The Randolph Ramble
This is a 10 kilometer-long, rugged, self-supported trail race through the Great North Woods in the mountain town of Randolph, New Hampshire, at the base of the Northern Presidentials.
The race places an emphasis on self-sufficiency in the mountains: there are no aid stations and, due to the time of year, there is a mandatory gear list.
The race will take place on Saturday, October 28, 2023. You can get the latest news from our Facebook page.
The Course
The Randolph Ramble takes place entirely on the 10,000 acres, sustainably managed Randolph Community Forest. The start and finish are at the new Community Forest trailhead, at the end of Randolph Hill Road, on the Randolph Community Forest.
The course has it all: a steep climb up Mount Crescent, views of the Northern Presidentials, a cruise through the boreal forest, a technical downhill, and a finish on Community Forest woods roads. The total vertical climb is 2,025 feet.
Here’s a brief written description of the route, for those of you who’d like to get out and scope it out, prior to the race!
- Starting just downhill from (east of) the new Community Forest Trailhead at the end of Randolph Hill Road, run west about a quarter-mile to the junction of the Carlton Notch Trail.
- Turn right on the Carlton Notch Trail and go just over a tenth of a mile uphill to the junction of the Castleview Loop Trail.
- Take a right on the Castleview Loop Trail and climb about a quarter-mile to the junction of the Mount Crescent Trail.
- Take a left on the Mount Crescent Trail, climbing about 0.4mi to the junction of the Crescent Ridge Trail.
- Turn right on the Crescent Ridge Trail. Much of the race is on this wooded, technical path, over the summit of Mount Crescent, past the North Lookout, past Carlton Notch Trail and the Underhill Path, past Lafayette View and the summit of Mount Randolph.
- Take a left on the Four Soldiers Path, after beginning the descent off of Mount Randolph. The trail descends, most of the time gently.
- After three crossings of the snowmobile trail, you’ll come to another crossing in another hundred yards or so. Take a left here! (If you reach Pasture Path, you’ve gone just about 100 yards too far.)
- In another hundred yards, rejoin the Jimtown Logging Road, bearing right and heading uphill, to the start/finish, which is a few hundred yards after the crest of the hill.
The route is technical, with a stiff climb at the start, some nice cruising in spots, and some short, tricky descents. It’ll be fun!
Race Directors’ Note: We reserve the right to adjust the start and finish by 100 yards or more, to get to 10 km on the dot!
Important Info
Directions: The Randolph Ramble will start and end at the new Community Forest trailhead, at the end of Randolph Hill Road. If using Google Maps, use this address: Mount Crescent Trail, Randolph Hill Road, Randolph, NH.
Mandatory minimum gear list: Each participant shall run with a course map (copies will be handed out on race day), at least one-half liter of water, food or snack of some kind, lightweight rain shell, hat, and gloves.
This is an end-of-the-season trail race, in the Northern White Mountains. Plan accordingly. There may be ice on the course in places—we’ll update our Facebook Page the day before the race, with the latest course info.
Sponsors
The Randolph Ramble wouldn’t have happened without our sponsors. Please support them!
We thank the Randolph Mountain Club the Randolph Community Forest, for the use of their trails and the land, Mark and Katie Kelley for the use of their barn, AVSAR for mountain medical support, and all our volunteers!
We could not have done this without you!
Event's current local time: 8:20 PM ET
