Description

Come join us on an in-depth tour of the beautiful, remote, and awesome state of Wyoming at the three-and-a-half day Cameco Cowboy Tough Adventure Race. Now in its fourth year, this race will challenge individual’s and teams’ physical and mental endurance to the limit. You'll be tackling the eastern portion of the state, including biking and trekking through Medicine Bow National Forest and lots of paddling on the North Platte, all the while experiencing rugged and remarkable scenery you just can't get anywhere else but Wyoming.

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We are switching up the format this year and will no longer have End Of Day transitions with enforced "dark zones." We have worked to design the course so that you can race straight through. We will have cut-off times, meaning you are either short-coursed or are no longer allowed to keep going on the course if you fall too far behind. If you have been training appropriately, this should not be an issue.

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The Cameco Cowboy Tough is part of the AR World Series and a qualifier for the AR World Championships.  More information can be found at www.arworldseries.com

See Who Is Racing

Click here for the current roster

Location

Race Packet Pickup/Gear Drop

Crossroads Park

1101 N Poplar St

Casper, WY 82601

Pre-Race Brief/Host Hotel

Best Western Ramkota Hotel

800 N Poplar

Casper, WY 82601

Categories

• Two-person team (Female, Male, and Co-ed)

• Four person team (Female, Male, and Co-ed)

Fees

• Early registration is $800.00 per team member until December 31, 2015

• Regular registration is $1,000.00 per team member until February 28th, 2016.

• Late registration is $1,200 per team member until it closes or sells out.

The Cameco Cowboy Tough is part of the USARA series. An additional $8 race day fee (or proof of USARA membership) is required by USARA and can be paid on race day or during online registration.

Logistics

Shipping to Host Hotel

You can ship your bikes and gear to the host hotel in Casper. They are prepared to accept and keep it secure until you arrive. We recommend timing your shipping so that it has to be stored by the hotel for the minimum time possible until your arrival and pick up. Ship to:

Best Western Ramkota Hotel

800 N Poplar

Casper, WY 82601

Gear Transport from/to Virginia

The week before the race, we will be accepting gear for transport to Wyoming. We will transport your gear box and bike to and from the race for $50 per person (cash or check). Gear will need to be hand delivered to 7000 Gateway Court, Suite 310, Manassas, VA 20109 at least 12 days before the race start. SPACE IS LIMITED TO 6 SPOTS. (2 REMAINING).

Distance

Discipline               Miles

Bike                      30

Paddle                   17

Challenge               1

Paddle                   13

Trek                      4

Paddle                   44

Bike                      30

Paddle                  24

Bike                      45

Bike                      35

Trek                      13

Trek                      12

Bike                      35

Trek+Ropes            8

Bike                      44

Trek                      6

Bike                      43

Trek                      10

Bike                      15

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Distances & Disciplines

These distances are approximate and will vary depending on route choice, points collected, and challenges completed. You should be mentally and physically prepared to complete the minimum distances outlined above. Distances are subject to change depending on final course design, permit approvals, and private land access.

Schedule

Date/Time                  Activity                                            Location
July 13th - 11:00 am       Check-in opens, Team check-in & maps distributed    Crossroads Park
July 13th - 12:00-3:00 pm  Rappel skills check                                 Crossroads Park
July 13th - 12:00-3:00 pm  Mandatory gear check                                Crossroads Park
July 13th - 4:00-5:30 pm   Pre-race brief, walk through rules, course, Q&A     Ramkota Hotel
July 13th - 5:30-6:30 pm   Load all gear into transport                        Crossroads Park
July 14th - 6:00 am        Race starts on bike                                 Crossroads Park

July 14-17th - 24/7        Live large, have fun, stay strong                   All over Wyoming
July 17th - 5:00 pm        Dinner and awards ceremony                          Ramkota Hotel

Packet Pickup

Packet Pickup will be hosted at Crossroads Park 11:00am to 3:00pm, Wednesday, July 13. During packet pickup the team captain must be present, all forms must be completed for every team member, and fees must be paid for USARA membership if necessary. If you do not have all the forms for all team members, we will not give you your race packet until we have them in hand. During packet pickup you will receive T-shirts, sponsor giveaways, maps, rules of travel, ePunch, and race numbers.

USARA fees of $8 for a one-day race membership or $35 for yearly membership are required and can be paid at packet pickup.

Gear

As part of the AR World Series the Cameco Cowboy Tough uses a standard gear list collectively agreed upon across the whole series. This is tentative and will be finalized 4 weeks before the race. Click here for the mandatory gear list.

Mandatory gear will be checked during check-in July 13. Random checks on gear will be performed during the race. Penalty points will be assessed for any missing items. These items are not all inclusive of items you will need to complete the race. Bring other equipment as appropriate to get through the event.

Qualifier

ARWS, USARA, & NAARS

The Cameco Cowboy Tough is part of the ARWS, USARA, and North American Adventure Racing Series. If you are competing in this series, you are responsible for registering your team with those organizations. Some additional information on the different race series follows:

The Adventure Racing (AR) World Series unites in competition the world's best endurance athletes at premiere AR World Series Qualifier adventure race events around the globe.

Each international Qualifier event in the AR World Series sets a unique expedition race course to test mixed teams of four for up to 10 days of nonstop racing in the disciplines of trekking, mountain biking, kayaking, navigation, and more. www.arworldseries.com.

USARA is the longest-running series. You can register your team to be part of the series at www.usara.com. Finishing teams will earn points toward rankings in the series. www.USARA.com

The North American Adventure Racing Series, or NAARS, is an expanding series that has different events across the United States. www.northamericanar.com

Transitions

Gear Boxes

The required gear box is the 35-gallon Action Packer. If you feel you do not need this much space, you may also use the 25-gallon version of the Action Packer. These boxes are required so that they fit correctly in the mobile TA. If you do have an alternate gear box that you like to use, you may do so as long as the dimensions are smaller or the same as the 35-gallon Action Packer (Note: Dimensions, not capacity). All your team members must also use the same style box if they are not using the Action Packer. The gearboxes must be stackable. Dimensions must be equal or less than 35.75”x19.812”x17.687” (LxWxH). If your box is larger than this, it will not be accepted. If you have any doubts, use the Action Packer.  . An alternate to the Action Packer is the HDX 27 Gal tote. (Black bin with yellow lid)

Bike Transport

Your bikes and gear will be moved along the course in the back of a truck. Your bike will be transported twice during the race. This year we will be transporting bikes in box trucks. (We will not be using the mobile TA as in previous years.) Your bikes will be loaded and unloaded by our support staff. The staff will take upmost care to ensure your bike is not damaged, but with that said, if you have any concerns regarding your bike, please feel free to use a bike box per ARWS standards.  If using a box, you will need to assemble and disassemble your bike to fit in the box. A bike box is not mandatory.

Maps

Checkpoints that require plotting will all be on maps with scales at 1:24,000 and 1:63,360 with UTM grid markings. Primary maps will be on waterproof paper. Rev3 Adventure also will provide supplemental maps of varying scales. All mandatory points will be pre-plotted. Most, if not all, optional points will require plotting using UTMs. All UTM coordinates for all points will be provided during check-in. You will know all your course options before you start. This will allow you to plan your route carefully with no surprises.

Biking

Road and Cyclo Cross bikes are not permitted. Racers must use the same bike throughout the entire race. In the event of mechanical failures, replacement parts can be used but they must be provided by the team, other racers, or an event official. No outside assistance is allowed. Bikes will not be checked for mechanical worthiness, but we recommend your bike be in good working order; you are going to put some miles on it.

Paddling

The boating section will be on both running (Class I or less) and flat water. Boats and associated gear will be transported during the race. All boats and paddle gear will be provided (one canoe per two team members). Boats are Mad River Adventure 16’ Canoes and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the put-in. Personal paddles and PFDs are allowed and will be transported for you. Non-4 person coed teams are allowed to bring their own boats (please let me know if you plan to do this). All boats coming from outside Wyoming will have to go through an AIS inspection during check-in, but it is ideal to have have them check at the state line.

There are two portage sections at TA04. The first is just under a mile and is mandatory for all teams. The second portage is also at TA04 but is only required if you plan on extending your paddle section. This portage is around 2 miles. All portage sections are on paved roads. Portage wheels are recommended. (You will need to transport the wheels during the paddle section. The wheels will be transported for you when you are not paddling. They do not have to fit in your paddle gear bag, but they should be labeled with your team number.) 

Ropes

This year’s ropes section consists of a rappel and an optional ascent. The ascent will earn an additional point. The ascent and rappel are classed as easy with little exposure and will be on a slab.  If you want to try doing an ascent during a race, here’s your chance.  We will have three lines set up for each discipline. Teams will be assigned one line. Our expectations are that you are proficient and have experience rappelling and, if you choose to do it, ascending. We will be performing a skills and gear test during check-in to make sure you know how to put on your harness securely, connect your rappel device to a rope, and then maneuver into a rappel position and control descent.  If it has been a while since you last rappelled, please take some time in the next few weeks to familiarize yourself with your gear and rappelling technique.  SROM will be there for safety and ropes management.  They are not there to provide instruction. You will have the option to skip the ropes section with a time penalty.

We will be providing helmets for the ropes section so you will not need to transport that item during the race. You will need to provide mandatory gear for rappelling and ascending as per the mandatory gear list.  If ascending, you must use two mechanical ascenders--one secured to your harness, the other for foot loops.

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.

Other Wildlife. You will be traveling through remote areas that are the native habitat for bears, mountain lions, moose, elk, and other large wild animals.  These animals are usually timid and will disappear out of sight as you travel through their territory but in some cases they can stand their ground and attack. Be constantly aware of your surroundings; you do not startle a wild animal.

Eating and drinking. During the race you will constantly hear us reminding you about rehydration 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 July 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. Rev3 Adventure will provide a charging station to charge batteries at the end-of-day transition. More information will be available closer to the race. Bike helmets must 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.

Environment

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.

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 effects 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 the end of day TAs.

Rules

ARWS General Rules

Cowboy Tough General Race Rules

ARWS rules are superceded by any rule in the Cowboy Togh General Race Rules and the Rules of Travel. Rules of Travel will be supplied during packet pickup.

Lodging

The host hotel is:

Best Western Ramkota Hotel

800 N Poplar

Casper, WY 82601

http://ramkotacasper.com/

Phone: (307) 266-6000

To receive the discounted CCT team rate of $84.00, you must call to reserve. Let them know you are racing the Cameco Cowboy Tough and mention code "TEAM."

Post-Race Food

Make sure you stay for the delicous food that will be served during the awards ceremony on Sunday, July 17, at 5 pm at the Ramkota Casper. 

Tracking and Results

We will be using Yellow Brick and Open Tracking for team tracking. The tracking pages will become live after check-in on Wednesday, July 13, 2016. We will share the link on our Facebook page so all your fans can follow your progress through Wyoming.

Prizes & Awards

Prize money is generously donated by the event sponsor, Cameco Resources. First place 4-person coed team will receive $5,000, second place will receive $3000, and third place will receive $2000. Top 3 in all divisions will receive generous prizes from our sponsors.

All other divisions will receive prizes generously donated by our sponsors.

Forms

• Liability waiver and photo release (Must be completed by all racers before race packets are distributed to the team)
• USARA one-day membership and USARA release form (Must be completed by all racers before race packets are distributed to the team)
• Medical History Form (Must be completed by all racers before race packets are distributed to the team)

All racers will be required to purchase a race-day USARA membership for $8.00, already have a valid USARA membership, or purchase a 1-year membership ($35). Please bring exact change or check.

Volunteer

We are always looking for a select few talented volunteers to help with the Cameco Cowboy Tough Adventure race.  To be part of the Cameco Cowboy Tough volunteer crew this is what you need to know.

Who are you?

Volunteer responsibilities

What you get

Environment

Think you have what it takes?  Click here to to become part of the crew.

Cancellation and Transfer Policies

Click here for information.

FAQ

We have posted an extensive list of Frequently Asked Questions on the Adventure Enablers web site. Please check this page if you have any questions regarding the race. If you don’t find the answer or need clarification, feel free to email info@adventureenablers.com.