Vertical Mile Challenge
Hiddenite, United States • 20 Jun 2026
Vertical Mile Challenge : Hiddenite, NC
The Vertical Mile Challenge takes place on June 20, 2026 at Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area, 3451 Rocky Face Church Road, Hiddenite, NC. The event offers two race distances:
- 16 Miler
- 8 Miler
Each lap follows a nearly 2-mile loop. The full Vertical Mile is eight laps and the Half Vertical Mile is four laps. After the start/finish area runners follow a paved section at the base of the rock face, then a trail of about a half mile to the "Stairway to Heaven" segment, which is an open, very steep rock face. After that climb the route continues about one mile downhill back to the steps and the start/finish area.
An aid station at the base of the mountain near the start/finish provides water, Gatorade, soft drinks, and salty and sweet snacks; pickles and pickle juice are included. Bottled water is available at the top of the "Stairway to Heaven" segment and on the trail. Runners are encouraged to carry a water bottle; a paved area at the base is recommended for drop bags and pop-up tents.
Registration is $40 plus fees and is limited to the first 175 entrants. There is no race-day registration. Packet pickup occurs on race morning at Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area.
Course record times include a fastest first lap of 16:12 (men, 2017) and 20:13 (women, 2019), and overall Vertical Mile records of 2:21 (men, 2017) and 2:58:58 (women, 2021). Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.