Runner: Coach TJ Harms-Synkiew
Name of “Event”: Twin Lakes Triple Crown – 3 Jewels of Twin Lakes, Colorado wrapped up into one adventure
Date(s) of event: 07/05/2026
Time to complete: 16 hours 16 minutes
Location: Twin Lakes, Colorado
Gear – What did you bring?
Standard trail running gear – pack, water, gels, snacks, etc.
Fuel – What did you consume and/or not consume?
I mostly consumed gels, drink mix and sprinkled in some dry snacks
Logistics – What kind of planning was involved for both prep and implementation?
We were both very familiar with this area, but we spent time using GPS apps to finalize our route and figure out where we’d leave each car.
Where to find the info on this:
We haven’t made a GPX file for this adventure but if you look up Hope pass to Winfield via Willis Gulch Trailhead (can just copy the Leadville 100 course for the most part), the loop around Twin Lakes and Mt. Elbert via the South Elbert trail, you’re most of the way there. Use a GPS app to connect those three routes together, it is very simple as there’s lots of trails around that would work, including the Colorado Trail, which touches this route at multiple points.
Feel free to reach out to me @harmssynkiew on Instagram for more info
What went “right” or at least how you expected it to go?
I had completed most of this route in separate parts, so I felt very familiar. This made navigation a non-factor which is always nice when embarking on an ultra-distance trail adventure. I also experimented with new shoes and my feet felt relatively fine the entire time.
I moved well through the night until around dawn.
What went “wrong” or completely unexpected that you had to deal with?
Fueling was awful. I worked 11 hours right before starting at an ice cream shop and fueled mainly on that the day before. I also forgot my extra gels on the first section and was significantly behind on nutrition by mile 20.
The smoke from the Willow Fire was very tough to deal with.
Lessons learned for either the next trip or another’s first trip?
Even if you’re busy, try to eat real food before an adventure. As much as I love ice cream, it will not help your cause.
If it is smoky or dusty, bring an extra buff, bandana, or something to cover your mouth.
Double and triple check to make sure you have everything in your pack before you leave.
There’s a time and place for caffeine – even if it’s earlier than you planned on taking it.
Everything else!
We started this adventure at midnight after I worked 11-hours. After we completed, I spent the next two days driving about 20-hours to Minnesota. Lots of naps were needed.
After coming down the back side of Hope Pass to Winfield, we discovered a trailhead for La Plata peak, which is another 14er in Colorado. This sparked the idea of maybe adding this as part of the adventure in the future and call it the Twin Lakes Grand Slam. Additionally, there are numerous routes up Mt. Elbert other than the South Elbert Trail that we did. The Colorado Trail also connects a few of these routes, providing opportunities for other epic adventures.
