The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is about 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long, though the exact length changes over time as parts are rerouted or modified. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy describes the Appalachian Trail as the longest hiking-only trail in the world. More than 2 million people are said to take a hike on part of the trail at least once each year.
Fell running, also sometimes known as hill running, is the sport of running and racing, off-road, over upland country where the gradient climbed is a significant component of the difficulty. The name arises from the origins of the English sport on the fells of northern Britain, especially those in the Lake District. It has elements of trail running, cross country and mountain running, but is also distinct from those disciplines.
Old Rag Mountain is a 3,284 feet (1,001 m) mountain near Sperryville in Madison County, Virginia. A part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the peak is located within Shenandoah National Park and is the most popular hiking destination within the park.
The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests is an administrative entity combining two U.S. National Forests into one of the largest areas of public land in the Eastern United States. The forests cover 1.8 million acres (7,300 km2) of land in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Approximately 1 million acres (4,000 km2) of the forest are remote and undeveloped and 139,461 acres (564 km2) have been designated as wilderness areas, which eliminates future development.
The Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon is a trail running competition that begins at the base of Pikes Peak, in Manitou Springs, Colorado, and climbs over 7,815 feet to the top of the 14,115 foot peak. Since 1956, the event takes place each year in late summer, with the Ascent taking place on Saturday, and the round-trip marathon on Sunday.
Elliott Knob is one of the highest mountains in the northern portions of the U.S. state of Virginia. At 4,463 ft (1,360 m), the peak is located on the ridge known as Great North Mountain. A subpeak known simply as "Hogback" is located 0.5 mi (0.80 km) to the southwest. A small, naturally growing stand of red spruce trees is on the summit, and the upper slopes also have yellow birch and sugar maple, indicating that the altitude is just high enough to support tree species normally found hundreds of miles to the north. Otherwise oak and hickory trees are the most common types found on the mountain. The mountain is entirely within George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.
The Western States Endurance Run, known commonly as the Western States 100, is a 100.2-mile (161 km) ultramarathon that takes place on California's Sierra Nevada Mountains trails each year on the last full weekend of June. The race starts at the base of the Olympic Valley ski resort and finishes at the Placer High School track in Auburn, California. The terrain is quite rugged, frequently showcasing snow on the highest passes and record hot temperatures throughout the course. Runners ascend a cumulative total of 18,090 feet (5500 m) and descend a total of 22,970 feet (7000 m) on mountain trails before reaching the finish. Because of the length, the race commences at 5 a.m. and continues through the day and into the night. Runners finishing before the 30-hour time limit for the race receive a commemorative bronze belt buckle, while runners finishing in under 24 hours receive a silver belt buckle.
The Hardrock Hundred Mile Endurance Run is an ultramarathon 100.5 miles (161.7 km) in length, with 33,000 feet (10,000 m) of climb at an average elevation of over 11,000 feet (3,400 m). The race is held on a loop course on 4WD roads, dirt trails, and cross country in Southern Colorado's San Juan Range, USA. The race is dedicated to the memory of the miners who settled in the area and who built the mining trails on which much of the race is run. The race is directed by Dale Garland.
Frozen Head State Park and Natural Area is a state park in Morgan County, Tennessee, in the southeastern United States. The park, situated in the Crab Orchard Mountains between the city of Wartburg and the community of Petros, contains some of the highest mountains in Tennessee west of the Blue Ridge.
The Shenandoah 100 is an ultra-endurance 100 mile (162 km) mountain bike race held in central Western Virginia near Stokesville. The race is normally held on the Sunday during Labor Day weekend. The race has been run continuously since 1998.
The Leadville Trail 100 Run is an ultramarathon held annually on rugged trails and dirt roads near Leadville, Colorado, through the heart of the Rocky Mountains. First run in 1983, the race course climbs and descends 15,600 feet (4,800 m), with elevations ranging from 9,200 to 12,620 feet. In most years, fewer than half the starters complete the race within the 30-hour time limit.
Reddish Knob of Shenandoah Mountain is one of the highest points in Virginia, rising 4,397 feet (1,340 m). A narrow, paved road reaches the summit from Harrisonburg, Virginia.
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail spans fourteen U.S. states during its roughly 2,200 miles (3,500 km)-long journey: Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The southern end is at Springer Mountain, Georgia, and it follows the ridgeline of the Appalachian Mountains, crossing many of its highest peaks and running almost continuously through wilderness before reaching the northern end at Mount Katahdin, Maine.
Tim Twietmeyer is an Auburn, California-based ultramarathon runner and an engineering manager at Hewlett Packard, in Roseville in the U.S. state of California. Twietmeyer is also an accomplished mountain biker, road cyclist, and retired almost-scratch golfer and swimmer. He is best known for his five victories and unprecedented 25 sub-24 hour finishes at the 100-mile (160 km) Western States Endurance Run.
The Virginia Headwaters Council (VAHC) is the local council of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) that serves Scouts in areas of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and West Virginia and areas of central Virginia.
Nikki Kimball is an American distance runner specializing in the Ultramarathon. She ran her first 100-mile race at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run in 2004, and was the female winner. She was the winning female at Western States again in 2006 and 2007, becoming only the third woman to win Western States three times. In 2014, she won the Marathon Des Sables multi-stage endurance race on her first attempt. Prior to running, her main sport was cross-country skiing. She was crewed at the 2007 Western States by U.S. Senator Max Baucus of Montana, where Kimball lives. She lives in Bozeman, Montana.
The Medoc Trail Marathon is a marathon, 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi) in length, held each October at Medoc Mountain State Park in Hollister, North Carolina. The race is run on a ten mile loop trail, with the second and third laps being run over a shorter version of the loop. The race is run in conjunction with a 10-mile run.
Marks Knob is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains, in the southeastern United States. It has an elevation of 6,169 feet (1,880 m), with 249 feet (76 m) of clean prominence. Its summit— located near the center of the Eastern Smokies amidst a dense stand of Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest— is a popular bushwhacking destination and one of the most difficult-to-reach summits of the Southern Sixers.
The Mountain Masochist Trail Run (MMTR50) is a 50-mile (80 km) ultramarathon that winds its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains. The course begins at the James River Visitor Center; runners cover a short out-and-back section on the Blue Ridge Parkway before completing a few short miles of road. The course then meanders northward over various dirt and gravel roads in the National Forest before runners have to negotiate the second half of the course. Leaving Long Mountain aid station, the second half includes dirt and old logging roads as well as several miles of single-track trail. Many say the race is just beginning when you leave Long Mountain. Upon reaching the last aid station at Porters Ridge, runners course downhill for 2.9 miles toward the finish in Montebello. The entire MMTR course traverses some of the most beautiful areas in the Blue Ridge right around peak fall foliage. The elevation climbs 9,200 feet and descends 7,000 feet.
The Zane Grey Highline Trail 50 mile Endurance Run, known commonly as the Zane Grey 50, is a 50-mile (80 km) ultramarathon that takes place on the Highline Trail in the Tonto National Forest just below the Mogollon Rim in central Arizona. The race is typically held on the 4th Saturday in April. The race starts at the Pine Trail head on the far west end of the Highline Trail, just south of the Town of Pine, Arizona. The race travels east and finishes at the 260 Trailhead, just east of the town of Christopher Creek. Runners climb cumulative total of over 10,000 feet (3048m) and descend a total of over 9000 feet (2743m). The actual distance is closer to 55 miles. The race begins at 5:00 AM and continues through the day with the last runners finishing around 9:00 PM.
