Juneau Ridge Race

Juneau Ridge Race

The Juneau Ridge Race is a trail running event in Juneau, Alaska. The course is approximately 15 miles long with about 5000' of total elevation gain. The race starts and finishes in Cope Park in downtown Juneau.

The route passes through town, then follows Basin Road and Perseverance Trail. Runners ascend to the summit of Mt. Juneau at about mile 4.9 with roughly 3500' of elevation gained, traverse the Juneau Ridge for three miles, descend into Granite Basin and rejoin Perseverance Trail near mile 11. The final four miles follow Perseverance back to Basin Road and return to Cope Park via The Flume.

There are three checkpoints on course; these are checkpoints rather than full aid stations and will carry a very limited amount of food and water when nearby groundwater is available. Participants are expected to carry the supplies they anticipate needing for the duration of the race. Cell phone coverage exists on much of the ascent and along the ridge, but most of the second half of the course lacks coverage.

Runners must carry a basic kit including a wind/water resistant jacket, long sleeve shirt, emergency space blanket or bivy, a beanie or buff that covers the ears, gloves, water, and food. There is a summit cutoff of 2 hours 30 minutes; racers who do not meet the summit cutoff will be removed and must descend the Mt. Juneau trail.

Participation is limited to ages 18 and over on race day; ages 16 and 17 may petition for entry and no participants under 16 are permitted. The event is USATF sanctioned and is part of the Alaska Mountain Running Grand Prix series. Post race activities in Cope Park include food featuring wood fired pizza by Forno Rosso and afternoon awards. The 2026 race is filled to capacity and a waitlist is maintained; the waitlist has previously been used to fill spots. Merchandise options for 2026 include a technical hat with limited availability. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.