CONGRATULATIONS to 2026'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 $64,000. Now in its 27th 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 181 scholarships for a total distribution of $435,000. 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.
Who was Joel Zucker? He embraced challenge and risk, and ultrarunning provided him with both. I expect that he is now running the next challenge. I had found a quote that I was going to give to him when he got back and I'll share it with you now: "Every man dies, but not every man truly lives." Joel lived life to the fullest. Read a lovely remembrance from friend and scholarship administrator Andi Kron.
High School:
- Jean Carlos Varela
- Nicolas Quintana Roman
- Quinton Joyce
- Mackenzie Phillimore
- Rylan Jaramillo
- Rowan McNeese
Continuing Education:
- Jacquelin Acosta, Colorado Mesa University
- Katelyn Cunningham, Berry College
- Mylah Gallegos, New York University
- Priya Hartman, Berry College
- Bennett Levine, Western Colorado
- Karely Ortega, Colorado State University
- Caroline Thompson, University of Colorado
- Alejandro Torres Saldana, Metropolita State University of Denver
- Kharis Weller, Western Colorado
- Paton Edwards, Colorado State University
Donations are Appreciated!
2026 Runners + Volunteer Manuals and Camp Hardrock Schedule Are Live
The 2026 Runners and Volunteer Manuals are live, filled to the brim with useful information for your upcoming Silverton & San Juan Mountain experience!
These are living documents that will likely see a handful of additions between now & run week. Any significant updates will be added to the "Notable Changes" section of the Runners Manual and highlighted at the Runner and Volunteer Briefings.
Camp Hardrock Schedule 2026. There will likely be changes between now & race day, but only in the form of additions/more details. All events listed are confirmed.
Tommyknocker Tales - June
Check out Run Director Dale's monthly missive to this year's runners! Including topics such as:
- Crewing Updates
- Course Orientation Hikes
- RHUBARB PIE!
- Childcare Options
- Cook Hardrock
June Snow Report
No surprise: the 2025-2026 snow year ended (on June 1 this year) with a second-lowest snowfall total in Silverton of about 85”. While parallels are being drawn with the extremely dry 2002 snow year (the last time Hardrock was cancelled due wildfires in the vicinity), there has been enough rain in May to mitigate the fire danger (at least so far). Now that the snow year is over, all eyes are turning to the building El Niño scenario and what it means for Hardrock 2026 and beyond.
A reminder: El Niño is a periodic warming of water in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean that impacts global weather patterns for months. In terms of the eastern Pacific and Southwestern US, a strong El Niño typically correlates with an active Eastern Pacific hurricane season which can contribute a significant increase in moisture to the SW monsoon season. This sets the stage, in principle, for a potentially wet Hardrock 2026. Looking ahead to the 2026-2027 snow season: the strong subtropical jet stream, which brings storms from the Pacific into the Southwest, may result in above average snowfall which could impact Hardrock 2027. Lots to look forward to. As with all correlations, none of these predictions are guaranteed!
See the table of historical snow accumulation.
Hardrock Awards Donations to Local Non-Profits
The Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run and our Board of Directors are pleased to announce the awarding of $30,000 to groups and organizations in the San Juan Mountains. These donations are given to help further the work of organizations that align with the values and mission of the Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run. Receiving donations from Hardrock for are:
Read the full release.
Hardrock Names New Medical Coordinator
The Hardrock Hundred Endurance Run is pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Irwin as its new Medical Coordinator. Irwin brings over 15 years of experience in emergency medical services, having begun his career in 2009 in Utah’s Wasatch Mountains. In 2016, he relocated to Durango, Colorado, where he has served with Durango Fire, further strengthening his expertise in emergency response within rugged, high-altitude environments. His background also includes several years as a flight paramedic with Flight For Life Colorado, where he provided critical care in helicopter operations.
Irwin is no stranger to the Hardrock community, as this will mark his third year volunteering with the event. His familiarity with the run’s unique demands, combined with his extensive medical experience, makes him a strong addition to the run committee. “I’m excited to join the run committee and look forward to helping contribute to the success of the run,” said Irwin. In his new role, he will oversee medical planning and coordination, helping ensure the safety and well-being of runners, volunteers, and staff throughout the event.
Read the full release...
Remembering John Cappis
Hardrock is sad to learn of the passing of one of its founding members, John Cappis. John was the original course director of the Hardrock Hundred and served as the Board of Directors president until 2008.
One of the pioneers of American ultrarunning, John placed 3rd at the Western States Endurance Run in 1978, the first year that event was held as a stand alone event separate from the Tevis Cup Ride. John also placed 4th overall in the inaugural Hardrock Hundred in 1992, running start to finish with his longtime friend and fellow board member, Charlie Thorn.
In 1996, John was honored with the prestigious Mother Lode Award for his significant contributions to the Hardrock community, and in 2025 he was inducted into the Hardrock Hall of Fame. John Cappis epitomized the Hardrock slogan “Wild and Tough.” His spirit remains in the course he helped create and in the hearts of all Hardrockers.
Hardrock 100 At a Glance
100-mile run with 33,264 feet of climb and 33,264 feet of descent for a total elevation change of 66,528 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.
