Weather
The weather in the Wyoming Range is fast and unforgiving. Even in mid-August, in the depths of summer, you can expect weather from all four seasons.
In our inaugural year, runners endured snow, sleet, thunderstorms, white-out conditions, and temperatures well below freezing. The following year, runners were once again treated to thunderstorms, but, instead of snow and sleet, they got a deep morning fog.
Use the Big Piney and Alpine forecasts, but take them with a grain of salt
It’s impossible to assess the weather in the Wyoming Range through a single forecast. The race covers nearly 100 miles, after all.
We recommend checking the Big Piney and Alpine forecasts as race day approaches — and taking both with a grain of salt. Generally, temperatures on the course are five to ten degrees below what’s observed in Big Piney and Alpine.
It will be cold at night
Irrespective of what season it might feel like during the day, be prepared for sub-freezing temperatures at night. You will spend plenty of time above 10,000’, which is why we have an extensive list of required gear.
Weather “holds” are non-negotiable
We equip all our aid station captains with a weather protocol. It is ultimately at their discretion — and their discretion alone — to determine if a weather “hold” is necessary. A weather hold is when we hold runners at an aid station because of undue risk, like lightening.
If you are subject to a weather hold, you must obey it. This is non-negotiable. If you sneak out of an aid station under a hold, we will disqualify you and permanently ban you from the race.
Any runners subject to a weather hold will have the hold time added to their cutoffs. If, for instance, you’re held at Wyoming Peak for 30 minutes, we will add 30 minutes to the McDougal Gap, Grizzly Basin, and Box Y cutoffs for you.
Don’t worry too much about snowpack
Although the Wyoming Range gets pounded with snow in the winter, it’s high unlikely there will be any snow on the course on race day. If you’re planning to run parts of the course before August, however, then you might find yourself traipsing across snow.
If you’re curious what the current snowpack is like on the course, here is the SNOTEL report from the Blind Bull station, which is within walking distance of the Blind Bull aid station. Blind Bull is at 8,700’.
Fires
Wildfires are common in and around the Wyoming Range
Wildfires are an increasingly common feature of the Mountain West. Every year, it seems, more and more ultramarathons are cancelled — or nearly cancelled — because of wildfires.
The Wyoming Range 100 is not immune. In three of our first six years, in fact, a wildfire broke out near the course. You can read about how we communicated these fires to our runners on our email updates page.
In the simplest sense, we will follow the Forest Service’s lead when it comes to wildfires. We will not take chances.
Smoke can cancel the race
Smoke from wildfires can cancel our race. An AQI that is consistently above 200-250 can warrant a race cancellation. An AQI above 300 is a guaranteed cancellation.