The Hopeless Crew, a group of volunteers and llamas who staff the highest aid station in the Life Time Leadville Trail 100 Run, have survived 100 mph winds, 6-foot snow falls so heavy they collapse tents, injuries, illness and more — but it may not survive the retirement of long time organizer Gary Carlton.
“It’s a lot to put together,” Carlton said Thursday while hiking up to the Crew’s spot on Hope Pass. “You’re responsible for all these people.”
After 22 years on the Hopeless Crew, 63-year-old Carlton said he’s ready to retire from the responsibilities.
”If I knew in April what I know now, I would have quit right then.” Carlton said, lamenting the lack of volunteers this year.
The past few years have been especially hard for organizing volunteers, Carlton said. Every year finding volunteers is harder and communication a little worse.
When the Leadville 100 started in 1983, the Hope Pass aid station was just one man with a few llamas handing out cups of water. Since then it has become one of the most important aid stations of the race, providing food, water, shelter, and medical aid to runners as they cross the 12,530-foot high pass twice. The runners pass the aid station on mile 43 and then again at mile 55 as they cross the highest and steepest part of the race.
This year, the crew took 17 llamas, four mules, nine volunteers and roughly 2,000 pounds of gear up the 5-mile trail to the pass. The volunteers will camp out from Thursday until Monday after the last runners come through late Sunday night.
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