Race Description
"10K" option
The long 10 Kilometer route will start at Greenwood Furnace State Park (at the furnace), traverse Rothrock State Forest to the fire tower by way of the Greenwood spur. Behind Pavilion #1 runners will warm-up/walk/jog back to the rock furnace, where the race begins. Runners will run back the loop past the pavilion, up Chestnut spring trail briefly, cross the service road on to Spencer a wide, rolling abandoned service road. Off of Spencer Trail, runners will be directed left for their first brutal climb up Greenwood Spur (1200 feet). The spur starts steep but as you approach the Greenwood Tower it begins to level off (center of the figure 8).
At the tower runners will find a hydration/first station and turn right to begin their descent back down to the Park. Runners will be directed down a short section of grassy service road (~.5 miles) to access Ruff Gap Trail for their final descent. Ruff Gap is a scraggly, consistently steep trail (~1 mile). At the bottom racers will be directed right on the level, grassy Spencer Trail (~1 mile). Volunteers will direct runners left on to Greenwood Spur for the final leg back to the pavilion (~1 mile).
Half Marathon option
The Greenwood Furnace Trail Challenge is an intense, rugged, single track half-marathon. A figure 8 route of rocky climbs and nasty downhills; it starts at Greenwood Furnace State Park, climbs to the fire tower, drops down in to Alan Seeger Natural Area before climbing back to the tower, and then returns down to the park.
The approximate 13 mile figure 8 trail course traverses Rothrock State Forest to Alan Seeger Natural Area and back to the park. The route will be marked with orange flagging and volunteers will be stationed at all road crossings. The course features two brutal ascents and descents with some recovery in between. The trails include a stream crossing, 3 footbridge crossings, rock gardens, mud, and some nasty scrambling.
Event's current local time: 5:42 AM ET
