Race organized by
Race sponsored by

   2009 Race Results click here.

 Chosen by Trail Runner Magazine as one of "America's 14 most scenic races", the Vasque Golden Leaf is one of the
 most beautiful foot races in the Rockies.  This 13.3 mile half marathon traverses from Snowmass Village to the heart
 of Aspen on mountain trails and roads at the height of Colorado's breathtaking fall colors.

  WAVE STARTS - Golden Leaf wave starts have been set.
                                     Please click here to view alphabetically.
                                     Please click here to view by waves.
               NOTE: WAVES ARE SET AND WILL NOT CHANGED

 Special Presentation: Thursday Sept 24, 7pm Duncan Callahan will present "The Joys of    Ultrarunning" talk and slide show with question and answer session. @ Ute Mountaineer for
more information, click here.

 REGISTRATION

Pre-registration ends at 4pm on 9/25/09. Race day registration is at the Aspen Skiing Co. Ticket Pavilion on the
Snowmass Village Mall from 7-8am. Online registration ends at 11pm 9/24/09. Online registration is paid with credit
card. All other Golden Leaf registration forms should be returned to Ute Mountaineer, 308 S. Mill St., Aspen, CO 81611
and be paid with cash or check (payable to Ute Mountaineer). Race day registration is at race start from 7-8am and
must be paid for with cash or check.

Vasque Donation: This year, Vasque will match any donation given to the Independence Pass Foundation as part of a
Golden Leaf Half Marathon registration. For more information about the Independence Pass Foundation, please click here.

Maximum Participation (800): Due to participation at the 2008 Golden Leaf, the race will have a cap on the number
of racers equal to 800.  Wave starts will be implemented to reduce congestion on the course - see information

Race Start.

RACE PACKETS
Race packet pick-up is at the Ute Mountaineer September 21 at 11am through September 25 at 4pm (during Ute
business hours) and during race day registration at the race start. Race packets will include a race t-shirt for the first 500
participants to pick up their packet.

TIMING CHIPS
Timing chip are MANDATORY. Pick-up will be from 7-8 AM at the race start on race day.  Lost chips will incur a
charge of $50.
******ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST OBTAIN A TIMING CHIP OR THEY WILL NOT RECEIVE A FINISH TIME.******

RACE CANCELLATION
The Golden leaf has been cancelled 1 time in 31 years (in 2006) - due to snow and treacherous conditions.  Under
such conditions, every effort will be made to hold the race, but the director reserves the right to delay, shorten or even
cancel the event.  There will be no refunds in the event of race cancellation. 

RACE RESULTS
Race results will be available after the races at the finish line, the Ute Mountaineer, and on this website on the
Monday following the race. Race results will be overall, by gender and by age group. The following age group
categories will be used: 13 & under, 14-18, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+.

For past race results, please click here.

AWARDS & RAFFLE
Awards ceremony and raffle begins between 11:30 and 11:45am after the race. Awards will be provided to the top three
male and female finishers (Cash: $150 1^st, $100 2^nd, $50 3^rd) as well as the top three finishers in each age group. 
All participants and volunteers are eligible for the raffle.

COURSE

Start: The race starts at 8:30 on Fanny Hill at the end of the Snowmass Village Mall. In an effort to reduce congestion on
the race course, wave starts will be introduced for 2009. Wave placement will be based on historical and estimated finish
times. Waves will be determined prior to packet pick-up the week before the race. You can determine which wave you are
in when you pick up your bib—the wave number will be written on the bib. If you do not provide a time, you will be placed
in wave 4. The waves will start 5 minutes apart: Wave 1 @ 8:30, Wave 2 @ 8:35, Wave 3 @ 8:40, Wave 4 @ 8:45. For
directions to the start, please see the "TRAVEL" section.

Finish: The finish line for the course is at Koch Park in Aspen.

Aid Stations: Aid stations with medical assistance and beverages will be available for the running race at approximately
1.5, 5.5 and 9 miles. These aid stations will be closed at approximately 1 hr, 1 hr 45 min and 3 hrs after the start of the
race respectively. We cannot stress enough that this is not a walking race and that participants should factor that into
their decision to participate in this race.

Course Map: To download a course map with GPS point, please click here.

Course Description:  The Golden Leaf starts on Fanny Hill just off the pedestrian mall in Snowmass Village at an
elevation of about 8650ft. The course climbs up a ski area access road along the Dawdler run for about 1 mile until a “T”
in the road. Turn left & follow this road a couple hundred yards to a pond where there is a fork in the road. Take the right
fork (the pond will be on your left) & ascend to the 1st aid station at about 1.5 miles (elevation approx. 9620 ft). The
Government Trail intersects the road at this point. Follow it to the east (left). The Government Trail is a single track that
contours the mountainsides between Snowmass & Buttermilk before descending to the outskirts of Aspen. The trail is
dirt with some obstacles (rocks, roots, etc.) and the terrain is hilly aspen forests & meadows. The 1^st  section is a rolling
descent across Snowmass Ski Area. At about 2.25 miles, the trail merges w/a  dirt road (Alpine Springs work road).
Proceed downhill on this road and look for the trail to your right after 100 yards. Just after three miles do a steady 100yd
climb up a ski run to an abandoned work road. Follow this road to the left and slightly downhill until you see the trail
resume again on your left. Follow the trail down a steep hill, cross the Elk Camp road & continue down a long gradual hill
to a meadow. Soon you will exit the ski area. Just before the five mile mark, there is a significant hill climb of about 300 ft.
(elevation approx. 9400 ft.). Shortly after, at about 5.75 mi., you are rewarded w/ an aid station followed by some relatively
flat to declining terrain.
  The next landmark is a Forest Service gate followed by a very rocky flat section (approximately 7 mi.). Subsequently,
the course begins a gradual descent across Buttermilk. Just before 8 miles, the trail begins an extended steeper descent
into Maroon Creek. One section of the downhill is a power line cut followed by an intersection with a service road.
Abandon the trail and follow the road for about 400 yards, even though the trail falls steeply off to the left. The 10 mile aid
station is on this short road section.
  The trail from the aid station diagonals across the ski slope following first a double track then a single track until it
leaves the eastern margin of the ski area. The trail then winds down to the Tiehack road which is followed to the north
until taking a hard right onto the Terral-Wade bridge. After crossing the bridge the route leaves the asphalt, taking a trail
to the left (thru the Moore Property). After about a mile running in the sage the route leads out onto the Maroon Creek
Pedestrian bridge, takes a left onto the bike path and takes the next left onto the Castle Creek Pedestrian bridge. On the
path leaving the bridge where it takes a hard left the route takes a hard right instead. Follow a single track by a pond on
the right. The path goes left here and diagonals to the community garden across the parapet/hanglider landing zone. The
route goes right where the access to the garden is on the left and follows double tracks to the bike path leading over the
Marolt bridge. Taking a left off of the bridge onto 7th street the route leads to Hopkins Ave. where it follows the adjacent
bike path a few blocks until the turn up to Little Cloud Park. After taking this turn, a hard left is taken onto the dirt path on
the old train right of way. The path is followed a few hundred yards to the finish line.

Course Profile:

TRAVEL

Directions to Start: From Hwy 82, turn south on Brush Creek Rd towards Snowmass Village. Follow Brush Creek Rd
until you hit the Main Bus Stop in Snowmass Village. The Snowmass Village Mall is on the same level as the bus stop.
Follow the mall to the end & the Aspen Skiing Company Ticket Pavilion.

Directions to Start: From Snowmass Village Follow Hwy 82 into Aspen where it becomes Main Street. Before the first of
4 consecutive traffic lights (just after the Molly Gibson Lodge and before Paepcke Park) turn right on Garmisch St. The
race finish is at Koch Park which is on the fourth block on your right.

Shuttles:
Bus service leaves Rubey Park (3 blocks from finish) in Aspen for Snowmass Village at :15 after the hour starting at 6am.
There will be 2 RFTA buses leaving Rubey Park at 7:15am on race morning. The Bus to Snowmass is free. There will
also be a school bus shuttle going to Snowmass at 7:10 and 7:45am the morning of the race. This bus will be parked one
block west of Rubey Park in front of Wagner Park. A gear shuttle will be available at the start of the race and will
transport gear bags to the finish line. We  highly recommend that people take the 7:10am and 7:15am buses to
Snowmass.

Lodging: For detailed lodging information and Golden Leaf deals, please click here.

Colorado Outdoor Recreation Search & Rescue (CORSAR) Card
Pitkin County requires that all participants obtain a valid CORSAR card for the date of the event. These are available in
Aspen at the Ute Mountaineer and the Tenth Mountain Hut Association.