journey here to there
XAIPETE NIKΩMEN
A Here to There, LLC Event
The Ghost Town 38.5
an ultra walking/running event of unique distance
in southern New Mexico
Distance: 38.5 miles
When: 16 January 2011
Where: Sierra County, New Mexico
Entry Fee: $110.00
Field Limit: 75
The Course: The course in '07 was a huge hit. So: you'll run or walk (your choice) 38.5 miles. The start and finish are at my place (aka "headquarters"). You'll have a stretch from Hillsboro toward Kingston that takes you to the Gila National Forest, then some adventurous sidestepping onto a dirt forest service road that quickly takes you away from civilization and into the wilderness. There is one spur up and back down (300 ft. elevation gain in the ~1.3 miles up) the "Forest Trail." The route is an out-and-back but maximizes exposure to the wilds and minimizes time on pavement!
Support crews/vehicles for runners/walkers will be allowed on 157 but only in one assigned location...this is for the safety of all concerned. It's a road that is one lane, full of blind spots, requires 4x4 and having a crew driving on 157 will result in the runner being dq'd and pulled from the course.
The deep miles on 157 are very remote and definitely wild. If you want a sense of being in wilderness, this is going to give it to you!
The final 6.3 miles are once again on pavement and mostly downhill. I've just added a number of photos to the Ghost Town photo page...don't forget to check them out.
The villages: Both Kingston and Hillsboro were once thriving mining communities that entered hard times, reducing the populations to near ghost town levels. Today they are charming, friendly villages, where the residents are proud of local lore. There are two motels and a B/B in Hillsboro and a B/B in Kingston. Hillsboro has two cafes, both in historic buildings. There are small museums loaded with memorabilia of the early days of each village, as well as various shops and artists' studios.
Time limits: 12 hours for the entirety. There will also be time limits at station 4 and station 7.
Some basics: Packet pick-up/signing liability waivers on Sat. Jan. 16, 2010 - my place in Hillsboro.
No proxies for registration - you must pick up your own packet/bib number. There will be set intervals (these will be posted closer to the event) for folks to gather for orientation sessions.
There will be gear drops somewhere along the way and at the finish.
Watering holes - food, water, power drink, etc. will be out there, but until the route is set I'm hedging on exactly where they'll be. Check out the map for an idea of how things are laid out...but I promise, you won't be all alone or hungry out in the wilds!
Support crew/vehicles will be limited to paved surfaces and at most 4 miles into the dirt road for everyone's safety.
START TIME: 6:00 am - NO LATE STARTS
Plan on headlamps/flashlights as none of the route has street lamps.
Post-race bbq for all participants and volunteers at my place...details to follow.
Elevation: Hillsboro - 5,100 ft. Kingston - about 1,100 ft. higher than Hillsboro. In the Gila you'll be topping out close to 7,000 ft.
Special stuff: check out the awards page (there will be new awards '09 - I like to keep things interesting).
The awards for 2011: 1st place male, 1st place female, oldest under the clock
The Martin Luther King Day award will go to the 21st finisher, since MLK day is on the 18th in 2010.
The Marty Duchow Award will go to the first finisher who lives at 1,000 ft. or less elevation. Marty has had great runs in both '06 and '07, finishing behind runners who live at elevation comparable to the Ghost Town's or higher. So, it seems appropriate that there be a lowlander's award in Marty's honor.
The Jeff Johnston Award will go to the most improved runner in any two consecutive years.
The Mamaw Ruby Award for the 57th finisher. Ya see, on our birthdays my Mamaw used to give us a dollar for every year we were old. In her honor, and to have something for those toward the back of the pack - whoever finishes in the place equal to my age - gets the award!
The Bill Halm Award for the 1st place finisher of the Ghost Town Double Masters.
NEW AWARD FOR 2011: The Jason Taylor award for the first brand-new ultra runner to finish. Jason ran GT 2010 as his first ultra ever and had an amazing run, placing 5th overall.
A new event in '09 will continue in 2011: The Ghost Town Double Masters Ultra - same day and time as the 38.5, but the Double Masters is for runners and walkers 80 yrs. or older and will be ~ 27 miles. There's a link above, so if you are interested, check it out. The field is capped at 5. If you are interested in this event, please let me know via email: ghosttown@journeyheretothere.com
Registrations...alumni and '10 volunteers wishing to run in 2011 have until Sept. 30 to register. Registration opens to everyone else in October. It will be a two-step process. Please go to the Registration page for more information. Invitations will go out to new applicants on October 20. This event sold out in both 2009 and 2010.
Town 38.5 accommodations. This will also get you to info. on how to get to Hillsboro and a little more about what to expect. Hillsboro is small, accommodations fill early. BOOK EARLY.
For more information: Susan Reynolds (575)895-3383
or ghosttown@journeyheretothere.com
This event is brought to you by Here to There, LLC, which organizes and promotes walks, treks and runs of varying lengths in beautiful places.
Some of the Ghost Town's 2011 sponsors:
XAIPETE NIKΩMEN (c)2005 Here to There, LLC