Important Updates About Ram Party Trail Runs
Hi Runners:
We have an important update for this weekend’s Ram Party Trail Runs. If you weren’t aware a winter storm moved through the mountains above Colorado Springs today (and will be continuing into the night). Our team was out on the course today starting our course marking and setup.
Due to hazardous winter conditions above 8000 feet on the upper parts of the Ram Party course (specifically around the Rampart Reservoir which sits above 9000 feet) Aravaipa Running has decided for the safety of runners, volunteers, staff, spectators and our venue hosts (Pikes Peak National Forest, Glen Aspen Ranch Scout Camp & Colorado Springs Utilities) we will be implementing an alternate course for all distances of the 2023 Ram Party Trail Runs.
Our team scouted out conditions on Thursday morning, May 11 driving the length of the route from Garden of the Gods to Glen Apen Ranch Scout Camp and we attempted to course mark the trails around the reservoir. We encountered snow above 8000 feet which became upwards of 6-10 inches deep in places. Even with 4 wheel drive the conditions were hazardous.
Forecasts call for additional snow overnight on Thursday with sporatic rain and snow through the race weekend. With such logistics as shuttle buses, volunteer transport, medical response times and participant parking above 9000 feet being challenged by these conditions we feel it is not in the best interest of all involved to attempt to host the race as planned.
We instead will be moving the “party” for the entire weekend to the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort in Colorado Springs! All distances will start and finish at the lodge and run distances as close as we can get them to originally planned (with the exception of the 55K now being run as a pure 50K).
This new route will head out from Buffalo Lodge up through Garden of the Gods and then up Rampart Range Road to various turn around points. We will support runners with three on course aid stations that will be accessed on both the out and back leg of this section, making for a very well aided run.
We understand that these route changes for many of you are quite a bit different than advertised especially for any distance planning to run on the beautiful single track trails around Rampart Reservoir. At the moment these are well under several inches of snow and trailheads are barely accessible.
Here is an updated CalTopo map showing all courses: https://caltopo.com/m/K101U
We are still dialing in some our logistics and will be following up later tonight and/or in the morning with our final set of aid station distances, drop bag updates, shuttling and parking for race mornings. We will be updating our website with this alternate information as we have it.
We have been coordinating with permitting agencies, scouting aid station locations and updating course routes this afternoon.
We understand this news could be disappointing. We ourselves are extremely bummed to not be hosting on the route we hoped for, but have the safety of our community and participants at the forefront of our minds in this situation.
Looking ahead to the weekend, we hope you enjoy the new finish line for all distances which should really ramp up the party atmosphere!
There will be live music on site both Friday and Saturday nights from 6-8pm with food trucks on site. Additionally, the indoor bar at the Buffalo Lodge will also be open from 7am to 9pm both Saturday & Sunday for post race beverages.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email, text or call us at numbers below.
Thanks,
Jamil Coury
Aravaipa Race Director
jamil@aravaiparunning.com
(602) 346-0554
Check out some of the conditions from today below!
