AC100: 2023 Is A Matter Of Course

The 2023 Notional AC100.
The venerable Angeles Crest stumbled into 2023 with a finally redone website. 

Congrats! Most of the photos are bright and shiny, and non-synchronous to actual locations. However, it's a considerable improvement. No idea if the signup is as buggy and weird as it was when the Next Day Lotto was unleashed several years ago.

Everyone Has A Plan…

RACE CANCELLED FOR 2023: SKIP TO THE END

The Race has been able to rejoin its point-to-point origins, with continued mods by fire and bio-edict. RIP incinerated Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog [MYLF]. 2022's out-&-back is now an asterisk in the rear-view mirror.

The new course map and descriptions are confusing. It was deja vu to 1990 for me all over again, only in color. 

Map shows a Chantry pass-thru, while text indicates an out-n-back from Red Box to Newcombs, then up the Kenyon Devore over Mt Wilson. Thence over the top down to Idle Hour, to its eventual conclusion at Loma Alta in Altadena CA. Any Kenyon Devore humping will be eye-opening to the experienced, and a body-shock to the newbies.

"The basic plan for 2023 AC100 is to finish in Altadena via Kenyon/Devore Trail to the top of Mt Wilson, bypassing Chantry. The race will pass through Shortcut, Redbox and Newcomb Saddle, but after Newcomb Saddle, it will go back on the Rincon-Redbox Rd/Gabrielino Trail toward Redbox, but take Kenyon/Devore Trail to the top of Mt Wilson and to Idlehour, Sam Merrill, Millard and Loma Alta Park in Altadena. There is a GPX file and Google Earth map you can download as well as an interactive map on the Full Course Page."

Source details here: https://ac100.com/course-history-changes/

…Until They're Hit In The Face 

From CalTrans, June 6:

State Route 2 (Angeles Crest Hwy): SR-2 remains closed from Mt. Wilson Red Box Rd. to Grassy Hollow Campground (Angeles National Forest) at least through summer due to winter storm damage & repairs. 

How this affects the Race remains to be seen. Previous years with Hwy 2 wipe outs at various points entailed long detours and highly limited access to aid stations.

As of June 6, 2023: Kenyon Devore Trail is closed. Another workaround is needed.

Meanwhile:

THE FUTURE

"Continuing the tireless work of Hal Winton, rest assured that we are working year-round to keep the Angeles Crest  100 in business and reduce the amount of mileage this trail race is forced to run on pavement. By fostering  relationships with the United States Forest Service through trail service and stewardship, taking an active role in  our communities and other special interest groups and lobbying local politicians, we are committed to preserving  and restoring the historic Angeles Crest 100 course. Over the past few years, an all-volunteer group formed Trail Running Advocates of Southern California (TRASC), a 901c dedicated to fostering work for play relationships  between trail running events and public land management. Their first project is working to return the AC100 to the  original course and secure passage along the historic route in perpetuity."
Inconvenient Notes:

  • Trail Running Advocates of Southern California (TRASC) is invisible to a cursory Google search.
  • 901c must be a typo. Maybe they meant 501c3.

AC100 got pantsed in 2013 when the ANF was bundled into the San Gabriel Mtns Natl Monument. The Race was not at the table, because Uncle Hal was doing all the work while Kenny was otherwise engaged.
Read about that here: Imagine AC100 Without Baden-Powell. 

[updated June 9, 2023]

Further updates from Kenny on the race. Take note that Idle Hour is omitted. I'm sure the same super-tight Millard to Finish time-window remains. Because tradition.

 
 

AC100 canceled for 2023, [updated June 12, 2023]


Here's some coin.


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

I Didn't Conquer Kilimanjaro

Image
THE SUMMIT I didn't conquer Kilimanjaro. I paid attention, cooperated with the mountain in optimal conditions. Made the summit on Mar 10 2024; and more importantly, made it back down safely on my own steam. This was a pilgrimage for my late wife Leslie Sowle, who'd done it in Dec 2003. When I reunited with her in Jan 2022, I repeated my admiration for her accomplishment. She looked at me and said "its just a long walk. You could do it" Leslie in red parka. Kilimanjaro, 2003. Photographer unknown. At the time I demurred, because Kili was irrelevant in the face of her oncoming death. I began thinking about it in September 2023. If not now, then when?  I started training with her very good 2003 Arcteryx RT25 pack at home in Ventura County, CA. I made no mention of it on the socials. Bad juju. I'd booked the longest trip possible [11 days Northern Lemosho Route] with Simon Mtuy's Summit Expeditions to get as much altitude conditioning possible. A shorter trip [5-
Read more

If Carhartt Made Wedding Dresses…

Image
"La Paloma de Alba" This lovely two-piece bib overall mermaid gown has delicate, feminine details throughout. From the hand-beaded, antique-finish nickel hardware brooch detail on the sweetheart bodice, to the cascading rose at the hip, it is a gorgeous dress for the modern bride. Field-Tested, multiple tool and utility pockets. Faux-braided ribbon closure at back; breakaway honeymoon closure on side. Made of 11.75-ounce, 100% denim cotton, with triple-stitched main seams, satin-polyester facings and taffeta trim material. Also available in Nomex®™. Shown in Sandstone. Available in Moss, Dark Green and Enhanced Black.
Read more

Never Bet Against The Angeles Crest 100

Image
Scott Jurek, leading in 1999 at Chilao (51mi). Tom Nielsen was gaining on him. This post concerns the 2000 and 2001 AC100 races.  In the course of reviewing the facts, I'd realized that I had merged two races together. Thanks to chats with Jennifer Johnston and Tom Nielsen, I got straightened out. The story is more interesting that way.  1999: Prequel Scott Jurek and Tom Nielsen had locked horns at AC in 1999. Everything was ducky up until Chantry, when  Mr Murphy starts dropping wrenches in the gears. Tommy caught Ian Torrence on Mt Wilson [79mi give or take], and then Jurek at Idle Hour.  Idle Hour. 81 miles, in a Dark Hole in the side of a mountain.  That is a hard place to get served.  I think this was pre-packet radio days, and Ham-radio transmissions sometimes got lost or delayed bouncing off the canyons. There are 2 additional checkpoints, but nobody is quite sure where he is.  Or it seemed that way then. David Emmons, who was manning the Millard Aid Station comm
Read more