Baker Trail Ultrachallenge
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Baker Trail UltraChallenge
The Baker Trail UltraChallenge is a point-to-point, 50-mile ultramarathon on the Central section of the Baker Trail in Summerville, PA. The course finishes at a private farmhouse in Smicksburg, PA, and includes about 7,100 feet of climbing over a mix of single-track trails and country dirt or paved roads through rural and Amish country.
The Baker Trail is marked with yellow blazes on trees, posts, and other objects. The trail is not always a footpath; in many places it follows roads with narrow shoulders. Runners must watch for blazes and may need to backtrack if they miss a turn.
Participants may enter as individuals or as relay teams. Race awards include a unique three-piece medal series: finishers who complete a section within the allowed cutoff receive one piece, and a commemorative holder is given after completing all three sections.
The event basecamp and services are at a farmhouse in Smicksburg, which hosts participant check-in, drop-bag collection, parking, shuttle service to the start, camping with porta-johns, a pre-race dinner, and a post-race picnic. Participant check-in is mandatory and is offered both on the evening before and on race morning.
Free training runs are offered and open to the public; dates for those runs have not been set. The event maintains equity and inclusion policies including gender spot allocation and guidelines for transgender, nonbinary, and parental deferrals. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.