossed my mind that I would not finish the CTR on my first attempt.  I'm glad I did it.  No regrets.  I did it because it's there to do.

[Done]

That last statement makes no sense whatsoever.  Why would you ever do something and put doubt into your head that you would not be able to make it?  That's a defeatist attitude and I'm sure one of the big reasons people don't finish.  It never once crossed my mind that I would not finish the CTR on my first attempt.  I'm glad I did it.  No regrets.  I did it because it's there to do.

To each there own. Personally, I understand the desire to attempt something that I'm not sure that I can complete. In fact, that was precisely a large part of what motivated me to race the CTR in 2010. I was incredibly inexperienced too--but that was also a big part of the fun. Specifically:

1. I had never ridden a bike (even a road bike) more than 50 miles.
2. I had never bikepacked. I did ride around with my gear the night before the race though!
3. Aside from having ridden a 25-mile section of the CT (backwards), I had never been on the CT.
4. My longest time in the saddle had been eight hours.
5. I had only ridden my mountain bike a couple of dozen times in the ten years leading up to the race.
6. All of my training was commuting to work on a flat-barred road bike. And some running.

So, the day that I lined up with my big green panniers to attempt the CTR in 2010, I honestly had no clue whether I'd be able to finish. When I got to Durango, I could hardly believe that I'd made it. In fact, I had dreams for months afterward that I didn't. One only gets to be a "newbie" once, and I had a hell of a great time with it!

Three years later, with a total of three CTR starts (2 successes, one failure), and two successful Kokopelli ITTs under by belt, I've learned a lot. And one of the biggest lessons is that everyone out there has different reason for being there. On top of that, their reasons often change and evolve over the course of the race. It doesn't seem to matter whether someone subscribes to the "no negative thoughts" mantra or the "positive power of negative thinking" approach. What matters is that they find whatever works for them. Some good luck helps too!

I actually miss being a bikepacking newbie. The intensity of the CTR in 2010 was huge. Throwing myself into the unknown was just what I needed to refresh my soul!

[jakomait]

1. I had never ridden a bike (even a road bike) more than 50 miles.
5. I had only ridden my mountain bike a couple of dozen times in the ten years leading up to the race.

Wow!?! That's like signing up for college, skipping all the classes and showing up for the final exam hoping to pass!  I don't think that's a good template to follow but I'm impressed you made the whole journey.  I can't imagine how much harder it would have been race it like that vs being a regular endurance mtb junkie.  I can tell you it isn't easy even when you show up to all the classes!

[Done]

Wow!?! That's like signing up for college, skipping all the classes and showing up for the final exam hoping to pass!  I don't think that's a good template to follow but I'm impressed you made the whole journey.  I can't imagine how much harder it would have been race it like that vs being a regular endurance mtb junkie.  I can tell you it isn't easy even when you show up to all the classes!

I did have a decent amount of outdoor experience to fall back on, from mountaineering, climbing, backpacking, etc. So sleeping in a bivy in crappy weather, navigating in unfamiliar terrain, etc. weren't things that I worried about. I figured that I'd be safe, just slow--which turned out to be pretty accurate.

It did make for some amusing moments though. I remember riding up to Kenosha Pass, and admitting to another rider that I'd never ridden my bike that far in a day before--and wondering what it was going to be like to keep doing it for a week! Every day was a unique experience, and I looked at every moment as a learning opportunity. Figuring out how to keep moving each day was exciting--and occasionally crushing.

I'm only telling my story because I want to reduce the judgmental tone that was developing in this thread. Had I heeded the naysayers and critics, I would have missed out on one of the best adventures of my life. "Onsighting" the CTR was something that I could only do once, and the experience will be with me for the rest of my life.

I'm still a relative newbie compared to guys like you, Jesse. But I'm fully addicted. Riding my bike stupidly long distances is about as good as it gets.   There is SO much to learn still, and I'm getting faster every time!

EDIT: Just so no one takes my newbie experience the wrong way: The CTR is really, really hard. And dangerous. Don't even think about attempting it if you don't have excellent mountain-travel and survival experience. While it can be completed without awesome bike skills, you could literally die out there if you don't know how to deal with a lightening storm at 12,000', at night, with below freezing temperatures, hail, and a broken arm. It can get real out there very quickly!

[jakomait]

So you didn't skip all the classes and started with a masters in mountaineering!   

[Done]

So you didn't skip all the classes and started with a masters in mountaineering!   

I'm basically a crappy mountain biker, and an enthusiastic adventurer! Lots of room on the CTR for different paths--and for some great friendships to be made along the way.

[Shirey]

It's taken me 3 years to get my mind around the concept of this race. I'm throwing my hat in the ring for 2013.  I hope we go North to South but I guess I could adjust to the alternative. I have to forsake my house in Frisco regardless and I can only hope I will have the courage to choose the Tenmile Range over shower, girlfriend, and bed. I'm unsure which direction will make this choice easier.

I feel like I know all of you already. I'll be participating in this forum more as the date approaches. Thanks for all the things I've learned from you and for all the advice I will seek in the future.

- Scott

[wookieone]

The way I see it going north would be a whole different challenge. Most of the suffer climbs would equal out. But the start to Silverton is the crux, like Jessie stated you got to bust ass to get to Silverton, and most will not make it in 15 hours, so there ain't much left there after dark as far as resupply goes. I believe the start time is still in question, but I am leaning towards enough food to make BV from the start. I am excited about going north, it will be like riding a new trail, they are all a bit different in reverse, curious to see how fast the times will be in that direction. I think it will be rad race for sure, pretty excited and already scheming.....Jefe

[surfsled]

I rigged my backpack up to the side of my bike during the wilderness detours this year. It seemed to work fine for me. It would be cool if someone could make a backpack like this that actually attached to your bike and your back. Like everyone is saying what works for you may or may not work for someone else. I saw all kinds of different set ups. Read all the set up blogs on here.

[joeydurango]

I agree with Toby (wonders!) on the direction.  I'd much prefer to go north-south - not just because I like racing home to Durango, but because, as Toby said, it is nice how it gets more beautiful, green, and remote down in our area.  Racing to the big city... eh.  Could be cool though, I guess that's what ITT's are for!  I suspect that if any one of us publicly announces a start from Waterton Canyon we'll have at least some sort of start line there.

As for the Silverton question - the local record for Molas Pass to town is under eight hours.  Of course that's not bikepacking, and doesn't include what would be a quick highway descent in the northerly direction.  But fresh off the start, I don't think it would be all that hard to get to Silverton in 14 hours (I found out the hard way in 2011 that the Silverton grocery closes at 8, not 9, showing up at 8:45pm beat to all hell).  Even on my last day in 2011 that section of trail took 15 hours, with absolutely no juice in the legs.  I think the folks worried about finish times wouldn't have to worry about making Silverton.

[gdillon]

Looking at making another trip down the ct this summer, east to west.

Starting in Durango was fun, and I can't help but to think that direction is harder. Gonna have to find out for myself, I suppose.

The most notable things from starting in the San Juans were the immense beauty, shoulder high wildflowers, the altitude, and the push from Kennebec to Indian ridge. There was no room to walk off the trail, too much vegetation to carry the bike sideways, and there was a beautiful lake that looked perfect for camping.

2 days and 2 hours to silverton for me. If you know you are not in the super fast crowd, I'd pack enough food from Durango for 2 days and get the motherlode in town. Climbing stony pass in the heat is Hell. All the rest is sublime.

[Mini Bear]

Never posted before, but this thread is exactly what I was looking for when I got on here. My newbie question is actually about wildlife during the CTR. I've camped all around Colorado and usually (not always) hang a bear bag. Does anyone actually bother with one during the race?

[Buttermilk]

I hung mine, more to keep other critters out though. It is so easy to hang food on the route it was a no brainer for me.