Hardrock 100

Hardrock 100: 100 miles at high altitude in the San Juan Mountains

Every summer, the small mining town of Silverton, Colorado, hosts the Hardrock 100, one of the toughest and most respected ultras in the world. The loop crosses the San Juan Mountains on old miners' trails, over passes above 3,500 m (11,500 ft) and summits above 4,000 m (13,000 ft) such as Handies Peak. Snow, afternoon storms, icy creeks and thin air set the rhythm, on a course whose direction reverses every year.

A single race with very few places, it honours the region's miners and ends with a tradition: kissing the Hardrock at the finish. The Hardrock 100 course makes it a benchmark among high-altitude races and a monument among races in Colorado.