Race Registration Transfer
Transfer of registration from one person to another will be allowed until September 9th. All transfers must be delivered to the Ute
Mountaineer, 210 S. Mill St, Aspen, CO 81611. In order to transfer your registration, you must supply the following: 1) a letter
from the original participant stating the transfer, the name of the new participant and contact information of original participant.
2) A completed registration form for the new participant and 3) a $10 transfer fee (cash or check made out to the Ute Mountaineer)
To download a pdf registration, click here.

 The City of Aspen has set up a Facebook page to help people hook up for registration transfers.
 Click here for the link to that page.

The new participant will have to reimburse the original participant for any race fees. Refunds will not be issued by the race
organizer. Any transfer information that is not complete or is received at the Ute Mountaineer after September 9th will be sent
back to the return address on the envelope.

PLEASE NOTE: The race organizers have the right to disqualify any participant attempting to sell or buy entry (via
transfer) into the race at a price higher than the original purchase price. These participants will also be prevented
from entering future Golden Leaf Marathons. Please read waiver agreement when signing up.

Maximum Race Participation / Waves

Maximum Participation: 1000

Waves
Due to the number of participants, 6 wave starts have been implemented for 2011. The waves will start 5 minutes apart: Wave 1
@ 8:30, Wave 2 @ 8:35, Wave 3 @ 8:40, Wave 4 @ 8:45, Wave 5 @ 8:50, Wave 6 @8:55. You can determine which wave you
are in when you pick up your bib or check back here for wave postings the week of the race. Wave placement will be based on
historical and estimated finish times. All registrations received after Sunday 9/11 (including race day registrations) may be placed
in a later wave if other waves are full.

Historical Time: Previous Golden Leaf times will be used for wave placement unless the runner has has not participated in this
event before. Historical times will be looked at for all competitors.

Estimating Your Time: Typically you can add 30 minutes to road half marathon with no elevation gain (more if you are
unaccustomed to an elevation of 8000 feet). Another way to estimate your time is to compare yourself to how racers finished in
2010. Out of 791 finishers in 2010, the following results were achieved:  1st place - 1hr 27min; 50th place - 1:52; 100th place -
2:02; 197th place (top 1/4) - 2:12; 395th place (middle of the pack) - 2:27; 593rd Place (top 3/4) - 2:47. Please try to be realistic
with your time as this will allow the waves to work properly and reduce congestion on the course. 

If a time is not entered, participant will be placed in the final wave.

Race Packets
Race packet pick-up is available at the Ute Mountaineer on Thursday 9/22 9am-8pm and Friday 9/23 9am-4pm and at the
Silvertree Hotel in Snowmass Village (race start) on race morning 7-8:15am.

Timing Chips
Timing chip are MANDATORY. Chips can only be picked up on race morning from 7-8:15am at the Silvertree Hotel in Snowmass
Village (race start).  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 32 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 is also the possibility that the United States Forest Service can cancel the race if the trail conditions
could lead to irreparable damage to the trail or safety issues. 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 will begin at 12:15pm after the race and raffle will begin at 12:30pm. 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, there will be 6 wave starts. Wave placement will be based on historical and estimated finish times. Waves will
be posted prior to packet pick-up the week before the race. You can determine which wave you are in when you pick up your bib
or by checking back on this website.If you do not provide a time, you will be placed in wave 6. The waves will start 5 minutes
apart: Wave 1 @ 8:30, Wave 2 @ 8:35, Wave 3 @ 8:40, Wave 4 @ 8:45, Wave 5 @ 8:50, Wave 6 @ 8:55. 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. It is possible that aid station locations will change - cutoff times will change
correspondingly.

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). ***ATTENTION*** Course modification: West Government Trail has been permanently realigned
on the Snowmass Ski Area. The Golden Leaf will be following this new alignment (the old alignment has been closed for
revegetation. The trail turn-off (and the aid station) will now cut off about two hundred yards before the old turn-off and aid
station. It is still to the left (east). It follows a well cut and marked trail (called, again, Government Trail) until it meets the old trail
just before the broken down footbridge that was at the old two mile mark.

  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 1st 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.  ***ATTENTION*** Course modification: Instead of taking this trail to the left, which is closed for
revegetation, continue on about another 100 yards until you intersect the Elk Camp Road. Turn left and go downhill on the road
until you hit the Government Trail turn-off to the right. Take this to the right and you will be on the old race course alignment again.
There are many signs and maps here. The course then continues on as it has in the past.

  It goes 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.

Caution! This is a backcountry race course and contains many obstacles including embedded rock, loose rocks and dirt, roots,
water and more. In addition to possibly hazardous trail conditions, weather conditions can change rapidly in the Aspen Snowmass
area. Whereas there are volunteer medical personnel along the course and at aid stations, there is no guarantee of rescue or
medical attention. Each participant is ultimately responsible for their own rescue and preparation for course and weather
conditions.

 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. There will be signs directing you to the Silvertree Hotel Conference room where registration, bib pick-up,
etc. is located. The actual starting line is out on the ski area slopes at the end of the mall.

Directions to Finish: 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.

Parking in Snowmass Village: There is lots of parking in Snowmass Village. Lots 1-5, 8-13 are free and there is no time limit.
There is also underground parking below the new base village.

Shuttles:
RFTA bus Service is available to the start from the Rubey Park Transportation Center located on Durant Street in Aspen. Bus
service is free between Aspen and Snowmass Village. Times: 6:15am, 7am, 7:15am. It is available all day at :15 after the hour.
There will also be a school bus shuttle located in front of Wagner Park at 7:10am and 7:45am.

Lodging: For detailed lodging information in Aspen and Golden Leaf deals, please click here. Please mention that you are a
Golden Leaf participant. All rooms are on a first come first serve basis. In Snowmass Village, the Silvertree Hotel is offering rooms
 for $95/ night at the Silvertree and $79/night at the Wildwood. Please call 1-800-525-9402 and refer to the Golden Leaf. For more
options, visit www.stayaspensnowmass.com or call Stay AspenSnowmass at 877-831-5645. Please note that there is limited dining
in Snowmass at this time of year.

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.