Tropical Storm Rachel Strands Ultramarathon Runners in Utah Desert
Dozens of participants and volunteers were forced to shelter for 12 hours after a 240-mile race was canceled due to flash flooding.
Approximately 70 ultramarathon runners and volunteers were stranded for 12 hours in the Utah desert after the 240-mile Moab 240 race was canceled due to severe conditions brought on by Tropical Storm Rachel.
The race, which began on October 9, typically takes participants four days to complete as they navigate desert terrain, canyons, slick rock formations, and mountain ranges. However, by Saturday night, flash flooding near mile marker 96 blocked the course, making it unsafe for runners.
Runners returned to the Bridger Jack Aid Station, where they were provided with shelter, heat, food, and water. Conditions did not improve by Sunday morning, prompting race organizers, Destination Trail, to officially cancel the event due to hazardous conditions across other parts of the course as well.
Participant Brian Hamilton described the rain as intensely hard and the conditions as cold and windy, noting that tents were threatened by the gusts. "I’ve never been hit in the head so hard by rain before," Hamilton told Fox 13 Now. "We had to stay the night in the windy rain hoping the tents would not blow away and huddled in our emergency tinfoil bivvy bags."
Another participant, Troy Eid, described the aid station area as mostly open and exposed to the elements. "It was mostly open, and it was high, so it was cold. We were being buffeted by the rain," he told the outlet.
On Sunday, organizers worked with the San Juan County Sheriff's Office to evacuate the stranded individuals. The group had to hike four to five miles to reach a point where ATVs from the sheriff's office could assist. They were then transported by school bus to Moab.
By 9:30 p.m. on Sunday, all runners were accounted for. "This is not how anyone wanted the Moab 240 to end," Destination Trail stated. "Runners put months of training into getting here, and crews, pacers and volunteers invested an enormous amount of time and effort into supporting them. Destination Trail is deeply disappointed for everyone involved."
Tropical Storm Rachel also caused significant issues in California, leading to coastal flooding and the collapse of waterfront properties into the ocean. In Utah, the storm contributed to overflows of the Baker Dam and Santa Clara River, exacerbating flash flooding.