Colorado High Country 1200k

The Ride

The Colorado High Country 1200 starts and finishes in Louisville, outside Boulder, and explores the Northern Colorado Rockies and the striking Wyoming Snowy Range. The climbs are long but shallow to moderate grades. Many of the roads are quiet, off the beaten trail. There are four crossings above 10,000 ft. The total volume of climbing is very moderate, but you may feel it's a bit more effort because of the altitude. There are moose, elk, marmots, Gray and Stellers jays, and other mountain species to see and pass by close at hand.

Stages - The recommended stages are to/from Walden, CO, the common overnight checkpoint. Distances would be:

	188 miles		Louisville - Walden
	200 miles		Walden - Snowy Range - Walden
	200 miles		Walden - Steamboat Springs - Walden
	150 miles		Walden - Louisville

The overnight venue at Walden provides lodging, plus food for the evening, breakfast, and to take with you. Riding those stages means most of your riding should be in daylight, when stores are open and you can appreciate the scenery and wildlife. The suggested stages also allow riders to regroup as they desire in the morning, for added camaraderie.

Climate - July is usually a comfortable, pleasant time to ride in the Colorado mountains, with chilly nights and balmy days, mainly sunny but with the chance of afternoon thunderstorms. So you should be prepared for the chilly mornings and the chance of a brisk shower in the mountains. See the Rider Info for details about terrain, weather, temperature ranges, getting to/from the event start location, and services along the route.

Registration

Sending an application and entry fee gains you a spot on the Confirmed Rider List or - if the Confirmed List is full - on the Waiting List. This lets riders plan ahead before they've finished qualifying, while encouraging folks to free up their spots should their plans change.

Priority - Registration is first-come, first-served (based on when application and payment were received), except for first-day registrants (below).

First Day Registrants - If more than 50 riders register (confirmed by payment) on the first day - which ends midnight Colorado Mountain Time (UTC -7 hours) of the day registration opens - we will use a lottery process to place those riders on Confirmed vs. Waiting lists. This is to alleviate stress about feeling you have to submit your application the moment registration opens. If you plan to register by paper and/or pay by check on the first day (not recommended), you must notify me by e-mail on that day (available to US residents only).

Payment - You may pay online using PayPal (using your credit card or PayPal account). US registrants may alternatively pay by check (in US$) ... but online is strongly preferred; if you do plan to pay by check, you must send us an e-mail to that effect when registering.

RUSA and RMCC Membership - You must be a member of Randonneurs USA and Rocky Mountain Cycling Club at the time of the event. Consult the RUSA join/renew webpage and RMCC join/renew webpage for details.

Qualification - You may apply before qualifying. If you have not yet qualified, note this on your application, and give us the details when you do complete qualifying. (Just send an e-mail with the details.) If you have not qualified by the qualification deadline and haven't made special arrangements with us, your spot will be freed. If the qualification deadline poses difficulties for you, contact us.

Rider Cancellation - You may cancel by notifying us and receive a full refund if you are on the Waiting List, or a partial refund if you are on the Confirmed list. Policy for confirmed riders:

	Before May 1	full refund minus $25
	May 1- May 31	full refund minus $50
	June 1 and after	full refund minus $75 if your spot is filled (from waitlist); otherwise, no refund.

Event Cancellation - If we have to cancel the event, riders will get a full refund minus a pro rata share of expenses we can't recover - for example, lodging we can't cancel, supplies we can't return, etc. Some reasons we might be forced to cancel include wildfires or flooding, or road construction or road outages that create a safety issue, or make the route impassable and that we can't reroute around, or other safety issues posed to riders or volunteers.

Qualifying

Qualifying Events - Riders must complete, between June 1, 2023 and June 15, 2024, a Super-Randonneur series (200km, 300km, 400km, 600km brevets), or a 1000km or longer randonn�e. Brevets do not need to be ridden in order of increasing distance. ACP or RUSA-sanctioned non-ACP brevets can be used.

Substitutions - A longer-distance brevet can be substituted for a given distance requirement - for example, an ACP 300km brevet or a RUSA 250km brevet for the 200km requirement. A RUSA Permanent can be substituted for the 200km, 300km, or 400km requirement, with approval of the organizer (based on individual circumstances, such as whether a local qualifying series is available). You may apply to the organizer for other substitutions.