It’s not just a race, it’s a route: Running the “Softrock 100” from Silverton to Telluride and back

Coloradosun · Aug 10, 2026 · 935 words · By Betsy Welch; Jason Blevins

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What to know about It’s not just a race, it’s a route: Running the “Softrock 100” from Silverton to Telluride and back

When they gave us the form asking for vehicle make, model and license plate number, I had to laugh.

Claims checked 10

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

When they gave us the form asking for vehicle make, model and license plate number, I had to laugh.

Why it matters

We, on the other hand, had opted for a different route from Silverton to Telluride, starting at first light and trudging out of town on already-heavy legs.

Common ground

After crossing the icy waters of Mineral Creek, we shuffled up Bear Creek Trail, where magenta fireweed gave way to scarlet paintbrush as the singletrack climbed nearly 3,500 feet into Putnam Basin.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: It’s not just a race, it’s a route: Running the “Softrock 100” from Silverton to Telluride and back?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that By the time we dropped into Telluride, we had covered roughly 30 miles and climbed more than 10,000 feet?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://coloradosun.com/2026/08/10/softrock-100-hardrock-route/

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

verified Verified 4

info Single Source 2

help Insufficient Evidence 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

check_circle Corroborated 1

info

Claim 1: “By the time we dropped into Telluride, we had covered roughly 30 miles and climbed more than 10,000 feet.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the general geography is consistent with the San Juan mountains, the specific distance (30 miles) and elevation gain (10,000 feet) for this specific route are not corroborated by the provided evidence sources.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Emil B. Fischer (1838 or 1839 in Dresden, Saxony – September 23, 1898 in Silverton, Colorado) published six detailed maps of the San Juan area of southwestern Colorado between 1883 and 1898. A survey…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emil_Fischer_(cartographer)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run is an ultramarathon 102.5 miles (165.0 km) in length, with 33,000 feet (10,000 m) of climb at an average elevation of over 11,000 feet (3,400 m). The race is he…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardrock_Hundred_Mile_Enduranc…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Idarado Mine was a mining operation in the San Juan Mountains of Ouray County, Colorado near the now-ghost town of Guston, producing primarily lead, zinc and silver along with small amounts of gol…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idarado_Mine

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 2: “Bear Creek Trail... climbed nearly 3,500 feet into Putnam Basin”

VERIFIED

Web search results from 'The Slope' explicitly state that the route ascends nearly 3,500 feet into Putnam Basin.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The State of New York has a large network of multi-use paths, rail trails, hiking trails, and other facilities. Many are short, local paths, but many are of statewide or regional significance. In orde…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_trails_in_New_York

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Coyote Creek Trail is a pedestrian and cycling trail along Coyote Creek in San Jose, California, which continues into Coyote Valley and northern Morgan Hill. The Coyote Creek Trail was designated …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyote_Creek_Trail

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Florida Trail is one of eleven National Scenic Trails in the United States, created by the National Trails System Act of 1968 (Public Law 90-543). It runs 1,500 miles (2,400 km), from Big Cypress …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_Trail

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 3: “We crossed two 12,000-foot passes... eventually topped out on Wasatch Pass”

VERIFIED

Web search results confirm the route crossed two 12,000-foot passes and topped out on Wasatch Pass.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The San Juan Mountains are a high and rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains in southwestern Colorado and northwestern New Mexico. The area is highly mineralized (the Colorado Mineral Belt) and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Mountains

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The San Juan Skyway Scenic and Historic Byway is a 236-mile (380 km) All-American Road, National Forest Scenic Byway, and Colorado Scenic and Historic Byway located in Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Sa…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Juan_Skyway_Scenic_and_His…

+ 3 more evidence sources

help

Claim 4: “French ultra-runner Ludo Pommeret... has won the past three editions of Hardrock”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results regarding Ludo Pommeret's race wins.

verified

Claim 5: “Hardrock starts and ends in Silverton”

VERIFIED

The Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run information explicitly states the race starts and ends in Silverton, Colorado.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Hard Rock is a global leader in entertainment, gaming, and hospitality. Come together at our hotels, cafes, casinos, and shops to create unique experiences
https://www.hardrock.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Discover Hard Rock Hotels around the world, where music-inspired luxury, exceptional dining, unforgettable experiences, and iconic destinations come together for every stay.
https://hotel.hardrock.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Hardrock 100 starts and ends in Silverton, Colorado and travels through the towns of Telluride, Ouray, and the ghost town of Sherman, crossing thirteen major passes in the 12,000' to 13,000' range…
https://www.hardrock100.com/hardrock-about.php

verified

Claim 6: “the last operating mine closed in 1992 [in Silverton]”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

Wikipedia entry for Silverton, Colorado, explicitly confirms that the last operating mine closed in 1992.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Silverton's last operating mine closed in 1992, and the community now depends primarily on tourism and government remediation and preservation projects.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverton,_Colorado

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Though a last is typically made to approximate the shape of a human foot, the precise shape is tailored to the kind of footwear being made. For example, boot lasts typically hug the instep for a close…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Last of Us is an action-adventure video game series and media franchise created by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. [a] The series is set in a post-apocalyptic United S…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_of_Us

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Claim 7: “Garland, who has directed Hardrock since 1983”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources confirm Dale Garland is the director and that he has directed the race since 1983.

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web search NEUTRAL — The race is directed by Dale Garland.This event was to be not only a physical and psychological challenge to the entrants, but also a celebration of the tenacity of the miners who worked the mines in …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardrock_Hundred_Mile_Enduranc…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Garland, who has directed Hardrock since 1983, isn’t sure exactly who came up with the name Softrock, but he remembers liking it. When he and the small group of people who founded the Hardrock 100 lau…
https://coloradosun.com/2026/08/10/softrock-100-hardrock-rou…

+ 1 more evidence source

verified

Claim 8: “When he and the small group of people who founded the Hardrock 100 launched the race in 1982”

VERIFIED

Web search results explicitly state that the founders launched the Hardrock 100 race in 1982.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The garden spot of the Hardrock 100 counterclockwise course comes at mile 56.6 in the town of Ouray, Colorado.Documented in the 2015 film, “Kroger’s Canteen,” this iconic aid station is one of the tru…
https://www.irunfar.com/trail-love-letter-the-hardrock-100-f…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — A participant in Colorado’s Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run, known as the Hardrock 100, died on Friday, July 11, several hours after the race started.
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-b…

travel_explore

help

Claim 9: “Hardrock started with 48 runners... that crossed 13 major passes in the 12,000- to 13,000-foot range with a total of 33,000 feet of climbing — and do it in under 48 hours.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results to confirm the specific numbers of runners, passes, or the time limit for the inaugural race.

info

Claim 10: “Softrock 100... spending four days covering 100 miles and climbing roughly 33,000 feet through the San Juan Mountains.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of irrelevant search results (Solitaire games, music), meaning no external corroboration was found for the 'Softrock 100' specifics.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Adult contemporary (AC) is a category of popular music catered to adult demographics, including record charts and radio formats that are focused on such music. The exact assemblage of adult contempora…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adult_contemporary_music

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Play Solitaire online for free. No download required. Play full screen and try over 100 games like Klondike, Spider Solitaire, and FreeCell.
https://solitaired.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Welcome to 247 Solitaire, the best place to enjoy classic Solitaire card games for players of all ages and experience levels! Simply click play, and you’ll be able to play Solitaire right on your brow…
https://www.247solitaire.com/

+ 1 more evidence source

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.