Tommyknocker Tales - February
Check out Run Director Dale's monthly missive to this year's runners! Including topics such as:
- Snow Conditions Update
- Upcoming Zoom Sessions
- Pet Policy
- Camping Hardrock
- Hardtalk Podcast
Snow Conditions Update - February
In a word, it's bad. At the end of January, the snow cover across the Western US was the lowest in the MODIS satellite record dating back to 2001 with many sites at less than 50% of historical averages. In Silverton, the total season snowfall of just over 30" is the lowest amount recorded since the first year of the Hardrock 100 (91-92 snow season). Silverton typically has 90" of snow fall at the end of January. For reference, the only time the run was cancelled due to fire danger (due to the Missionary Ridge Fire near Durango) was in 2002 when the total snowfall in Silverton at the end of January was 48" (vs 30" this year). Since "hope dies last" we can look back in the historical record for some solace: the second lowest snow fall total on Feb 1 was in 2000 but heavy snows in March and April (120" !) brought the total up to near normal. Typically, Silverton sees 40" of snow fall in March. So, all eyes are on the possible breakdown of the current La Nina pattern. And yes, there are some signs that the current weather pattern will change by the end of February. There is still hope for a "March Miracle" in the San Juans!
See the current and historical snow pack conditions table.
Hardrock - Nitecore Announcement
The Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run is proud to announce a Silver-level partnership with NITECORE, a global leader in high-performance lighting and power solutions. This partnership brings together two organizations committed to durability, reliability, and performance in the most demanding mountain environments.
2026 Entrants & Wait Lists
Congratulations to all of our entrants for 2026 Hardrock! We look forward to seeing you in Silverton!
CONGRATULATIONS to 2025's Joel Zucker Memorial Scholarship winners!
We are proud to announce this year’s Joel Zucker Memorial Scholarships to six graduating High School seniors and 10 Continuing Education students for a total of $47,000. Now in its 26th year, this scholarship was established in memory of Joel Zucker who died after finishing his third Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run in 1998. This year marks 165 scholarships for a total distribution of $366,050. All college-bound applicants from Silverton are considered as well as students in the surrounding San Juan Mountain communities that volunteer at the Hardrock Hundred Run. Read the full press release.
High School:
- Jacquelin Acosta, Colorado Mesa University
- Syri Christensen, Fort Lewis College
- Mylah Gallegos, New York University
- Priya Hartman, Berry College
- Karely Ortega, Colorado State University
- Alejandro Torres Saldana, Metropolitan State
Continuing Education:
- Daniela Acosta, University of Texas
- Raja Braford-Lefebvre, NOLS Wilderness Medicine
- Katelyn Cunningham, Berry College
- Miranda Hall, Gonzaga
- Bennett Levine, Western Colorado
- Jaden McNeese, Western Colorado
- Belen Roof, NOLS Wilderness Medicine
- Caroline Thompson, University of Colorado
- Kharis Weller, Western Colorado
- Molly Wright, American University
Hardrock 100 At a Glance
100-mile run with 33,197 feet of climb and 33,197 feet of descent for a total elevation change of 66,394 feet with an average elevation of 11,186 feet - low point 7,680 feet (Ouray) and high point 14,048 feet (Handies Peak).
We acknowledge the land the Hardrock 100 traverses is the ancestral homeland of the Ute, Puebloan and Diné people. Information about this land is often told from dominant perspectives, without full recognition of the original land stewards. We invite others to join us in this acknowledgment to heal, renew and reaffirm the First Nations’ history and continued presence in Colorado and pay tribute to these traditional homelands and its people.
All or part of this operation is conducted on Public Lands under special permit from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service.
