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Special Considerations
Safety
Rattlesnakes
Rattlesnakes are a real and present danger. You should always be aware of where you are putting your hands and feet, especially in rocky areas. In the event of any snake bite, immediate evacuation will be necessary.
Bears
Grizzly and black bears roam Wyoming and parts of the course will have you in bear country. You must carry bear spray with you in these areas (as indicated in the Rules of Travel) and know how to use it. You can learn more about how to prevent and handle bear encounters here.
Bears usually avoid people, so if you stay with your team and make noise, bears likely will avoid you. Be aware of your surroundings and look for evidence that bears have been in the area such as tracks, scat, or overturned logs. Know that dusk and dawn are when bears are most active.
We have arranged for a local store in Casper to have bear spray on hand. Visit Gear Up and Get Out There at 254 W 1st St, Casper, WY 82601 (phone 307-235-6353). Single cans will cost about $50 and double cans about $80 (you can split the double pack with a team to save money). Mention that you are here for the race and they will give you 10% off any regular priced item, including the bear spray.
Eating and Drinking
During the race you will constantly hear us reminding you about hydration and nutrition. Expect high temperatures and very dry conditions on some sections. We have ensured that water refilling options are available. These may be through potable water sources or water that will need purification. We expect most of our medical incidents to be heat and dehydration related. It is up to you to make sure that these incidents are few and far between.
High Winds
During August the winds are expected to die down somewhat. They generally blow west to east and can at times gust up to 80 miles per hour. This becomes a concern when riding on open roads, paddling on open water, and being on exposed ridges and in wooded areas. We do have alternate routes planned in the event that we determine high winds create conditions that are too dangerous for open-water paddle sections. Once again, it is something that you need to be aware of when planning routes and when you are racing.
Lights
You need to ensure that your lighting system is bright and highly visible both from the front and rear and is capable of running for up to 12 hours. Charging stations will be provided to charge batteries at select transitions. Bike helmets are required to have reflective tape on the back, and your packs should have some form of reflective material or tape on it to make it as visible as possible at night. These requirements/items are part of the mandatory gear list.
Environmental
You will be passing through some environmentally protected areas, and we have assured all the agencies and owners of the land we will be crossing that the adventure racing community is fully invested in protecting the environment and that our racers are a caring bunch when it comes to all things to do with nature. In certain areas you will be required to dismount to cross streams, use particular routes of travel, and ensure that gates are closed to help with environmental protection. Please ensure that you follow any volunteer directions and rules of travel to ensure we keep the adventure racing community name in good stead.
The Wyoming Weed & Pest Council, a race sponsor, will brief participants at the race start regarding your part in helping their efforts with CleanPlayGo to prevent the spread of invasive species. Please visit www.playcleango.org to learn more.
Wyoming, like other midwestern states, has been badly hit with the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic. You will see signs of this as you pass through the state. Please educate yourself on how to help minimize the spread of these beetles and how the epidemic affects your safety.
You are NOT permitted to have open fires at any time, unless there is an extreme emergency or medical situation (hypothermia) that warrants one. Camp stoves are permitted in TAs.
Wyoming offers a wide variety of terrain and you will experience a lot of what it has to offer, including mountains and high desert. For most of the race you will be above 5,000 feet, much of it uninhabited and isolated. At some points during the race you can expect to be as much as 60 miles from civilization, making management of team resources and health key to safety and success. Parts of the course will have you climbing up to 10,000’ in elevation.
Water will be available at the majority of the TAs. There are plenty of opportunities to refill water along the course. It is a requirement that teams have a method to treat water so that you can take advantage of “natural” water resources. Water stations may be provided along the course where natural or manmade water sources are not available.
Racers must follow leave no trace principles (cat method) for human waste in the event there are no sanitation facilities: Deposits should be made in a hole dug with a trowel or shoe heel to a depth of at least 6 inches and at least 100 feet from water. The hole should be covered when done, leaving no trace.
