Directions to Wellington Lake, 10 miles S.E. of Bailey, Colorado, on U.S. Hwy. 285 (Bailey, Colorado, is about 45 miles west of Denver). Drive time from C-470 and Hwy. 285 is about 1 hour. The drive from Bailey to Wellington Lake is only 10 miles, but on dirt roads. It takes about 25 minutes from Bailey to Wellington Lake.
BUFFALO CREEK TRIATHLONS
SWIM COURSE: 1 mile; Beach start; 2 wave starts; Do two ½ mile triangular loops with a beach run (about 25 yards) between each ½ mile loop.
BIKE COURSE: 20 mile; Lollipop figure 8. Description (refer to maps):
Forest Service (FS) Road 543, dirt road (open to motorized vehicles), steep downhill, about 3 miles
FS Road 550, dirt road (open to motorized vehicles), gradual uphill, .25 mile.
Spur to Gashouse Gulch Trail, dirt road, uphill, .25 mile.
Gashouse Gulch Trail, single-track, steep uphills, 1.8 miles.
Miller Gulch Trail, dirt road (closed to motorized vehicles) 1.5 miles.
FS Road 553, dirt road (open to motorized vehicles), 2 miles
Skipper Trail, single-track, ups and downs, 1.6 miles
Homestead Trail, dirt road (closed to motorized vehicles) .3 miles
Miller Gulch Trail, dirt road (closed to motorized vehicles) .1 mile
Gashouse Gulch Trail, single-track, .6 mile
Baldy Trail, single-track, mostly downhill, 2.7 miles
Gashouse Gulch Trail, single-track, gradual uphill, 1.5 miles
End of figure 8, back onto “lollipop” return on FS Roads 550 and
543 to Wellington Lake.
RUN COURSE: Approximately 5 miles; around the lake; dirt trails, some dirt road and beach.
BUFFALO CREEK SHORT COURSE TRIATHLON
Swim Course: 1/2 mile (one loop)
Bike Course: 10 miles; "Lollipop" (4 mile loop at end of 3 mile out and back section Description (refer to previous map):
Forest Service (FS) Road 543, dirt road (open to motorized vehicles), steep downhill, about three miles (same as Xterra course).
FS Road 550 east (opposite of XTERRA course, turn right, not left!), dirt road (open to motorized vehicles), flat, about .25 mile.
FS Road 543 (starts again), dirt road (closed to motorized vehicles), flat, about 1.5 miles (follows Buffalo Creek into flood area).
Spur to Gashouse Gulch Trail, single-track, .1 mile to intersection of Baldy Trail and Gashouse Gulch Trail.
Gashouse Gulch Trail, single-track (you are now on the last section of the XTERRA Bike Course), gradual uphill, 1.5 miles.
Spur to FS Road 550, dirt road (open to motorized vehicles), downhill, .25 mile
FS Road 550, dirt road (open to motorized vehicles), gradual downhill, .25 mile
FS Road 543, end of lollipop, and return to Wellington Lake, 3 miles.
Run Course: 2 1/2 miles; Loop from transition area to waterfall, then back to transition finish line; dirt trails, dirt roads, and beach.
YOUTH COURSES:
(All lengths approximate)
Juniors: (ages 7 – 10)
Swim: 50 yards
Bike: 1 1/2 mile; All within Wellington Lake property; dirt roads within campground.
Run: 1/2 mile; dirt roads within campground, and sandy beach
Seniors: (ages 11 – 14)
Swim: 100 yards
Bike: 2 1/2 miles; All within Wellington Lake property, dirt roads withing campground.
Run: 1 mile trail run; dirt roads within campground, and sandy beach
