10 days to go:
Dear racers!
We’ve got quite the turnout for this year’s race. We’ve increased the registration capacity from last year and the event sold out 2 weeks before the race! Please read this racer email as this will serve as your pre-race meeting. Please take a look at the website and feel free to reach out to me if you still have questions. The 10 day weather forecast is looking good for a fun race.
Double check your registration please!
Please take 30 seconds now and please go to ultrasignup, log into your profile, and double check that you are signed up for the right category. With the addition of a mountain biker and a hiker category this year, the registration page can get confusing. If you’d like to switch categories, please let me know ASAP.
Transferring/Cancelling Registration
If you aren’t able to race, you’ll have the option to transfer your bib to someone else up until this Sunday. We will finalize your entry this Monday and you won’t be able to transfer your bibs after that.
To transfer your bib, you can go to your registration edit screen, find your Registration History page, then find the Mt A Hill Climb, and click on the edit link next to your order. You also have the option to withdraw your name from the hill climb until Monday in the registration edit screen. This will help the folks on the waitlist that would love your spot.
Packet pick up - RVR @ 4 pm on Sat (June 7)
Come to Rogue Valley Runners in Ashland on Sat from 4 to 6 pm. You’ll be at the best running shop in Oregon for any last minute shopping as well. We’ll have a few extra race shirts on sale for 25$ (bring cash). If you can’t make it to RVR on Sat, we’ll have another packet pick up at 6 - 6:45 am on Sunday near the start line, but we prefer you come to RVR the night before.
Current Course Conditions
There’s definitely still snow up there, but I think the cyclist route will be melted out this week and good to go (maybe a patch or two you may have to hike a bike over). The runner/hiker route will have snow up the final mile.
I’ve got a stash of poles that racers can grab at the lodge for this section. Please return the poles, and if you choose to descend on the snow, please don’t ruin the boot pack on your way down (make your own track). I’ll be sending out another email a few days before the race with an update on the conditions.
Shuttles
We currently have 29 folks that said they’d like a ride down from the top and more that weren’t sure. Ashland Mtn Adventures will be shuttling mountain bikers up and will be at the parking lot ready to take down runners or bikers at 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm. There will be a clipboard to write your name and phone number so no one gets left behind. Bring 10$ cash/person to get a ride down.
Drop Bags
There’ll be a location for drop bags near the start line. Please keep your drop bags tiny! The lodge will be open and we’ll have lunch, snacks, and drinks so you can recover. Mark your bags with tape and your bib number and we’ll have it organized.
Start Line
Has moved up this year up to Nutley & Winburn, just up the road from the start last year. This will shorten the course by 0.15 miles, but don’t worry the course is still a half marathon at over 13.1 miles.
Finish Line
After you reach the ball and you cross the finish line, please hike back down to the lodge. We will have limited water up there, as access to the summit is limited. If you choose to wait for a friend, please save water for them and other finishers behind you. There’ll be plenty of water and other beverages back down at the lodge. Including beer from Common Block, and a keg of Cider from Legend Cider Co, which will be available after 11:30 am.
We’ll also have a few cases of Athletic Brewing for those who want a N/A beer option.
Note: many of you may choose to walk down the fire road on the backside as it is more gradual, but it is 3 mi vs 1 mi on the Mt Ashland Trail, so be prepared for a longer walk if you go on the fire road.
Aid Stations/Runner Pacing
We encourage everyone to carry a water bottle to cut down on paper cup waste. We’ll have Skratch drink mix along with water, pickle juice, scratch energy gummies, Peanut M&Ms, coke, sprite, fruit, gu, etc. But please note that if you are toward the back of the pack, your options will be a bit more limited.
Cut offs
We have generous cutoffs for the participants. But we require cutoffs for safety and to make sure our volunteers aren’t out there all day.
Dropping out
You must inform an aid station captain if you have to drop out for any reason. If you drop out midway and do not inform me (510 468-4105) or the aid station captains, you may be subject to a search and rescue fee.
Notes for hikers
Starting at 7:30 am, please only walk 2 or 3 abreast. Please keep your eyes and ears open for runners/cyclists who will be passing you.
Notes for cyclists
No headphones
Please enjoy the song birds and don’t use your airpods. There’ll be plenty of passing on this course, so this is also a safety issue. There may also be mountain bikers coming down the road.
Lunch/Drinks
Your entry comes with a free lunch! Mt A will be serving a burrito (with a veggie option) for your meals this year. Show them your bib and grab a burrito. Same for the Common Block beers, Legend Cider, and other beverages. We’ll also have plenty of snacks and drinks so you can properly recover. Spectators will have the option to purchase burritos.
Spectating
Volunteers
We’ve got a lot more folks participating this year (up to 350 from last year’s 250). So I’m sure there’ll be a few more issues during the race and I would love to have a few more volunteers to help the racers. Please reach out to me if you have friends or family that can help out. They’ll get a free meal, beer, and will get to heckle the racers for their efforts!
SOMA Wellness Discount Code
Use code HILLCLIMB10 to get $10 off anything at SOMA Wellness, your sanctuary for cold plunge, sauna & salt lounge.
Columbia Hotel
Use code “climbmta” for 10% the room rates for your stay. Located in downtown Ashland, an ideal stay, close to the start of the race.
Questions?
Send me your questions and I’ll try to answer them in the next email, which will have last minute updates.
Finally, thanks to our sponsors for making this possible, please check them out!:
And a special thank you to City of Ashland, Mt Ashland, Elbow Room Taiko and Redwood Empire
Yu Kuwabara
[email protected]
(510) 468-4105
Dear racers!
We’ve got quite the turnout for this year’s race. We’ve increased the registration capacity from last year and the event sold out 2 weeks before the race! Please read this racer email as this will serve as your pre-race meeting. Please take a look at the website and feel free to reach out to me if you still have questions. The 10 day weather forecast is looking good for a fun race.
Double check your registration please!
Please take 30 seconds now and please go to ultrasignup, log into your profile, and double check that you are signed up for the right category. With the addition of a mountain biker and a hiker category this year, the registration page can get confusing. If you’d like to switch categories, please let me know ASAP.
Transferring/Cancelling Registration
If you aren’t able to race, you’ll have the option to transfer your bib to someone else up until this Sunday. We will finalize your entry this Monday and you won’t be able to transfer your bibs after that.
To transfer your bib, you can go to your registration edit screen, find your Registration History page, then find the Mt A Hill Climb, and click on the edit link next to your order. You also have the option to withdraw your name from the hill climb until Monday in the registration edit screen. This will help the folks on the waitlist that would love your spot.
Packet pick up - RVR @ 4 pm on Sat (June 7)
Come to Rogue Valley Runners in Ashland on Sat from 4 to 6 pm. You’ll be at the best running shop in Oregon for any last minute shopping as well. We’ll have a few extra race shirts on sale for 25$ (bring cash). If you can’t make it to RVR on Sat, we’ll have another packet pick up at 6 - 6:45 am on Sunday near the start line, but we prefer you come to RVR the night before.
Current Course Conditions
There’s definitely still snow up there, but I think the cyclist route will be melted out this week and good to go (maybe a patch or two you may have to hike a bike over). The runner/hiker route will have snow up the final mile.
I’ve got a stash of poles that racers can grab at the lodge for this section. Please return the poles, and if you choose to descend on the snow, please don’t ruin the boot pack on your way down (make your own track). I’ll be sending out another email a few days before the race with an update on the conditions.
Shuttles
We currently have 29 folks that said they’d like a ride down from the top and more that weren’t sure. Ashland Mtn Adventures will be shuttling mountain bikers up and will be at the parking lot ready to take down runners or bikers at 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm. There will be a clipboard to write your name and phone number so no one gets left behind. Bring 10$ cash/person to get a ride down.
Drop Bags
There’ll be a location for drop bags near the start line. Please keep your drop bags tiny! The lodge will be open and we’ll have lunch, snacks, and drinks so you can recover. Mark your bags with tape and your bib number and we’ll have it organized.
Start Line
Has moved up this year up to Nutley & Winburn, just up the road from the start last year. This will shorten the course by 0.15 miles, but don’t worry the course is still a half marathon at over 13.1 miles.
Finish Line
After you reach the ball and you cross the finish line, please hike back down to the lodge. We will have limited water up there, as access to the summit is limited. If you choose to wait for a friend, please save water for them and other finishers behind you. There’ll be plenty of water and other beverages back down at the lodge. Including beer from Common Block, and a keg of Cider from Legend Cider Co, which will be available after 11:30 am.
We’ll also have a few cases of Athletic Brewing for those who want a N/A beer option.
Note: many of you may choose to walk down the fire road on the backside as it is more gradual, but it is 3 mi vs 1 mi on the Mt Ashland Trail, so be prepared for a longer walk if you go on the fire road.
Aid Stations/Runner Pacing
We encourage everyone to carry a water bottle to cut down on paper cup waste. We’ll have Skratch drink mix along with water, pickle juice, scratch energy gummies, Peanut M&Ms, coke, sprite, fruit, gu, etc. But please note that if you are toward the back of the pack, your options will be a bit more limited.
Cut offs
We have generous cutoffs for the participants. But we require cutoffs for safety and to make sure our volunteers aren’t out there all day.
- 1st cutoff - is 10 am at 4 corners (2.5 hrs for runners, 3.5 hrs for hiker)
- 2nd cutoff - is 1 pm at the Mt A lodge (5.5 hrs for runners, 6.5 for hikers)
Dropping out
You must inform an aid station captain if you have to drop out for any reason. If you drop out midway and do not inform me (510 468-4105) or the aid station captains, you may be subject to a search and rescue fee.
Notes for hikers
Starting at 7:30 am, please only walk 2 or 3 abreast. Please keep your eyes and ears open for runners/cyclists who will be passing you.
Notes for cyclists
- Starts at 7:20 am.
- The route is different for cyclists. Cyclists will go downhill from 4 corners down to 2080 and will take a sharp right uphill towards Bull Gap, past Corp Camp. From Bull Gap they’ll share the same aid station as the runners, but will once again veer off left toward the Bull Gap SnoPark on the Mt Ashland Road. There’ll be a small aid station there with just water, and you’ll stay on the paved road past the lodge (if you want aid here, you’ll have to ride towards the runners route), past the gate and onto the fire road. You’ll pass the Mt A campground and turn right onto another fireroad all the way to the ball.
- Riders must finish with the equipment they started with… i.e. no leaving your bike at the first snow patch…
- You will be on an “open course” starting at 4 corners (meaning there can be cars… although I doubt there’ll be too many). Please follow the rules of the road and use common sense.
- For more route info, please take a look https://www.ashlanduphillraces.com/route-info.html
No headphones
Please enjoy the song birds and don’t use your airpods. There’ll be plenty of passing on this course, so this is also a safety issue. There may also be mountain bikers coming down the road.
Lunch/Drinks
Your entry comes with a free lunch! Mt A will be serving a burrito (with a veggie option) for your meals this year. Show them your bib and grab a burrito. Same for the Common Block beers, Legend Cider, and other beverages. We’ll also have plenty of snacks and drinks so you can properly recover. Spectators will have the option to purchase burritos.
Spectating
- After seeing off your racer at the start line, you should grab some coffee and head up to Mt Ashland and hang out by the lodge. The first runner should arrive around 9 am.
- Mountain bike option - I encourage mountain bike spectators to take the shuttle up with your mountain bike on the Ashland Mtn Adventures shuttle, cheer on the racers, then ride all the way back into town.
- We encourage families and friends to join us at the lodge to cheer on the racers as they tackle the last mile. The first racers should be coming through around 9 am with the Elbow Room Taiko Drummers rallying the racers for the toughest mile of the course. We’ll be having awards around noon with music from Redwood Empire afterwards.
Volunteers
We’ve got a lot more folks participating this year (up to 350 from last year’s 250). So I’m sure there’ll be a few more issues during the race and I would love to have a few more volunteers to help the racers. Please reach out to me if you have friends or family that can help out. They’ll get a free meal, beer, and will get to heckle the racers for their efforts!
SOMA Wellness Discount Code
Use code HILLCLIMB10 to get $10 off anything at SOMA Wellness, your sanctuary for cold plunge, sauna & salt lounge.
Columbia Hotel
Use code “climbmta” for 10% the room rates for your stay. Located in downtown Ashland, an ideal stay, close to the start of the race.
Questions?
Send me your questions and I’ll try to answer them in the next email, which will have last minute updates.
Finally, thanks to our sponsors for making this possible, please check them out!:
- Shepherd’s Dream
- True South Solar
- Wisdom and Strength Studio
- Canopy Tree Service
- Iron Haven CrossFit
- Rogue Credit Union
- Full Circle Real Estate
- Columbia Hotel
- Rogue Valley Runners
- Common Block Brewing
- Orange Theory Fitness
- Ashland Co-Op
- Jackson County Physical Therapy
- Ashland Cycle Sport
- AZTech Screenprinting + Design
And a special thank you to City of Ashland, Mt Ashland, Elbow Room Taiko and Redwood Empire
Yu Kuwabara
[email protected]
(510) 468-4105