70 ultramarathon runners evacuated after heavy rain strands them in Utah

About 70 runners and volunteers participating in Utah's Moab 240 ultramarathon were evacuated from the rugged outdoor race course on Sunday after being stranded overnight by a heavy rainstorm, authorities said. The San Juan County Sheriff's Office coordinated with race organizers to assist the group, who had been unable to safely leave the affected areas.

Stranded near Bridger Jack Mesa

The runners were isolated near Bridger Jack Mesa in the Bear Ears National Monument after a strong storm moved through the area on Saturday, flooding and washing out roads near Cottonwood Creek, according to Destination Trail officials. The group returned to the nearest race station when they were unable to continue.

Destination Trail, which organizes and manages the race, stated in a social media post that additional supplies were delivered to the aid station ahead of the storm. "All runners and volunteers have access to heated tents, hot food, and plenty of drinking water," the statement reads. "While everyone at the aid station has shelter and essential supplies, road conditions have made access to the location unreliable at this time."

Evacuation completed

By 1 p.m. Sunday, all the runners and volunteers had been picked up by buses headed to the race headquarters in Moab. San Juan County officials confirmed they were all safely evacuated.

"We appreciate the efforts of the race organizers and emergency responders who worked together to bring this situation to a safe conclusion," county officials said.

Destination Trail expressed gratitude to local responders and apologized to the participants. "We know this isn’t how anyone hoped Moab 240 would go," the statement said. "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. Sometimes the weather has other plans, and when it does, everyone’s safety has to come first."

Weather context

The Moab 240 race is a 241.8-mile ultramarathon that takes runners through the desert, canyons, slick-rock formations and two mountain ranges, while surrounded by Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. The race started on Friday in Moab, Utah, and was slated to end on Tuesday.

While Source 2 attributes the specific road flooding in San Juan County to "a strong storm" moving through the area on Saturday, Source 1 notes that the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, which made landfall in Baja California, continued to sweep across the West on Sunday, fueling heavy rainstorms in Utah, Arizona and Nevada. County officials warned that flash flooding remains a concern in the area and reminded residents to monitor weather forecasts.

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Sources

• abcnews.com: 70 ultramarathon runners evacuated after being stranded by heavy rain: Officials - ABC News
• kjzz.com: 70 runners, volunteers safely evacuated after floods stranded them in San Juan County
• fox13now.com: Moab 240 Trail runners stuck near Bridger Jack Mesa due to flooding

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.