Ten Bears Den
The 10 Bears is awarded for mastering the sport of ultrarunning. It is a clock and a standing Grizzly Bear mounted on a large slab of native Montana juniper or cedar. It is earned by a runner who completes 10 Le Grizz events as a registered entrant. The runs do not need to be completed consecutively, and there is no time limit, but there is a penalty for not finishing: No credit for a completion. This award is unique in the sport of ultra running, as it takes at least 10 years to earn. Learning to run ultras is an undertaking that takes years, has nothing to do with accidentally finishing one's first ultra attempt, and is different for everyone. The 10 Bears Award is a measure of the commitment, perseverance, injury management and mental tenacity one must develop to persist in the sport. An occasional DNF or missed year is simply part of a runner's development. This award, unlike recognition for winning or setting a record time, emphasizes! finishing. It places a premium on the patience needed to incorporate necessary recovery periods (with their attendant physical deterioration) into one's lifestyle, to stop and smell the roses rather than just stop and smell. It provides incentive to learn pacing, or to tough it out when a fast time is not going to happen. And it makes one hell of a belt buckle.
The Chief 10 Bears Award
The Chief 10 Bears Award enhances membership in the 10 Bears Den by recognizing lifetime achievement. It is conferred on a runner with 20 completions.
Mark Totman
Year of Award: 1998
Years to Earn Award: 11
Age Award Achieved: 43
Hometown: Spokane WA
Performance Data
1988 7:30:09
1989 8:12:08
1990 8:16:24
1991 7:21:29
1992 7:31:20
1993 7:22:42
1994 7:17:07
1995 7:46:42
1997 7:30:22
1998 7:44:34 – 10 Bears awarded
1992
Mark Tarr
Year of Award: 1999
Years to Earn Award: 10
Age Award Achieved: 37
Hometown: Whitefish & Columbia Falls MT
Performance Data
1990 6:29:12
1991 5:53:57 – Men’s Overall Winner
1992 6:00:37 – Men’s Overall Winner
1993 5:51:21 – Men’s Overall Winner
1994 5:38:26 – Men’s Overall Winner
1995 6:13:03
1996 5:34:38 – Men’s Overall Winner Men’s Course Record
1997 5:55:30 – Men’s Overall Winner
1998 6:02:42 – Men’s Overall Winner
1999 6:08:43 – 10 Bears Awarded
2000 6:17:17 – Men’s Overall Winner
2001 6:12:59 – Men’s Overall Winner
2002 6:27:02 – Men’s Overall Winner
2003 6:36:05 – Men’s Overall Winner
2004 6:32:45 – Men’s Overall Winner
2005 6:26:17 – Men’s Overall Winner
2006 6:41:43 – Men’s Masters Winner
2007 7:16:48
2008 Dropped @ 18 miles – dnf
2009 Dropped before checkpoint – dnf
2010 8:29:52
2011 8:10:33 – Chief 10 Bears Awarded
2012 Attended
2013 8:19:10
2014 Attended
2019 Entrant crew/Award presenter
2020 Attended
2021 Attended
1996
Will Aslin
Year of Award: 1999
Years to Earn Award: 16
Age Award Achieved: 52
Hometown: Spokane WA
Performance Data
1984 8:29:02
1985 8:19:03
1987 7:36:57
1988 7:26:23
1991 7:52:16
1993 9:03:53
1995 8:46:45
1997 9:01:29
1998 9:56:53
1999 9:50:42 – 10 Bears awarded
2001 9:49:43
2003 10:48:43
2009 11:11:37
1988
Mike Rembolt
Year of Award: 1999
Years to Earn Award: 13
Age Award Achieved: 49
Hometown: Spokane WA
Performance Data
1987 8:26:58
1988 8:17:20
1989 8:27:15
1990 8:03:07
1993 7:51:26
1994 10:13:23
1995 10:24:49
1996 8:09:28
1997 8:42:51
1999 9:01:34 – 10 Bears awarded
1988
Dennis Clute
Year of Award: 1999
Years to Earn Award: 10
Age Award Achieved: 46
Hometown: Spokane WA
Performance Data
1990 7:22:09
1991 7:33:27
1992 8:20:58
1993 7:57:57
1994 7:43:34
1995 8:07:09
1996 7:46:10
1997 7:47:57
1998 7:51:46
1999 8:09:39 – 10 Bears awarded
2000 8:51:32
2001 7:38:02
2002 8:03:05
2003 8:32:30
2004 8:10:43
2005 8:37:58
2006 8:37:46
2007 8:00:31
2008 8:15:28
2009 9:17:05 – Chief 10 Bears Awarded
2010 8:59:43
2011 Dropped @ 20 miles – dnf
2013 Event Staff/Entrant crew
2014 Entrant crew
2017 Entrant crew
2019 Entrant crew
2020 Entrant crew
1993
Mary Ann Clute
Year of Award: 1999
Years to Earn Award: 10
Age Award Achieved: 47
Hometown: Spokane WA
Performance Data
1990 9:39:48
1991 9:19:28
1992 8:45:43
1993 8:51:00
1994 8:55:48
1995 8:47:01
1996 9:16:53
1997 9:59:27
1998 9:27:31
1999 9:47:27 – 10 Bears awarded
2001 10:15:16
2002 10:26:06
2003 11:17:43
2004 10:24:07
2005 10:46:33
2006 9:49:47
2007 11:56:36
2008 10:06:05
2009 10:55:53
2010 11:01:40 – Chief 10 Bears Awarded
2011 10:09:04 – Women’s Seniors Winner
2013 11:10:25
2014 11:51:23
2017 12:31:49
2019 Entrant crew
2020 Entrant crew
1993
Jim Ballard
Year of Award: 1999
Years to Earn Award: 11
Age Award Achieved: 49
Hometown: Bozeman MT & Klamath Falls OR
Performance Data
1989 9:09:42
1991 10:49:20
1992 8:43:45
1993 9:43:44
1994 10:04:21
1995 9:16:58
1996 10:00:28
1997 11:26:34
1998 11:10:34
1999 10:43:01 – 10 Bears awarded
2001 11:41:52
2002 10:51:50
2004 10:24:07
2005 10:13:49
2006 12:16:18
2007 12:35:28
2009 13:47:02
2011 11:46:44
2012 11:43:33
2013 12:41:35 – Chief 10 Bears Awarded
2014 Entrant crew
2015 Entrant crew
2016 Entrant crew
2017 Entrant crew
2019 15:29:51
2020 Dropped @ 24 miles – dnf
2021 16:00:00
2022 dnf
2023 Checkpoint-Aid Station Staff
1999
Ron Warner
Year of Award: 2000
Years to Earn Award: 10
Age Award Achieved: 56
Hometown: Tacoma & Allyn WA
Performance Data
1991 8:16:15
1992 7:54:46
1993 7:43:13
1994 7:49:09
1995 8:31:21
1996 8:07:06
1997 8:27:12
1998 8:32:42
1999 9:16:02
2000 9:38:16 – 10 Bears awarded
2003 10:51:58
1997
Bob Haynes
Year of Award: 2000
Years to Earn Award: 10
Age Award Achieved: 69
Hometown: Bozeman & Absarokee MT, Bend OR
Performance Data
1991 11:17:29
1992 11:35:30
1993 11:18:08
1994 11:22:32
1995 11:42:58
1996 11:34:35
1997 11:40:29
1998 12:48:54
1999 15:04:30
2000 14:22:10 – 10 Bears awarded
2004 16:30:45
2005 no finish reported – dnf
2006 participated unregistered
2000
Dan Whittemore
Year of Award: 2002
Years to Earn Award: 13
Age Award Achieved: 50
Hometown: Alexandria NH
Performance Data
1990 8:23:56
1991 8:30:35
1993 8:52:06
1996 8:15:39
1997 8:06:25
1998 7:45:25
1999 7:30:16
2000 7:46:09
2001 7:43:29
2002 8:03:59 – 10 Bears awarded
2007 9:04:14
