The 35th running of the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run is fast approaching and I am recruiting volunteers to work at the Devil's Thumb aid station on Saturday June 28th. Devil’s Thumb is accessible by car and is located approximately 20 miles past Forest Hill.
The Western States Endurance Run starts at the base of Squaw Valley and climbs to the peak of Emigrant Pass where it winds through beautiful trails in the High Sierra and into deep forests along high mountain ridges. The trail then drops into “The Canyons” (Deadwood, El Dorado and Volcano) while passing through the old mining communities of Last Chance, Devil’s Thumb and Michigan Bluff. Once out of the canyons, most runners encounter night running along desolate trails adjacent the Middle Fork of the North Fork of the American River, crossing the river at Rucky Chucky and emerging twenty miles later at the edge of Auburn and the end of the adventure.
Devil’s Thumb (a.k.a. “The Thumb” “DT”) is one of the best aid stations to view the race due to the spectacular beauty, reasonable accessibility, and superb time of day to work. The Thumb is located on a ridge between two steep canyons (Deadwood and El Dorado) and is at the top of the steepest climb on the course. DT gets its name from a rock formation that looks like a huge thumb sticking out of a sheer canyon wall. The aid station is only one and one-half miles (1600 vertical feet) from the bottom of Deadwood Canyon, one of the most magnificent areas in the sierras. There are lush ferns growing next to fresh water springs flowing out of rocks in the bottom of the canyon. A swinging bridge crosses the river and the trails climb through incredible wild flowers and thick green forests heading back toward the old mining town of Last Chance. We are proud to have our aid station featured in an ad in the December 2006 issue of Runner’s World. Our famous Devil’s Kitchen is prominently shown.
Since the Devil’s Thumb aid station is midway through the race the first runners usually come in about noon and the last runners arrive about 6:30 p.m. Therefore, no one has to get up early or stay late to participate. We like to get volunteers at the station by about 10:00 and we are packed and close by 7:00 p.m. During that time you will be part of a party. The volunteers are friendly; the runners are marvelous to watch; and the scenery is spectacular.
Let me know if you are interested and I will give you more details. Please bring a spouse or friend(s) but animals and small children (probably under 10) have to stay home. Bring a tent and camp If you want to make a weekend of it. A few of us get to the Thumb early and run to Last Chance and back (nine miles) before we set up the aid station A shorter, much less strenuous, option is to run or walk to Deadwood cemetery and back along the top of the ridge.
You will receive a Western States T-shirt, enjoy a memorable day and get lots of thanks for your volunteer efforts. Please feel free to pass this email on to anyone you know who may want to join the fun. If you want to volunteer, send me an email with your name (and the names of those who will volunteer with you) along with your T-shirt sizes. I will forward the directions and further details to you a couple of weeks before the event.
Thanks,
Denis Zilaff
zilaffd@saccounty.net
875-3178 (work)
