Kilkenny Ridge Race

Kilkenny Ridge Race

Kilkenny Ridge Race is staged from the South Pond Recreational Area in Stark, New Hampshire. The event offers multiple distance options along the Kilkenny Ridge Trail and nearby approaches:

• 50 Mile
• 25 Mile
• 25K

The 25 Mile and 50 Mile courses follow the Kilkenny Ridge Trail end to end and gain roughly 7,500 feet per direction. The 25K follows the ridge between York Pond and Route 2 and gains about 4,000 feet. Courses are unmarked and unmanned; organizers provide GPS tracks and maps that runners are expected to study and load to their devices.

Aid is limited on parts of the courses. Backcountry aid stations such as Willard Notch and Unknown Pond offer packaged snacks, water, and electrolyte drink. Turnaround and finish aid stations provide the usual race food and drinks; the finish includes grilled burgers with a vegan option.

Runners must carry mandatory safety gear that will be checked at bib pickup. Required items include at minimum 2 liters of water, a specified amount of calories, a windbreaker or rain shell, a space blanket, and a water filter; failure to carry required gear results in disqualification. Parking is at South Pond; shuttle service is used to access some start lines because of limited parking at remote trailheads. There are crew access restrictions on certain trailheads and no pacers are allowed. Entry requires prior trail experience appropriate to the chosen distance. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.