Boyers Furnace

Boyers Furnace 40.3 miles

Boyers Furnace is a minimally marked 40.3 mile loop through the Massanutten Mountains around the southern half of Fort Valley. The route is named for Boyer’s Furnace; runners pass the stone furnace ruins roughly halfway along a dirt road section near the George Washington National Forest boundary. The start location is the Camp Roosevelt parking area.

The counterclockwise course combines sections of the Old Dominion and Massanutten Mountain Trails and features approximately 6,500 feet of total ascent and descent. Typical completion times range from about six hours to twelve hours or more. The route description divides the course into a long technical east ridgeline, a rolling dirt road crossing of the valley, a west ridgeline section, and a closing stretch of country road and paved road back to Camp Roosevelt.

There are three aid stations at miles 17, 23, and 31. Aid is partly supplied by the club and partly by items that runners are asked to contribute. Runners may provide three labeled bags of personal food to be dropped at pre-race check in for collection at the aid stations. Navigation is essential; markings are minimal and carrying a turnsheet, map, or GPX track is required. The event is organized as a no-fee fat-ass run with a limited field of 75 entrants and no awards. Medical care is not provided on course; runners are responsible for their own safety in this remote winter event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.