Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run

Hardrock is not a trail race in any conventional sense. Starting and finishing in Silverton, the loop traverses some of the most remote and exposed terrain in the Colorado Rockies. The thirteen major passes — most above 12,000 feet, several above 13,000 — require sustained effort at altitude where the air is thin and weather arrives fast. Handies Peak, the high point at 14,048 feet, is a legitimate fourteener summit. The descents are as demanding as the climbs: loose scree, steep snowfields, and rocky singletrack that punishes tired legs. Between passes, the route drops into mountain valleys along rushing creeks before climbing again. Stream crossings are frequent and can be thigh-deep during snowmelt. Navigation is part of the challenge — course markings are minimal by design, and runners are expected to carry maps and use them. The direction alternates each year (clockwise and counter-clockwise), and each direction presents its own character. This is a race for mountain people who happen to run, not runners who happen to be in the mountains.