Pacer explains what it's like to run Moab 240 as 70 runners and volunteers are rescued

MOAB — At least 70 ultramarathon runners and volunteers were rescued after they were stranded due to floodwaters while running the Moab 240 on Saturday.

The runners and volunteers were forced to stay in an area near Bridger Jack Mesa when a storm hit parts of the marathon and made Cottonwood Creek unsafe to pass through, according to Destination Trail, the organizer for Moab 240.

Moab 240 is a 241.8-mile-long ultramarathon where runners go through areas surrounded by Canyonlands and Arches National Park. Andrea Christensen was pacing her friend during this year's sold-out marathon when she decided to keep a close eye on the weather throughout the race.

"The whole morning I was just like looking at the sky, waiting. When is it going to kick in? How bad is it going to be?" Christensen said. "Because last year, it was stormy and there was a lot of mud, and people get cold, but they know, signing up for this race, that they're signing up for all potential conditions."

With a race like this one, Christensen said all runners and their pacers have required gear to stay safe, like pants, an insulated layer, a waterproof jacket, gloves, and anything else the pacer or runner can carry on them.

Even though she was prepared for the worst and was watching the weather closely, Christensen said Saturday started out well.

"It was beautiful for hours and hours and hours on Saturday with a little bit of sprinkling here and there," Christensen said. "It started to rain pretty significantly for about 20 minutes when my runner and I were at Bridger Jack. That was probably around noon or 1 p.m., but then it cleared out, and it was nice again."

Freezing rain finally poured down on Christensen and her runner by the time the two reached Shea Mountain. The area where the runners were located provided no coverage due to the Babylon Fire, which took out many trees in the area and created a burn scar, making traction difficult.

"You're climbing this big steep mountain that's pretty exposed from the fire. You know, there's no leaves on these trees. We saw lightning. The mountain was so slick. The mud was so slick that it was scary going up," Christensen said. "And then for miles, we had a descent into the next aid station into Shea Mountain and the mud, again, it was so slick."

Up to this point, Christensen and her runner had discussed how certain they were to get through the race, but within the last couple hours of the race, that discussion changed.

"I shifted, and I was like, 'But safety first. Like, if it becomes unsafe out here or you ever feel unsafe or you can't get warm, you drop because, you know, no goal is worth your safety and other runners' safety,'" Christensen said. "And I was telling him like, 'If I was in charge of this race, I would be canceling it, feels so dangerous right now.'"

Little did Christensen know, 70 runners and volunteers would be isolated Saturday night, forcing runners to turn around and head back to an aid station called Bridger Jack Aid Station. Destination Trail decided to keep the runners at the aid station overnight, where the race ended for those who were trapped, according to a Destination Trail Instagram post.

In addition, Destination Trail asked the public not to attempt to pick up trapped runners due to bad road conditions from the floods. A team with Destination Trail had delivered additional supplies to the Bridger Jack Aid Station ahead of the storm, according to the Instagram post, which stated all runners and volunteers had access to heated tents, hot food and drinking water.

Grand County Emergency Services were notified by Destination Trail on Saturday. Early Sunday, a helicopter was surveying the area to see where runners could safely exit. By 11 a.m., buses were sent out to pick up the stranded runners after responders escorted them out of the area, according to an updated Instagram story from Destination Trail.

Runners were dropped off at Sun Outdoors Arches Gateway, located at 1773 N Highway 191 in Moab where runners could be picked up.

Destination Trail asked people not to attempt to meet buses on Highway 211 in case the roadway was needed for emergency vehicles. In addition, drivers were asked to park at the Aarchway Inn or at the Lions Park to pick up runners.

"We know this isn't how anyone hoped Moab 240 would go. So many of you trained for months and traveled a long way to be here, and we're truly sorry the race ended this way," Destination Trail said. "Sometimes the weather has other plans, and when it does, everyone's safety has to come first. Thank you for your patience, your grace, and the way you looked out for each other last night and today."

Destination Trail also thanked a deputy and local responders who got everyone out safely.

"I know they make it clear that people are signing up for all weather conditions that you need to have what you need to survive in all weather conditions, but at some point it does feel unnecessarily risky to have people out there," Christensen said. "So when I came home and saw that there were a bunch of runners stopped at Bridger Jack, that there was flash flooding, that now people are there for hours and hours and hours shivering. That to me just kind of reinforced that."

Christensen said she's volunteered at Bridger Jack before and explained how even on a good day, it can be difficult for a four-wheel drive vehicle to get into that area. As Moab 240 continued, Christensen decided to head home at Mile 115, while her runner decided to keep going.

"Everybody who was past that point in the race is being allowed to continue, and it looks like weather conditions are maybe going to be okay for a while," Christensen said. "So we'll see. And in the meantime, just really helpful that everybody at that aid station is doing okay, is warm, gets out soon and safely."

Contributing: Bryanna Willis

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