CREW ACCESS TO HANCOCK REQUIRES A METERED PARKING PASS - NO EXCEPTIONS
CREWS MUST LEAVE HANCOCK IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEIR RUNNER.
IF YOU ARE PACING YOUR RUNNER FROM HANCOCK, YOU MUST GET YOUR BIB FROM THE START/FINISH LINE
Access and parking at Hancock (mile 49.6) is very challenging. Crews cannot access or park at Hancock without receiving a “Hancock only parking pass” from the Start/Finish. These passes are metered, meaning that crews have to wait until a certain time to leave for Hancock. Only one vehicle per runner. The parking area requires a 10 minute walk to the aid station and Hancock does not have cell service.
You must wait until your runner has left St. Elmo 2 to receive your release time. Once that time has been reached, crews can get their pass to Hancock. This math is automatically done for you, and is easily viewable in your runner’s effort page in OpenSplitTime.
The release time for Hancock is calculated as follows: Once your runner has left St. Elmo 2, OST will estimate their earliest arrival time to Hancock. We take that time and deducted 1.5 hours for travel and that is your release time.
Example: Your runner leaves St. Elmo 2 at 4:45pm. OpenSplitTime estimates their earliest arrival time at Hancock is 7:50pm. Subtracting 1.5 hours from 7:50pm is 6:20pm. This is your release time. You can pick up your parking pass any time after 6:20pm.
Crews will have ample time to travel from the Start/Finish to Hancock, however you should begin the 60 minute drive to the Hancock parking area as soon as your release time has passed. Once parked, expect a 5-20 minute walk to the actual aid station. Crews in past years have averaged 65 to 80 minutes of travel from the Start/Finish to Hancock.
Foot/bike traffic to Hancock is not allowed
Parking passes are available from roughly 12:30 pm (CR pace) until 11pm
No metering is required after 11pm. Any crews still waiting to go to Hancock may leave after 11pm, regardless of their runner’s release time.
The Hancock Aid Station coordinates are: 38.64029, -106.36246
The Hancock Aid Station cutoff is 1:30am Saturday
THE PROCESS
STEP 1 - WAITING FOR YOUR RELEASE TIME TO BE DETERMINED (SIGN UP FOR TEXT/EMAIL ALERTS)
Wait until your runner has left St Elmo 2.
Go to your runner’s profile in OpenSplitTime and view your release time. You may pick up your parking pass anytime after your release time.
STEP 2 - PICKING UP YOUR PASS & PACER BIB
We recommend waiting at the start/finish for your runner to reach St. Elmo 2. This helps to prevent delays for you to leave for Hancock.
Once your release time has passed, crews can pick up their parking pass from the Start/Finish line.
If you are pacing from Hancock, you must get your bib from the Start finish line. See above for the instructions and required gear to get a bib.
STEP 3 - DRIVE TO HANCOCK, PARK, AND WALK TO THE AID STATION
Once a crew has their “Hancock only parking pass” they can drive to Hancock and park. Follow the parking attendants’ instructions.
See below for driving instructions.
You will need to walk a bit to the aid station. Distances vary between 0.25-0.5 miles to the aid station.
STEP 4 - CREW YOUR RUNNER
Take care of your runner, don’t forget to grab their drop bag before the runner arrives.
STEP 5 - LEAVE THE AID STATION IMMEDIATELY AFTER YOUR RUNNER
You must leave the aid station immediately after your runner leaves. You cannot wait around for friends or kill time, we need to use your parking spot for the next crew. The faster you leave, the nicer of person you are.
STEP 6 - PREPARE FOR MONARCH, BLANKS, AND RASPBERRY 2 CREWING
If you are crewing at Monarch, Blanks and/or Raspberry 2, you can find additional details below. You will use your “Monarch, Blanks, Rasp2 parking pass” to access and park at these aid stations. You do not have to return to the start/finish line for the remaining aid stations.
Driving directions from Start/Finish to Hancock - 60 MINUTE DRIVE TIME
From the Start/Finish area, turn left/south and drive down the large switchback (aka Swear Hill). At the bottom T intersection, turn right onto CR162. Stay on 162 for 11 miles. Around 10.9 you will pass the Last Chance restroom on your left. It is a large gravel lot with a restroom. Slow down here and look for a small gravel road up and to your left. It is just about 0.1 miles after the restrooms. If you go into St. Elmo, you missed the turn. Here is a picture of the junction and the sign about 30 yards after the turn. If you see the brown USFS sign with mileage to Hancock and the Alpine Tunnel Trail, you are on the correct road
After turning onto CR295, continue for roughly 5.4 miles until you reach the parking zone. You will pass some odd driveways, but just stay on 295 until you reach the parking attendant. PLEASE NOTE, CR 295 is full of large potholes. You can, with careful driving, get to the aid station in a 2WD vehicle, but it’s slow going. Parallel park on the west side of the road.
PRO TIPS
We recommend waiting at the Start/Finish line, or very close by. We’ll have a food truck with lunch/dinner at the Start/Finish Line! We’re also hoping to have the livestream up on a projector so you can follow the race live.
Runners should pack 100% of their required gear in drop bags just to be safe. Crews can retrieve the drop bag once they arrive and get things prepped.
Crews should sign up for text/email alerts and remain in cell service while waiting for their runner to leave St. Elmo 2. Once their runner has left, you will be able to see your release time.
Don’t go to Hancock without a parking pass. You will not be allowed to park and that could cause you to miss your runner.
