Great course, great volunteers, great swag, and great post-race BBQ!
The Quicksilver 100K & 50K will start at the Hacienda Entrance to Almaden Quicksilver Park. The 50K and 100k races are run on scenic, hilly single track trails and fire roads. You will run through peaceful oak forests, wide-open meadows, and along ridges with spectacular views of the Santa Clara Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Although the course is very challenging, the friendly aid stations and beautiful scenery make Quicksilver an excellent choice for a first trail ultra-marathon.
The 100K:
13,000+ Feet of Elevation Gain
Western States 100 qualifying race
17-Hour Time Limit (16-Hour Time Limit for Western States qualification)
4 points towards qualifying for the UTMB
PA/USATF Ultra Grand Prix Event
The 50K:
6,000+ Feet of Elevation Gain
Start Time: 7:00am
4:00pm cutoff at mile 22
The 50k is not a PA/USATF Ultra Grand Prix Event
100K Course Description
When creating the new course, we took into consideration course beauty, historic features, elevation gain, sunrise/sunset timing, crew accessibility, aid station optimization, and the overall interaction of the ultra runners during the event. The new 100K, boasts 13,000+ feet of elevation gain and was created from our 2,000+ individual experiences at other ultra marathon events we have experienced over the years.
As with the previous 31 years during the production of our Quicksilver 50 mile endurance run, we used neighboring parks and open space to allow for a unique yet challenging event experience. We have decided to continue to use the neighboring Sierra Azul Open Space that guides you higher and deeper into the Santa Cruz Mountains and into Los Gatos.
You are required to have a light source at start. Civil twilight is at 5:36am and sunrise at 6:04am. The race will start is being moved to the Hacienda entrance of Almaden Quicksilver County Park in historic New Almaden. Runners will immediately begin a gentle climb in the dark through English Camp, past San Cristobol Mine, and around Hidalgo Cemetery all while dark. You then head west towards Sierra Azul Open Space and your first Aid Station at Hicks Road Aid Station captained by super ultra veterans and Quicksilver Running Club members Clare Abram and Scott Laberge. Crew will be able to cheer you on here. You will then climb up towards Mt Umunhum. We will have a photographer like last year to grab those great shots of morning bliss.
You will then continue towards neighboring Los Gatos and the Lexington Reservoir and home to National Champion Los Gatos Rowing Club. Say hello to the volunteers at the Lexington Reservoir aid station, and thank them. You may wish to jump in a boat or your crew’s car because from here you will experience the toughest section of the course (Look for a surprise along the way), enduring an exposed lengthy climb up the famed Priest Rock Trail (AKA Dogmeat). At the top of Dog Meat, and new for 2017, is a 4 miles down and 4 miles up trip on the Kennedy Trail. After that, it’s over the unforgiving “Dead Kennedy Rollers” to Mt. El Sombroso. However, before heading down the mountain back into the mines of Quicksilver Park, you will get to party with Wood Road Aid Station Captain Loren Lewis. It’s his birthday around this time of year, so you may wish to stop and enjoy a cold one before your rocky descent. When you arrive back to Hicks Road Aid Station, you will be glad to see your friends and family because you will be torn up. Get refreshed and psyched up because your historic tour of Quicksilver will begin.
The Quicksilver mines were highly important during the Gold Rush of California and referred to as the most successful mines in North America. The miners sought mercury that was used to extract gold from ore during the gold rush days. There remains of numerous structures from the 130 years of mining operations that housed over 1,800 people during this span. Shall you decide to continue on, you will be given a homemade tour of the rich history of our club’s training ground. Be alert for deer, rattlesnakes, bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions, and even the tiny Tericha Torosa… aka the California Newt.
The rest of the course will provide many turns and challenges. But, please be rest assured, this course will be marked incredibly well. We will tease you by bringing you around to the Mockingbird aid station where you will be tempted to drop because of the smell of the best post-race celebration of food and drink in ultra running. Cruel? Well yes 😉 After the temptation, you will get on the most beautiful trail in the park, The New Almaden Trail and other single tracks that will prove to be very challenging on your tiring legs. The good news is that you will be running in the hottest part of the day under the canopy of trees. We will send you to our good friends and ultra running veterans, The Stevens Creek Striders at Bull Run Aid Station captained by Peggy Alfred. The Striders have been managing aid stations at our races and Western States 100 mile endurance run for over 25 years, so you know you are in good hands and running feet.
After Bull Run A/S, you will be able to enjoy yourself on the easiest part of the course, and possibly the most fun back on Prospect #3 and New Almaden Trails towards the McAbee Aid Station (formerly Tina’s Den Aid Station). After McAbee, you will head to Enriquita, in which you will pass a reservoir and pond on your way to Enriquita Aid Station. It will be the most technical part of the course so watch your footing. When you arrive, be sure to grab your bracelet or mark your bib (TBD) here or you may be disqualified. As you run or hike back out, you will be making your last big ascent before arriving at your last aid station, Bull Run #2. From here you will wonder why that downhill finish wasn’t as easy as it looks on paper, but don’t worry too much when you arrive at the party – Chez Darce Bar & Grill.
50K Course Description
Please read the “100K Course Description” to gather more information about the course and aid stations.
We had so much positive feedback about the first 4 miles of the new 100K start that we decided to move the 50K course on the 100K course. So now they both start from the Hacienda entrance to the Almaden Quicksilver Park. However, while the 100K runners enjoyed an in the dark, glow stick lit historical course, you will see it in the daylight. What both 100K and 50K participants will experience is unique look and tour of the old mines, quarries, camps, schools, churches and even a cemetery, all while enjoying the experience of your fellow runners.
The 50K also got a little harder with more vertical and technical trails. The elevation gain is somewhere between 5,250 and 6,250 feet. We will let the map experts and GPS data junkies have it out sooner or later. Working on this. You will run through peaceful oak forests, wide-open meadows, and along ridges with spectacular views of the Santa Clara Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains. You will also view some of the historical mining areas that made Quicksilver one of the most successful mines in North America.
Once again, 50Ker’s will be teased by the passing of the Post Race BBQ Area as we have done with the 50M and 100K for years. However, it won’t be quite the party at only a ½ marathon into the race.
Although the course is very challenging, the friendly aid stations and beautiful scenery make Quicksilver an excellent choice for a first 50K trail race. And, perhaps the greatest reward of all will be the outstanding post-race barbecue awaiting your arrival. Hangout with your friends and family under our legendary massive oak tree while keeping your bellies full and happy.
LESS
At least I qualified for WS100 lottery
I did this race about a month ago. I didn't get in the training I really wanted, but was coming off some nice races. But, of course, 4 days before … MORE
I did this race about a month ago. I didn’t get in the training I really wanted, but was coming off some nice races. But, of course, 4 days before the race I was on business travel and was hit with the worst head cold. I ended up spending the Wednesday before the race in bed for 20 hours. I tried a 5k jog Friday, but felt horrible. So against better judgement, I started the race Saturday. I never felt good the entire race. It was hot, hilly and hard. I went out a bit fast, probably staying with the 50km runners. I had dressed too warm and was pealing off layers before the 10km mark. The head cold was still with me – I felt tired and was not getting the O2 I wanted. After awhile my friend Chihping came up behind me and we ran together for awhile. But after awhile he left me and I ran by myself.
Before mile 20 I started throwing up. I began to wonder if starting a hot hilly 50 mile trail run while sick and pushing through the heat and hills while throwing up was really all that smart:)
I struggled on and by the time I came to the 50km point, I asked the finish line crew if I stopped would that be a 50km finish, or a DNF for the 50 mile. I was told it would be a DNF…so off I went (knock on wood I have never DNF’d a run). After awhile, this runner comes behind me and cracks a joke. We start joking back and forth – his name was Mario. I started running with him and we had a good conversation that was taking my mind off my pain/illness. About 2 miles later some guy comes behind us yelling “Move aside you youngsters and let this old man through.” Both Mario and I laughed and started talking to the runner. His name was Lon Monroe (he was a runner in the movie “Run For The Soul” stating, as he was cooling off in the river during the Western States, that it was “better than sex…well at this moment anyway”. The three of us ran together. While we each helped each other, there was no doubt I benefited the most from these two super nice runners.
I had wanted to go sub-9 hours, but finished in 10:07. Middle of the pack, but considering I almost switched to the 50km option 1/2 way through the race, I was happy to have completed the whole 50 miles. That also qualified me for the lottery for the 2008 Western States 100.