Event Information
Overview
The second annual Baker Trail UltraChallenge will take place on Saturday August 26, 2006. 
The UltraChallenge is a 50-mile ultramarathon on the Baker Trail. Unlike the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge, this is a footrace; the "challenge" is for you or your relay team to win, or at least finish in 14 hours or less! This year, the UltraChallenge starts in Summerville, PA at 6:30 AM. Runners will follow the Baker Trail south for 42 miles to Plumville, then turn north over rolling country roads to Smicksburg and end at a private farm. The deadline for finishing is 8:30 PM.
Course
View images and scenery from the Baker Trail section of the course here.
Details
Participants will meet at the the private farm in Smicksburg beginning at 4 AM on August 26 for check-in. At 5:40 AM, a shuttle bus will take the individual participants and first leg relay team members to the trailhead where their tags will be scanned as they start out. All participants must take the shuttle bus; there is no parking at the trailhead.
There are 11 aid stations along the course providing water, sport drinks, Coke, gels, sandwiches, and bagels. Candy such as M&Ms; and other snacks will be available at some stations. Four of these stations are also relay transfer spots and checkpoints where your tag will be scanned and your time recorded. Except for the start, relay teams are responsible for their own transportation to and from each transfer spot.
Each checkpoint has a designated cutoff time. Any participant arriving after the indicated time will be required to drop out.
There will be one or more showers available for participants at the private farm.
| Aid Station | Cume Miles | AS Delta Miles | Relay Leg Miles | Opening Time | Cutoff Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start: Route 28 (map) | 0.0 | 6:00 AM | |||
| AS1: Zion Road (map) | 7.9 | 7.9 | 7:15 AM | ||
| AS2/CP: North Freedom (map) | 12.0 | 4.1 | 12.0 | 7:45 AM | 10:00 AM |
| AS3: Mount Tabor (map) | 15.7 | 3.7 | 8:00 AM | ||
| AS4: Route 839 (map) | 18.1 | 2.4 | 8:15 AM | ||
| AS5/CP: Eddyville (map) | 22.0 | 3.9 | 10.0 | 8:45 AM | 12:45 PM |
| AS6: Crossroads Road (map) | 25.4 | 3.4 | 9:15 AM | ||
| AS7/CP: Milton (map) | 29.0 | 3.6 | 7.0 | 9:30 AM | 2:45 PM |
| AS8: Dayton-Smicksburg Road (map) | 34.1 | 5.1 | 10:15 AM | ||
| AS9/CP: Sinktown Road (map) | 39.8 | 5.7 | 10.8 | 10:45 AM | 5:45 PM |
| AS10: Plumville (map) | 42.3 | 2.5 | 11:00 AM | ||
| AS11: Wells Road (map) | 45.7 | 3.4 | 11:30 AM | ||
| Finish: Smicksburg farm (map) | 50.1 | 4.4 | 10.3 | 12:00 AM | 8:30 PM |
 |
| Elevation Profile of the 2006 UltraChallenge Total Ascending: 7318 ft. Total Descending: 7056 ft. |
Course Map
A map of the course is here (1.1MB JPEG).
Shirts & Awards
Individual registrants will receive a long-sleeve technical fiber shirt. All relay team members will receive a short-sleeve t-shirt.
All individual finishers will receive the first piece of a unique three-piece medal (a different piece will be awarded in each of the subsequent two years for the central and southern sections). All relay team members will receive a special relay medal. Trophies will be awarded for:
- First, second, and third place male, female, and overall finishers
- First place Masters (age 40+) male, female, and overall finishers
- First place relay team male, female, coed, and overall finishers
Registration
Advance registrations may only be submitted online, via active.com. Click here to register! We are accepting up to 300 registrations this year. Note that advance registrations will be accepted through August 23 and are non-refundable.
Participant Information
Important event details and other information for participants is here.
Lodging
There are no hotels near registration. You may sleep at the private farm in a tent, the barn (no livestock), the house, or your vehicle.
Volunteers
The UltraChallenge needs volunteers! We will need people throughout the day, from morning registration to checkpoints along the course and the finish. People can volunteer for as few as two hours. If you'd like to help out, email your name and phone to volunteer2@rachelcarsontrails.org. What's in it for a volunteer? As a thank-you, all volunteers receive a coveted Marshal t-shirt and the gratitude of hundreds of strangers!