The Dam Half and Dam Full courses are
all situated within Bald Eagle State Forest, and you really
get the feeling of being far removed from civilization when
doing this course! Mostly narrow single track trails with some
jeep trails and a little bit of dirt road mixed in to relax
your legs (but not too much). The Dam Half has a total
elevation gain of 2,500 feet, while the Dam Full has a total
elevation gain of 4,600 feet. The courses have several climbs
with a few boulder fields mixed in to test your legs (and
wits)! In between the climbs though, there are some nice flat
and rolley sections winding through beautiful hemlock and pine
forests with some stream crossings here and there. Both
courses have the toughest climb of the event near the end, the
dreaded Stairway to Heaven. Stairway to Heaven is a brutal
single track climb with 700 feet of elevation gain within a
half mile straight up the side of Naked Mountain. But once you
summit, it’s 1.5 miles all downhill to the finish!!!
Mile 0-2
The Dam Half and Dam Full start out on the plush, rolley,
hemlock needle-covered Nature Trail within R.B.Winter State
Park which takes you westward to the park boundary.
Participants will then cross over Rt.192 and turn south on the
West Boundary Trail, which winds downward to Rapid Run. After
crossing a little bridge over Rapid Run, you’ll start getting
warmed up on the first climb of the event, a nice bouldery
section of single track on the north face of Brush Mountain.
After summiting, follow the well-defined single track down the
south face of Brush Mtn, where you’ll pick up the well-known
Mid-State Trail.
Mile 2-5
After turning west on the Mid-State, you’ll find a very
gradual, plush single track climb for the next mile where it
then plateaus for a while. After mile 3, the Mid-State gets
pretty rocky in a few places. Pay attention to your footing,
as a few people went down pretty hard last year at this point!
After another gradual climb and plateau with rocky sections,
you’ll head north on Douty Mill Trail. Crest a small ridge and
head down into a dense white pine and hemlock glade. Your feet
will love this! You’ll come out onto a gravel driveway where
Aid Station 1 is. If it hasn’t already, the fun is about to
begin!
Mile 5-6
Right after Aid Station 1, you’ll hit two semi-short, but
steep climbs right in a row on Frederick Gap Trail, crossing
over Hough Mtn and McCall Mtn. Beware the steep descent down
the north side of McCall Mtn! A trail buddy of mine tweaked
his ankle last winter here and couldn’t run the Hyner! The
north side is very steep with loose rocks. At the bottom of
the hill, you’ll find Aid Station 2. This is where the Dam
Halfers and the Dam Fulls (I purposely didn’t spell it Fools)
part ways. Dam Halfers will head east and the Fulls will
head west on Jamboree Trail. The Fulls better load up here as
the next two aid stations are around 5 miles apart. Dam
Halfers, I’ll get back with you at Mile 20 after I describe to
the Fulls what their up against…
Mile 6-9 (Dam Full)
After checking in at the aid station and loading up, Dam Fulls
will head west on Jamboree Trail, a beautiful grassy jeep
trail and then turn onto Black Gap Trail. After a nice gradual
descent winding through a thick hemlock valley, you’ll pick up
Engle Road and Tunis Road for the next mile and a half,
heading south and then west. Both are state forest gravel
roads.
Mile 9-12 (Dam Full)
The Fulls will turn south (left) on Schade Path, another
grassy jeep trail with a nice descent and view on the south
side of Hough Mtn. At the bottom, head right on Rt. 192
hugging the north side, because you’ll be turning north again
after a half mile (sorry for the short pavement section here,
no way around it!). At Mile 10 begins one of my favorite
trails on the course! The Triple J trail. Please respect this
trail, as a portion of it crosses over private property, and
please don’t run this trail on your own, other than on race
day. This trail is a beautiful, gradual climb through the
Railroad Creek stream valley, very shaded with tall hemlocks
and covered with ferns near the top. Footing is plush. Top out
on Tunis Road and head west to Aid Station 3 at Mile 11.5.
Load up here too, because the next station is Mile 16.9.
Mile12-15.5 (Dam Full)
Your legs will love this! Hall Mtn trail is a grassy single
track trail lined with young beech trees and passing through
some clearings. The trail is very gentle and rolling with only
a short rocky descent on the north side of Hall Mtn. You’ll be
heading gradually downhill for a while after Mile 13. Enjoy
it!
Mile 15.5-18.0 (Dam Full)
After relaxing your legs on Hall Mtn trail, the Fulls will
head back into the dense hemlock woods, heading north on
Kemmerer Trail. Stream crossing right off the bat at the head
waters of White Deer Creek. Follow the ribbons closely,
because there is no discernable trail in here. After coming
out of the dense hemlocks and into a meadow of dense ferns at
the base of the ridge, you’ll hit a STEEP boulder field climb
on the south face of Nittany Mtn. Watch for snakes and watch
your footing, as this section is gnarly and very remote for
getting help!!! After summiting, you’ll have a gradual single
track descent on Kemmerer Trail into Schwenks Gap, which is
another favorite of mine! A lot like Railroad Creek, another
beautiful valley of pines and hemlocks. After Aid Station 4
(at a hunting camp), you’ll have a steep climb up out of
Schwenks Gap heading south on Schwenks Gap Trail, which is
very plush with sure footing. At the top, head east on Heintz
Trail, a flat jeep trail leading to Mags Path.
Mile 18-19.5 (Dam Full)
A short ascent to the top of the ridge and a long gradual
descent on Mags Path, this single track scales down the south
side of Nittany Mtn. Watch the descent; it’s rocky in some
places! Get to the bottom, turn right (west) on Engle Road,
and then a quick left (south), and you’re back on the northern
extension of Frederick Gap Trail, the last stretch of the new
Dam Full loop! A nice, gradual climb through more hemlock
woods into Frederick Gap. Part way up, you can hear water
running under the ground. There’s a spring I drink from
sometimes along the left in a bouldery section (drink at your
own risk!). The last portion is a short, steep ferny climb out
of the Gap and back up to Aid Station 2 at Mile 19.7. You’re
now back on the Dam Half course!
Mile 19.5-24 (Dam Full)
Mile 6.2-10.7 (Dam Half)
From Aid Station 2, you’ll head east on Jamboree Trail which
continues as a gently rolling grassy jeep trail to rest the
legs on. After about one mile, you’ll turn onto the eastern
end of Black Gap Trail. This part of Black Gap Trail is
defined by a dry streambed with lots of rocks at the
beginning! After a while it turns into nice plush singletrack
through a hemlock stream valley. At the end, you’ll turn left
onto Black Gap Road heading down to Aid Station 5. After the
aid station, you’ll turn east onto White Deer Creek Trail
which is a mixed bag of smooth and rocky single track, gently
rolling and slightly downhill. You’ll find another small
stream crossing near the end.
Mile 24-25 (Dam Full)
Mile 10.7-11.7 (Dam Half)
You’ll turn right (south) on McCall Dam Road and see the final
aid station, Aid Station 6, right off the bat. Fuel up for the
final climb of the event…. the dreaded Stairway to Heaven on
Rocky Corner Trail! You’ll have a gradual uphill approach on
the gravel road until you hit the Stairway, which will feel
like a brick wall. The Stairway starts off very steep in the
beginning, and….. pretty much stays that way for the next half
mile until the top. You’ll know when you hit the top, because
you’ll have a beautiful field of white Tuscarora boulders to
greet you. But look at the bright side, it’s all downhill from
here!!!
Mile 25-26.3 (Dam Full)
Mile 11.7-13.0 (Dam Half)
Watch your step across the boulders heading down the south
side of Naked Mtn. Rocky Corner trail will be all narrow,
winding single track to the bottom with rocky sections at the
top and bottom, fairly plush in the middle. At the bottom,
you’ll turn on Boiling Springs Trail which is a nice, plush
piece of single track to take you to the finish at the
pavilion. Congratulations, you made it!!!
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