🏃🏼‍♀️‍➡️ A 256 mile run

Good morning, Stoke Crew. The snow’s fading fast, the sun’s sticking around, and summer stoke is in the air. We’ve got your fix of outdoor news and local stories to kick off your Tuesday.

In today's report:

• A 256 mile race
• Local ski resort upgrades
• Biking race season
• Live music this summer

Today’s Stoke Story

🏃 Running 256 miles at a 14:06 pace!

The Report: If you’re looking for a sufferfest with serious scenery, the Cocodona 250 might just be the gnarliest footrace in the West. Spanning 256.5 miles from Black Canyon City to Flagstaff, this Arizona mega-ultra dishes out over 40,000 feet of climbing, temps that swing wild, and a brutal mix of desert, red rock, and alpine terrain. Runners get 125 hours to finish and they’ll need it, as the course winds through historic mountain towns like Crown King, Prescott, Jerome, and Clarkdale, then tops out on Mount Elden at 9,241 feet before dropping into the Ponderosa forests near the finish.

The mix? About 45% singletrack, 46% doubletrack, and just a smidge of pavement. In May 2025, Dan Green set the men's course record at 58 hours, 47 minutes, and 29 seconds, while Rachel Entrekin set the women's record at 63 hours, 58 minutes, and 15 seconds. Beating the previous women's course record by over 7 hours! This one’s for those chasing the edge of what’s possible, a test of heart, grit, and pure mountain willpower across some of the most iconic terrain in the Southwest.

As someone who lives for stories of grit and big mountain energy, this one hits different. The sheer scale of the Cocodona 250, the miles, the vert, the heat, the terrain, it’s not just a race, it’s a full-on odyssey. What blows me away is the mental toughness it takes to keep moving through that kind of distance, knowing the next town or aid station is hours (or days) away. Dan and Rachel’s record runs are unreal, but honestly, anyone who finishes this thing is on another level. Even Forrest Gump would be impressed! It’s the kind of effort that reminds you why we chase big, hard things because the beauty lives in the struggle.

The Details:

• 256.5 miles
• Elevation gain: 40,667 feet
• Dan's pace 14:06 / mi for 256.5 miles!!!
• Rachel's Pace 15:19 / mi for 256.5 miles!!!

Local Stokelight

⛷️ A-Basin Upgrades!

The crew at Arapahoe Basin just released a draft of their 2025 Master Development Plan and it’s now in the hands of the Forest Service for review. To be clear, this isn’t a green light for any construction just yet. It’s more like a roadmap that says, “Here’s what we’re hoping to do,” and confirms that the vision fits within A-Basin’s current permit and Forest Service guidelines. If accepted, each project will still go through the full NEPA review process before breaking ground.

What’s in the plan? No boundary expansion, just thoughtful upgrades focused on improving the guest and employee experience. Highlights include a short gondola and chairlift conveyor to help first-timers get their feet under them, plus a new skier services building with rentals, food, restrooms, and more. They’re also eyeing small new parking areas, a pedestrian bridge over Highway 6, snowmaking upgrades, and remote avalanche control systems on the Upper East Wall and West Zuma.

Mountain Briefing

Biking Race Season

2025 Downhill World Cup came out swinging in Poland with snow, rain, and axle-deep ruts turning the season opener into a full-on mud rodeo. In Junior women, from Team specialized, Rosa Marie made a massive statement in her World Cup debut, leading wire to wire for a commanding win. 4.6 seconds faster than 2nd place! On the Junior men’s side, from Team Commencal, Max Alran stayed hot with the fastest time of the week, holding off Tyler Waite and Oli Clark for the 1st place podium. Junior men’s world champ Asa Vermette took a spill early in the race but still clawed his way back to 10th, pretty gritty stuff.

In the women elite field, Tahnee Seagrave threw down a heater to edge out Anna Newkirk, with Nina Hoffmann rounding out the top three. The elite men’s race was a battle: Amaury Pierron set the bar, Oisin O’Callaghan briefly stole the hot seat, but it was Loic Bruni who shut it down with a dialed, clinical run to take the win by less than .156 of a second. Slippery, soaked, and savage this was a World Cup opener to remember. Next stop: Loudenvielle, May 30. Let’s ride!

Check out highlight videos here

Events

Dillon Amphitheater Concerts!

June Highlights:

• Wednesday, June 11 — St. Paul and the Broken Bones
• Saturday, June 21 — Tash Sultana
• Friday, June 27 — Modest Mouse
• Saturday, June 28 — Dirty Heads

Trailhead Trivia

What gives the iconic red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, their vibrant color?

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Answer!

Iron oxide in the sandstone! The deep red hue comes from iron oxide (rust) coating the sandstone, creating those signature glowing cliffs that light up at sunrise and sunset