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| Mile 0-4 First mile is a short jaunt over the Susquehanna River via Hyner Bridge. Get warmed up as you PASS Huff Run (last year's first hill) and continue on using an old fire line trail along the cliffs following the river. This new trail is semi-flat but narrows at points, so be careful in passing. Progression may be slower here until the first hill, but use this time to get warmed up and conserve your energy. You're going to need it later!! A steep climb of a mile or so in length will take runners/hikers up to Hyner View, one of PA’s finest vistas. There will be a water station as well as some bathrooms. Enjoy the view!! Mile 4-6 Follow the Hyner View Trail downhill along several switchbacks to the sweet running section of Reichert Hollow. This is a great section to make up time from the previous nasty climb up to the View. There are no leaves on the trees in April so take in the scenery. The footing is fast and sure. There will be another water station at the end of the hollow. Get ready for some tough running through Johnson Run hollow. PLEASE utilize this stop. Get some carbs and hydrate. You’re going to need it. Mile 6-9 Johnson Run Trail is another Huff Run only a mile longer! The first section will climb along the side of the mounain on a sixteen inch path to avoid the spring run offs. You will be surrounded by tall hard woods. After you drop back down onto the Johnson Run, White Pine and Hemlocks will give you some cover from the sun in case of another warm day like last year. This trail is remote as it follows the stream the entire way. Larger crossings make use a few natural log bridges. In other places stepping stones are abundant. Be prepared to get your feet wet. It’s a gut-check to get to the top of this trail. Make sure you utilize checkpoint #2 because there will be no support in this gorge. Put the head down and chop up this beast. The steepest section is at the end, a section called "Psycho Path". Mile 9-14 Johnson Run ends with a meandering path that brings you out to a gravel forest road that you cross to get to the head of Post Draft Hollow. There will be a much needed water/food station here. If you feel cramped up here, take a few minutes and get some fluids, salt and rest. Post Draft is a side hill trail that traverses the mountain down to the base of the hollow. Enjoy the relaxing run before taking a hard left and start up the infamous “Cleveland Hollow.” This trail known as the GARBY Trail, offers some grinding switchbacks and great views of the area, but the only good thing about it is the fact that it is near the end. It is a grueling climb that will drain the last drop of energy from you. Near the top is a kicker called the S.O.B. (We call it a challenge for a reason.) Be careful as you go up S.O.B..... Potato sized rocks tumble down from contestants above. Try not to kick out these clunkers and keep an eye up-hill in case one is aimed at your head. Once on top, enjoy getting your legs back as you have a nice smooth mile run around the horseshoe to the checkpoint. Mile 14-Finish. First, get a drink from the fourth and last water station. Leaving Cleveland Hollow , contestants will travel through thick Mountain Laurel via the Spring Trail. Well, we’re giving you a chance for some payback when you get to the last leg. Gravity will win this battle as you run down Huff Run. Be careful.... tired legs may just land you on the floor of the forest with some dirt sticking to your front teeth. Not to worry, it is all downhill to the bottom and a short (feels like 10miles) sprint over Hyner Bridge to the finish line. Make sure to follow the orange flags after the bridge because we’re going to bring you in a different way to the finish chute. Sorry to tell you, but there is a small hill to the finish!! Enjoy the course!!! After you're done, relax and recover with some good food and beverage. Share your war stories with your fellow trailrunners. Last year, the U.S. Army provided a climbing wall for spectators and any runners that could still stand after the grueling 25K. The Lock Haven University Athletic Training Club provided some post-race massage for the finishers. |
EVENT #1
HYNER VIEW TRAIL
CHALLENGE 25K
HYNER VIEW TRAIL
CHALLENGE 25K
EVENT #2
ROTHROCK
TRAIL
CHALLENGE 30K
ROTHROCK
TRAIL
CHALLENGE 30K
| Course Description: Mile 0- 0.6 miles: Start out on a paved forest road that takes you into Rothrock State Forest Land. As much as we hate roads, this gives runners/hikers a chance to get spread out before the first climb. Mile 0.6- 3.8: First, climb the infamous Spruce Gap Trail. It’s a mile climb that will make hikers out of most runners. Expect a 17 minute mile pace going up. Once on top, you’ll get a short breather before heading down the Kettle Trail. Watch your speed because Kettle is steep and rocky. Kettle will bring you across a forest road and then take you up a short hill to the Tuxedo Trail. Tuxedo gives the legs a break as it winds down around the mountain to Water Station #1. Mile 3.8- 7.8: After fueling up, runners/hikers will follow North Meadows Rd to the Bear Meadows Loop Trail. This trail meandors through thick rodadendrons and through some wet terrain so be prepared for muddy and soggy feet. This 1.65 mile section is relatively flat and an excellent opportunity to gain some ground. Runners/hikers will then start the climb up the Sand Springs Path. This trail offers a gradual climb at first before getting steep towards the top. Legs will be burning here!! Once on top, runners/hikers will jump on the Mid State Trail for a nice mile jaunt over to the Keith Springs Trail. After passing the spring, runners will be led to one of the best downhill sections…Wildcat Gap. Wildcat is a steep, knee-jarring section that will use every once of energy in trying to stop your forward momentum. Quads will take a beating here (If you cramp up later, remember this section). Wildcat brings you out to a dirt road and to Water Station #2. Mile 7.8- 12.8: We apologize for the brief road section but it’s the only way to link the trails. Just put your head down and bear it. It’s only a half mile of dirt!! This will lead you to the Sand Spring Trail (not Path). It’s a brutal climb that brings you to the Mid State Trail overlooking Shingletown. Get ready for another steep descent as this trail taxes the quads once again. After leveling out, runners will take the Charcoal Flats Trail for the next 2 miles down into Shingletown Gap. This is where the event gets interesting. Once into the Gap, runners will pick their way through a slew of boulders and cliffs that will bring them out to Water Station #3. Mile 12.8- 15.8: After resting, stretching, and re-fueling, runners will then be challenged with another maze of boulders and cliffs on the north side of the mountain. Many runners will be forced to use their hands to crawl up this section. Be careful where you put your hands, though, this area attracts our little reptile friends that make that nasty rattle!!! Once on top, enjoy the ridge run over to Bald Knob. This trail is technical, but a nice break from the hills. Once to Bald Knob, runners will descend straight down the Clemons Trail, an old grassy logging trail that brings you out to Checkpoint #4. Mile 15.8- 18.6: The end is almost near. Bad news is that there is still one more climb left. The Shingletown Trail is a gradual climb that brings runners to the Tower Rd. Once there, you’ll have about 30 yards before descending down to the finish. Runners will follow an old logging trail called the Old Laurel Run Trail downhill for a mile to the Three Bridges Trail. This trail winds around and brings runners out to Spruce Gap, where they started earlier in the day. From here it's 3/4 of a mile back to the finish. Congratulations....you just completed the Rothrock Challenge!!! |
EVENT #3
DAM HALF / DAM FULL
TRAIL MARATHON
EVENTS
DAM HALF / DAM FULL
TRAIL MARATHON
EVENTS
| The Dam Half and Dam Full courses are all situated within Bald Eagle State Forest, and you really get the feeling of being far removed from civilization when doing this course! Mostly narrow single track trails with some jeep trails and a little bit of dirt road mixed in to relax your legs (but not too much). The Dam Half has a total elevation gain of 2,500 feet, while the Dam Full has a total elevation gain of 4,600 feet. The courses have several climbs with a few boulder fields mixed in to test your legs (and wits)! In between the climbs though, there are some nice flat and rolley sections winding through beautiful hemlock and pine forests with some stream crossings here and there. Both courses have the toughest climb of the event near the end, the dreaded Stairway to Heaven. Stairway to Heaven is a brutal single track climb with 700 feet of elevation gain within a half mile straight up the side of Naked Mountain. But once you summit, it’s 1.5 miles all downhill to the finish!!! Mile 0-2 The Dam Half and Dam Full start out on the plush, rolley, hemlock needle-covered Nature Trail within R.B.Winter State Park which takes you westward to the park boundary. Participants will then cross over Rt.192 and turn south on the West Boundary Trail, which winds downward to Rapid Run. After crossing a little bridge over Rapid Run, you’ll start getting warmed up on the first climb of the event, a nice bouldery section of single track on the north face of Brush Mountain. After summiting, follow the well-defined single track down the south face of Brush Mtn, where you’ll pick up the well-known Mid-State Trail. Mile 2-5 After turning west on the Mid-State, you’ll find a very gradual, plush single track climb for the next mile where it then plateaus for a while. After mile 3, the Mid-State gets pretty rocky in a few places. Pay attention to your footing, as a few people went down pretty hard last year at this point! After another gradual climb and plateau with rocky sections, you’ll head north on Douty Mill Trail. Crest a small ridge and head down into a dense white pine and hemlock glade. Your feet will love this! You’ll come out onto a gravel driveway where Aid Station 1 is. If it hasn’ t already, the fun is about to begin! Mile 5-6 Right after Aid Station 1, you’ll hit two semi-short, but steep climbs right in a row on Frederick Gap Trail, crossing over Hough Mtn and McCall Mtn. Beware the steep descent down the north side of McCall Mtn! A trail buddy of mine tweaked his ankle last winter here and couldn’t run the Hyner! The north side is very steep with loose rocks. At the bottom of the hill, you’ll find Aid Station 2. This is where the Dam Halfers and the Dam Fulls (I purposely didn’t spell it Fools) part their ways. Dam Halfers will head east and the Fulls will head west on Jamboree Trail. The Fulls better load up here as the next two aid stations are around 5 miles apart. Dam Halfers, I’ll get back with you at Mile 20 after I describe to the Fulls what their up against… Mile 6-9 (Dam Full) After checking in at the aid station and loading up, Dam Fulls will head west on Jamboree Trail, a beautiful grassy jeep trail and then turn onto Black Gap Trail. After a nice gradual descent winding through a thick hemlock valley, you’ll pick up Engle Road and Tunis Road for the next mile and a half, heading south and then west. Both are state forest gravel roads. Mile 9-12 (Dam Full) The Fulls will turn south (left) on Schade Path, another grassy jeep trail with a nice descent and view on the south side of Hough Mtn. At the bottom, head right on Rt. 192 hugging the north side, because you’ll be turning north again after a half mile (sorry for the short pavement section here, no way around it!). At Mile 10 begins one of my favorite trails on the course! The Triple J trail. Please respect this trail, as a portion of it crosses over private property, and please don’t run this trail on your own, other than on race day. This trail is a beautiful, gradual climb through the Railroad Creek stream valley, very shaded with tall hemlocks and covered with ferns near the top. Footing is plush. Top out on Tunis Road and head west to Aid Station 3 at Mile 11.5. Load up here too, because the next station is Mile 16.9. Mile12-15.5 (Dam Full) Your legs will love this! Hall Mtn trail is a grassy single track trail lined with young beech trees and passing through some clearings. The trail is very gentle and rolling with only a short rocky descent on the north side of Hall Mtn. You’ll be heading gradually downhill for a while after Mile 13. Enjoy it! Mile 15.5-18.0 (Dam Full) After relaxing your legs on Hall Mtn trail, the Fulls will head back into the dense hemlock woods, heading north on Kemmerer Trail. Stream crossing right off the bat at the head waters of White Deer Creek. Follow the ribbons closely, because there is no discernable trail in here. After coming out of the dense hemlocks and into a meadow of dense ferns at the base of the ridge, you’ll hit a STEEP boulder field climb on the south face of Nittany Mtn. Watch for snakes and watch your footing, as this section is gnarly and very remote for getting help!!! After summiting, you’ll have a gradual single track descent on Kemmerer Trail into Schwenks Gap, which is another favorite of mine! A lot like Railroad Creek, another beautiful valley of pines and hemlocks. After Aid Station 4 (at a hunting camp), you’ll have a steep climb up out of Schwenks Gap heading south on Schwenks Gap Trail, which is very plush with sure footing. At the top, head east on Heintz Trail, a flat jeep trail leading to Mags Path. Mile 18-19.5 (Dam Full) A short ascent to the top of the ridge and a long gradual descent on Mags Path, this single track scales down the south side of Nittany Mtn. Watch the descent; it’s rocky in some places! Get to the bottom, turn right (west) on Engle Road, and then a quick left (south), and you’re back on the northern extension of Frederick Gap Trail, the last stretch of the new Dam Full loop! A nice, gradual climb through more hemlock woods into Frederick Gap. Part way up, you can hear water running under the ground. There’s a spring I drink from sometimes along the left in a bouldery section (drink at your own risk!). The last portion is a short, steep ferny climb out of the Gap and back up to Aid Station 2 at Mile 19.7. You’re now back on the Dam Half course! Mile 19.5-24 (Dam Full) Mile 6.2-10.7 (Dam Half) From Aid Station 2, you’ll head east on Jamboree Trail which continues as a gently rolling grassy jeep trail to rest the legs on. After about one mile, you’ll turn onto the eastern end of Black Gap Trail. This part of Black Gap Trail is defined by a dry streambed with lots of rocks at the beginning! After a while it turns into nice plush singletrack through a hemlock stream valley. At the end, you’ll turn left onto Black Gap Road heading down to Aid Station 5. After the aid station, you’ll turn east onto White Deer Creek Trail which is a mixed bag of smooth and rocky single track, gently rolling and slightly downhill. You’ll find another small stream crossing near the end. Mile 24-25 (Dam Full) Mile 10.7-11.7 (Dam Half) You’ll turn right (south) on McCall Dam Road and see the final aid station, Aid Station 6, right off the bat. Fuel up for the final climb of the event…. the dreaded Stairway to Heaven on Rocky Corner Trail! You’ll have a gradual uphill approach on the gravel road until you hit the Stairway, which will feel like a brick wall. The Stairway starts off very steep in the beginning, and….. pretty much stays that way for the next half mile until the top. You’ll know when you hit the top, because you’ll have a beautiful field of white Tuscarora boulders to greet you. But look at the bright side, it’s all downhill from here!!! Mile 25-26.3 (Dam Full) Mile 11.7-13.0 (Dam Half) Watch your step across the boulders heading down the south side of Naked Mtn. Rocky Corner trail will be all narrow, winding single track to the bottom with rocky sections at the top and bottom, fairly plush in the middle. At the bottom, you’ll turn on Boiling Springs Trail which is a nice, plush piece of single track to take you to the finish at the pavilion. Congratulations, you made it!!! |
EVENT #4
BALD EAGLE
MEGATRANSECT
25 MILE EVENT
BALD EAGLE
MEGATRANSECT
25 MILE EVENT
| The Bald Eagle Mountain Megatransect is a 25 mile hike and trail run event staged in Central Pennsylvania . The course is designed to challenge any trained or seasoned athlete. The recreational hiker or trail runner not looking to set any blistering personal records can also enjoy it equally. It is an event that focuses on the safety and needs of all entrants. Preparing is the key to success and even that is not guaranteed. Racing the course is not the objective, finishing strong is! The outstandingly beautiful course offers unique geologic features, such as an unrelenting boulder field of white Tuscarora sandstone. Cliffs line a scenic gorge to heights of 300 feet that sink from the Chestnut flat plateau. Trails run along 8 miles of streams and brooks with multiple stream crossings and small waterfalls. Competitors will be subjected to unrelenting climbs and down hills with total vertical gains over 5000 feet. Footing varies from soft peat to gravel to boulders as well as smooth stream stones and shallow water crossings. While most of the course is under the canopy of mature forest, some sections orient under the hot sun. This is especially true in the slow going boulder field sections. Interesting flora and fauna abound. Natural areas harbor old growth hemlock. Wet seasons bring out mushrooms of every type. Bear, coyote, deer, bobcat, porcupine, fox and turkey are all common. An occasional Bald and Golden Eagle can be spied near the reservoirs. Reptiles and amphibians abound with rattlesnakes and copperheads always a concern. The Megatransect planning committee is comprised of well-traveled hikers, avid trail runners and marathoners. Their varied experiences and dedication to the Megatransect has resulted in one largest trail events in the United States! It has been so successful that we are now limiting registrations to the first 850 entrants. Please register early because last year the event filled to 750 in 3 weeks and waiting list was over 300! The course is designed to cycle moderate to very difficult terrain with easier sections to recover. It by no means designed for speed but instead to be more technical in nature. The course is well supported with a small army of volunteers to provide basic needs as well as emergency help and evacuation if needed. The race boasts a fantastic safety record and a high finishing percentage. |
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