April 7, 2017 – After discussing the impacts of what the impending storm is sure to bring on Friday and Saturday, the Tahoe Hotshots have regretfully decided to cancel the 2017 Hotshot Half. The storm is going to bring 3-5″ of rain combined with 40-60 mph winds.
We cannot stomach putting hundreds of people on the Bullards Bar Trail system and feel good about their safety. Even though most of us love running through mud and rain, from a liability standpoint we have to do whatever it takes to keep people safe.
This decision was not made lightly and was incredibly difficult to make. Cancelling a race we committed to holding is leaving us feeling defeated. We apologize for all of the inconveniences this is causing. We recognize people are coming from out of town and have to cancel reservations and even flights. But please know the efforts that you are now having to re-route are exactly what make this weekend so special for us.
To the runners who have ran every year to the first timers that signed up, it is incredibly disheartening to not be able to see you all this weekend.
The Hotshot Half, in honor of Mike Kelly, is more than a race…it’s an event. People come from far and wide to support the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, the local Volunteer Dept’s, the Tahoe Hotshots, and the Kelly family. From the effort of the volunteers to the spirit of the runners and the laughs coming from the campgrounds late into the night, the Hotshot Half has truly been a special time of year at Bullards Bar. The Tahoe Hotshots want to thank all of the supporters, runners, volunteers, sponsors and firefighters for the continued support of the event and we look forward to hosting again in the future.
There will be no rescheduling of the event for this year. Fire season is too close and the crew has too much work to do in order to prepare for the upcoming season.
As far as refunds go, we are ironing out details with RunSignUp but runners can expect a close to full-refund in the next couple of days. Some have already inquired about donating their refund to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation and that is totally up to you. We will refund all the money and you can choose to do what you want after that.
Again, thank you and we look forward to seeing you all in the future.
The Tahoe Hotshots