Terrain Information
Updated 8 January 2000
The race sites for the 2000 Rocky Mountain 1000 Day occupy portions of the Pole Mountain Division of the Medicine Bow National Forest, located between Laramie and Cheyenne. Two brand new maps have been prepared for 2000 to complement a mix of modern, high quality, existing maps. The terrain is primarily Granite, with Western Limestone/Sandstone terrain making an appearance along the west edge of the national forest area. All race sites for 2000 lie wholly within Granite terrain. These areas are some of the fastest in America!
Western Limestone/Sandstone Terrain
The landforms contained within the Western Limestone/Sandstone Terrain represented here are controlled by the more resistant layers of limestone, which form large, flat, west-dipping plateaus, with deeply etched valleys which drain to the west. Long, linear rock formations (cliffs, stone debris, large stone blocks) are exposed along the rims of the valleys and where the sendimentary rocks plane out over the granite to the east. The northern slopes of the valleys are densely forested with pines, Aspen, and Douglas Fir while the southern exposures are largely grass and sage. The sloping flat plateau areas in between valleys are a mix of Limber Pine, sage, and grass. In many places the top layer of limestone is exposed as something that is not quite completely bare rock, and pitted with small rock debris scattered about. This terrain is relatively fast--though not as fast as the granite terrains--except where densely forested and running speeds are mainly limited by the goat's ability to climb. Basque sheepherders sometimes bring their flocks to graze this area. Map: Permian Sins, Telephone Song
Map sample from Permian Sins
Granite Terrain
The Granite Terrain of the Pole Mountain Division can be classified into a number of sub-terrain types based on average relief differences, amount of forest cover, and the appearance and frequency of outcropping rock. The divisions aren't scientific, however, most people could probably disagree on at least a dozen or so major variations--only some of which will be featured in this year's racing.
Depending on the above factors, the actual landforms of the Granite Terrain vary wildly from place to place. However, one constant is the presence of predominantly eastern flowing drainages, none of which cut deeply into the granite. Even on individual maps the landscape can shift quickly and dramatically, going from bland prairie to bizarre mazes of giant stone.
None of the areas for 2000 are completely forested. Most of the areas are dominated by Short Grass Prairie with many isolated Ponderosa and Limber Pines, smaller clumps of these same trees, various sized clumps and groves of Aspen, and a few larger areas of mixed forest. The larger areas of forest are often shown as light green on the maps, usually mostly on account of diminished visibility within the forest. None of the areas are devoid of rock, though some of the maps have relatively little rock. There is some sage in most meadow areas, but generally it is very easy to get through and has relatively little effect on speed (and hence, route choice). The larger areas of high sage may be mapped as rough open.
The low valleys are moist to wet with either small streams and/or marshes in the bottoms. The marshes can either be open grass or overgrown in willow. The willow is mapped either as medium or dark green, and it tends to grow in a very clumpy fashion that makes it hard to map really accurately. Because of the clumpy nature of the willow and because the marshes tend to be very narrow, crossing through these areas usually isn't difficult, though it is often worthwhile for the racer to seek out the frequent existing or abandoned beaver ponds, which are mapped and usually easy to detect in the terrain. The dams make excellent crossing points unless, of course, there happen to be moose contesting a particular dam. Testing the larger areas of fight is a losing proposition. A very small percentage of the marshes can be further classified as "quaking bogs which stench".
Rock can run the gamut from being completely nearly absent to huge, granite monoliths. But since the rock tends to be either "big" or gravel, runnability is almost never effected. There are some large pegmatites mappable with contours, and some areas where scattered smaller pegmatites--with prominent outcropping milky quartz--are mapped with a black "Q". Some areas have extensive "dragons teeth", which are long, thin rows of rocky ground as little as 1-2 meters wide and often stretching several hundred meters or more.
Running speeds will be high to very high in all of the '00 granite areas, down to about 5 min/km for the best racers.
Specific Areas
Unforested, moderately hilly, some rock: Dale Creek
Map sample from Dale Creek showing portions of very fast Interstate Highway Terrain:
Little forest, gently rolling, some to complex rock (includes dragons teeth and pegmatites): The Medicine Bow Map
Map sample from The Medicine Bow Map with 2 large, mined pegmatites. The black oval at bottom right is a buffalo proof people enclosure.
Some forest, gently rolling, small amounts of rock: Artillery Spring, Jubal E. Spring
Some forest, moderately hilly, some rock: Crow Marsh, Plutonic Pleasures
Map sample from Crow Marsh, showing very typical Marsh Terrain (note the dual nature of the marshes on this map--runners of about 150 lbs or less will be able to run over the marshes at high running speeds, while heavier runners will find the same marshes all but impassible because they will sink up their gizzards in thick, oozing, horrible smelling, black gunk; did your New Year's Resolutions include dieting?):
Map sample from Jubal E. Spring; the light greens typically show areas of aspen forest while the whites and light yellows usually show variations of pine forests:
Map sample from Plains of Despair:
Some forest, moderately hilly, some to complex rock: Plains of Despair, West Medicine Bow
Partly to mostly forested, moderately hilly, rock: Forrest Meadows, Bisbee Hill, Idonwannabe, Twin Boulders
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