Kilkenny Ridge Race
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Event
The Kilkenny Ridge Race is a trail running event in the White Mountain National Forest based at the South Pond Recreational Area in Stark, New Hampshire. The event offers the following distances:
- 50 Mile
- 25 Mile
- 25K (about 15.3 miles)
The course runs along the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and crosses remote mountain terrain, including Mount Cabot, Mount Waumbek, The Bulge, The Horn, and Mount Starr King.
Course and logistics
The 50 mile and 25 mile routes follow the Kilkenny Ridge Trail end-to-end, with roughly 7,500 ft of climbing for each direction on the full traverse. The 25K route covers roughly 4,000 ft of climbing. The course is not marked; signage exists along the ridge but runners are required to download the GPS track to a phone or watch and study maps. Maps are provided at bib pickup.
Aid stations are limited backcountry stations on the ridge with packaged snacks, water, and electrolyte drink. The turnaround and finish aid stations have fuller food options. The event is cupless; participants must bring their own reusable cup or hydration system.
Shuttles are used to move 25 mile and 25K runners between parking at South Pond and their respective start locations. Crews have limited access on course; some trailheads prohibit crewing and spectating per permit.
Mandatory gear and entry requirements
Mandatory gear is checked at bib pickup. Typical required items include: 2 liters of water, minimum calories of food (generally 500 for 25 and 50 mile, 400 for 25K), windbreaker or rain shell, space blanket or emergency foil blanket, winter hat, gloves, and a water filter. A headlamp with extra batteries is required for the 50 mile and 25 mile distances but not required for the 25K.
Entry qualifications vary by distance: the 50 mile requires prior completion of a 50 km or similar mountain effort; the 25 mile requires a challenging 20 mile trail race; the 25K recommends a hilly trail race of at least 10 miles or equivalent mountain experience. Pacers are not allowed. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.