Operation Fan Dance
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FAN DANCE (2027)
FAN DANCE takes place on Cold Mountain in Pisgah National Forest and offers two route options and three carrying categories. Both routes start and finish at the Art Loeb/Cold Mountain Trailhead and must be completed as entered.
- 8 miles with approximately 1,768 ft of elevation gain
- 16 miles with approximately 3,996 ft of elevation gain
Categories are Runner with no required weight, Light carrying 10 lbs dry, and Heavy carrying 25 lbs dry. Required weight must be carried in a ruck; weighted vests and sandbags are not permitted. Required light and heavy weight must remain dry and cannot consist of disposable items intended to be used or discarded.
Terrain includes sustained climbing, steep descents, uneven trail and difficult footing. Routes reach roughly 5,000 ft on the shorter option and about 6,100 ft on the longer option. Weather can change rapidly in March and conditions may be cold.
Navigation requires the specified AllTrails route to be downloaded offline before starting. There are no checkpoints; participants are solo and self-sufficient and must carry sufficient water and nutrition. Minimum emergency reserve is three bars and 0.5 L of water. Bottled water is available at the finish only. A personal medical kit is required and medical conditions must be disclosed to event staff. Withdrawn participants must contact staff and follow instructions; extraction may be delayed depending on location and terrain.
Completion standards: the 8 mile route must be finished in under 5 hours to pass and under 4 hours to earn the FAN DANCE Dog Tag. The 16 mile route must be finished in under 7 hours 30 minutes to pass and under 6 hours 30 minutes to earn the Dog Tag. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
