Loon Mountain race - cheat sheet

Although the website has a decent map and profile of the course, I like numbers and stats so I’ve broken the course down by distinct climbs and drops and added a clearer course profile.  My additional notes in blue.

Loon Mountain course description:

Starts near the river (927’) wide dirt parking lot narrows to dirt road (no need to panic, plenty of time and space to pass…some will go out as if it were the start of a 5k XC race, they will pay for it later) 

At .2 there is 150 meters of paved road as you navigate a couple of tight turns around the buildings (keep your head up and cut those tangents)

From .3 to .7 climb 200’ on cat track (last year this was severely eroded in spots, may be fine now)

.3 on cat track drops 100’ bringing you to the mile (1,060’)

.4 on cat track and trail climbs 290’ (1.4m to 3.3 miles are on somewhat muddy XC trails)

.5 on XC trail drops 80’

.6 on XC trail climbs 270’ (1,550’ @ 2.5 miles)

.7 on XC trail drops 70’

.1 on XC trail drops 75’ (back onto the cat track, now the REAL race starts)

The first tough climb is from 3.3 to 3.8 miles (1,405’ – 1,645’)

.5 on cat track climbs 240’ (this is the first real taste of climbing and it can also be hot with no shade)

.4 on cat track drops 80’ (the last part of this is on a grass slope that you run across at an angle but the footing is usually good)

The second tough climb is from 4.2 to 4.6 miles

.4 on grass climbs 465’ (at an average grade of 18% and all on grass, this is a great test, many will start walking here)

.1 on cat track drops 40’ (this is a tough little drop which is a bit steep over the last 100 meters with a near 180 degree turn at the bottom)

The third tough climb is from 4.7 to 5.6 miles (this one gets steeper as you climb and can be hot with no shade -average grade is 16%)

.9 on cat track climbs 755’

.5 on grass trail from 5.6 miles to 6.1 miles dropping 435’ (this is the longest sustained drop but the footing is generally good the trickiest part is the start of the drop after the gondola where the footing isn’t very good and it is steep for the first 50 meters)

The 4^th tough climb is from 6.1 to 6.6 miles, no breaks, brutal climb (Average grade is 40%)

.5 on grass climbs 745’