7th Annual Jerdon Mountain Challenge
July 28th, 2018 – 26 Miles – 3,600′ Elevation
REGISTRATION OPEN! REGISTER HERE
Warmup to the ORAMM or just come out and ride a 26 mile course that doesn’t have you riding in circles! This is backcountry racing at its finest with a shorter course and still all the amenities of a long distance endurance race. This annual race will run on some of the same trails as the ever popular Off Road Assault on Mt Mitchell. The race will still tackle 3,600′ of climbing over 26 miles as you hit some ORAMM highlights like Kitsuma, Star Gap, Heartbreak Ridge and Jarrett Creek. Celebrate with a huge after party on the picturesque Gateway Museum grounds.
This race is limited to 300 participants.
Info
Date: Saturday, July 28, 2018 (Rain or Shine)
Time: Mandatory ride meeting at start line at 7:50 am . Ride starts at 8:00am.
Packet Pickup: Registration packet pickup begins race morning at 6am. Early packet pickup will be available on Friday from 4-8pm at the Finish in the grassy field beside the Gateway Museum.
Fee: $80 until June 24th. $90 until July 22, and $100 on race day. Online registration closes July 22, 2018
Amenities: Time clock, awesome rest stops, Oskar Blues beer at finish with a delicious meal, well-marked route, restrooms, wicked NC singletrack and so much more.
Rest Stops: There are 2 rest stops. You may shuttle anything you want to either of the rest stops on the course. Be prepared to label and bag up your personal items by 7:30 am. Rest stops are stocked with H20, Energy Drink, assorted snacks, fresh fruits, PB&J sandwiches, and lots of encouragement from our rest stop personnel! *Mandatory Cutoff Times*
Finish Party: Each rider will receive tickets for Food and beverages/beer. Additional food/ beverages will be available for purchase and for spectators. Massage will also be available for purchase.
T Shirts: 100% cotton pre-shrunk T-shirts are optional to all preregistered participants (register on or before July 1st for a t-shirt). Sure to be the envy of all your friends.
Injuries: Have no illusions you can escape some type of injury on 26 miles of rough terrain. Whether in be an abrasion, a mental breakdown or an ego check, everyone suffers in one way or another.
Directions: From Asheville take I-40 to Old Fort Exit #73. Go towards downtown Old Fort. The start/finish will be at the Gateway Museum on the right.
For 2018, all of Blue Ridge Adventures’ races help support the Bread of Life.
F.A.Q.
Do I need a racing license and what is my racing age? No you will not need a USA cycling license to race this event. Your racing age is your age on 12/31/2018.
How will the course be marked? The course will be marked with 4″ White Tape with Blue Lettering. There will also be yellow signage alerting of right turn, left turn, straight ahead and wrong way. White spray chalk will also be used to mark turns and significant areas. Any pavement will be marked using YELLOW Spray Paint.
Is the course shut down for race use only on race day? No. This is an open course and you may encounter other users during the race. You must abide by Forest regulations which require bikers yield to hikers and horses. Beware of cars on fire road and pavement sections of the course. Police officers will assist with traffic while riders enter and exit Highway 70.
What is provided at the Rest Stops and how do I shuttle items? Rest Stops will be fully stocked with CLIF energy fuel, plenty of cold Water, PB & J, Soda, Bananas, Oranges and Advil. You can also shuttle any items you like 
to the rest stop. You will be provided four bags in your race packet with your number on it. These are for use to shuttle your personal items. We will also have extra bags if needed. There will be a place at the Start to drop your bags in the morning and they will return there after the Rest Stop has closed.
Where are the Rest Stops?
- Rest Stop 1 – Mile 13 – Bottom of Mill Creek Road/Star Gap
- Rest Stop 2 – Mile 17 – Top of Mill Creek Road climb
Are there cutoff times? Yes, there are mandatory cut off times. Riders must be at Rest Stop 1 by 11AM and at Rest Stop 2 by 12PM. If riders reach a Rest Stop after these times they must take the road back to the start. They cannot finish the race.
Venue & Parking
Directions to Mountain Gateway Museum
Venue Map
Know where to find things at the venue. This map is helpful to see where to drop your rest stop items, where the bathrooms are located and where the merchandise tent is to get your tickets for food/beer/wine.
Parking Map
We have a New Parking setup this year. Please do not park in the old lot. Parking is available on Commerce St.
Lodging
Lodging / Camping options in Old Fort, NC
Schedule
Jerdon Mountain Challenge Schedule
Spectators
We encourage your friends and family members to cheer you on during the race and have maps available for them at the registration area.
We have had issues with parking in the past at the rest stop locations, so will be enforcing parking guidelines to ensure a safe event for all involved.
Rest Stop 1
- Spectators will need to park in the back of the Brookside Baptist Church parking lot. Follow signage and parking assistant.
- Please do not park on the road! There is plenty of parking in the grassy field behind the church.
- Please be considerate and respectful as church will be in session during the race.
Map of Area
Directions to RS 1
From the Gateway Museum in Downtown Old Fort:
- Turn LEFT on Highway 70/W Main St.
- Turn RIGHT on Old US Highway 70 towards Andrew’s Geyser.
- You will travel for a few miles and eventually see the Kitsuma Picnic Area on your left.
- Turn RIGHT onto Mill Creek Road.
- You will travel for another 2.5 miles or so passing Andrew’s Geyser. Mill Creek Road will turn left into gravel.
- Stay STRAIGHT onto Graphite Road.
- Continue past the rest stop.
- Follow signage to park in the back of the Brookside Baptist Church parking lot.
Results
Jerdon Mountain Challenge Results
