Second Annual 24 Hours of Towers Schedule

24 Hour of Towers is this weekend,
are you excited?

Schedule
Friday 07 September
Some of us have campsites reserved Friday night.  Ask around if you want to come up, there's probably some room to pitch a tent.

Saturday 08 September
7:00 AM First lap starts from site I53 - say you were there when it started.
5:00 PM  Family Lap - Have you ever wanted to show your significant other or kids or grandma or friends what we go GaGa over every other Thursday?  Bring them out at Saturday afternoon for a low key, casual run/hike/walk up and down the hill.  Depending on pace lights may be needed for the end of the lap.
7:48 PM  Civil twilight ends, about time to get out the glow bracelets and head lamps.  I have a ton of glow bracelets.

There are good handful of us with campsites reserved for Saturday night.  I believe we have the entire north end of the campground to ourselves.  Ask around and I am sure you can find somewhere to pitch a tent.

Sunday 09 September
5:00 AM Last Lap - if you're up for it get out of your tent or drive back up to join us in one last trip to the top and back before breakfast.  We should catch some good sunrise views.
6:07 AM Civil twilight begins
7:00 AM Last laps should be finished.
7:30 AM FCTR Breakfast at campsite I53  Even if you didn't run all night (or at all) get out of your tents or drive back up and join us!

And if you're so inclined (get it!) you can take off a little early and head up to the Horsetooth Rock Trail Race at the Upper Horsetooth Mountain Space parking lot, the race starts at 7:00 AM.  

Breakfast
  Last year I brought my stove and made some pancakes, I'll probably do the same thing again.  If you want to bring something to share you can.  I'll bring my coffee maker, but it's just a normal 10 cup deal so I can't promise how much there will be to go around.

What

  It's pretty self explanatory.  24 hours, one hill.  Come and commune with the big hill, she who makes us stronger, she who litters race leaderboards with the words "Fort Collins, CO".  Come join like-minded trail runners, be it for one lap or to run all through the night, come celebrate Towers Road.  

Where
We will start at campsite I53 which is right across the road from the Soderberg Parking lot of Horsetooth Mountain Park.  If the Soderberg parking lot is full you may have to park 1/2 mile down the road in the Marina parking lot.

Rules

• There really is just one rule, Have Fun!  
• If you're going to count laps to brag or to add to our communal totals they must be done between 7 AM Saturday and 7 AM Sunday.  
• We will define a "lap" as one trip from campground I53 to the corner of the service building in the first grouping of towers, following Swan Johnson and Towers Road, and then back down.
• We'll have a clip board or something at the campsite to record laps so we can sum up totals at the end.

Where is 24 Hours of Towers?
  We'll be starting right across the street from the Soderberg parking lot. Driving directions to the Soderberg lot.  Parking should be at Soderberg unless you have a campsite.  Only 2 cars are allowed per campsite so only pull into the campground if you know you have a space.  If Soderberg is full you may need to park 1/2 mile down the road at the marina.  Be aware that there is a daily parking fee at Soderberg and the marina if you don't have a Larimer County Parks pass.

Night access
  Horsetooth Mountain Park is open all night long but the Soderberg lot gate does close during the night.  I keep forgetting to check the exact times.  If you are in the lot when the gate closes you can still leave by pulling up to the exit as the exit gate is automatic.  The upper, main, Horsetooth Mountain Park lot is remains open 24 hours a day.  I am unsure if the marina lots has a gate to close at night or not.

Campground
  If you are staying at the campground or are in the campground please observe campground rules.  Some of these include quiet hours of 10 pm until 6 am, 3.2 beer only, and no glass bottles.  8 people and 2 vehicles are allowed per campsite, along with 1 camping unit and 2 tents or 4 tents with no camping units.  Daily parking pass or Larimer County pass are required in the campground just like at Soderberg/Blue Sky/Horsetooth Mountain Park.  I am unsure if fires are allowed or not.

Do I have to run all night?
This is probably the most often asked question I receive.  NO, you do not need to run all night.  You can run 1 lap, walk 2 laps, run only at night, do whatever you want.  Remember, there really are no rules.  If you want to come out and meet some fellow trail runners please to so, anything you add to our totals is gravy.

I probably forgot something.  Ask questions on the list or in the comments section here.  See also my other posts on 24 Hours of Towers.