Southeast Mountain Runners

Welcome to the Juneau Ridge Race!

​

  REGISTRATION FOR 2023 WILL OPEN MARCH 15 AT THE LINK BELOW

https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=102003

​

  Runners are expected to carry a basic gear kit for being in the mountains above Juneau in possible inclement weather.  We require all runners to at a minimum carry hat, gloves, water resistant jacket, long sleeve synthetic top, food(recommended 500 calorie minimum) and water (20 oz minimum) to be in the mountains for multiple hours.  Runners are subject to a gear check at any point during the race.  We will have some water and food at three aid stations along the route, but these are meant as a supplement or back up to what you would carry on your own.  There are usually plenty of places to fill water from streams on the course, but we will provide some filtered water on course for those that are not comfortable drinking directly from water sources along the way.

 

  Post race we will provide a delicious meal from a local vendor, details forthcoming..  All runners get a meal with their entry.  We will have non-alcoholic beverages.  BYOB for any other celebratory drinks.

 

  Awards will begin at 3pm.  We have great prizes for top three women and top three men as well as other age group prizes. Please stay and celebrate through the awards time!

 

  Please note that there is not enough parking in Cope Park proper.  There is street parking in the adjacent neighborhoods as well as nearby(10 minutes walk) State of AK parking lots.  Please plan your timing accordingly.  Runners can leave gear at the start for when they finish.

 

Course Details

 

  This is a very challenging route!  There will be snow on course this year!  Almost everyone will be doing some hiking, many will hike the entire way up Mt Juneau even though this is a ‘running’ event.  We do not have strict cut offs but our course sweepers will be leaving the checkpoints at set times.  You can continue and still be a recognized finisher if you fall behind the course sweep, but we need to have some established times for our course crew to breakdown and move off the course.  The summit checkpoint will be ‘closed’ by 12:00, the back of the ridge checkpoint will be closed at 1:30, and the swimming hole by 2:30.  If you are concerned about these cutoff times please reach out to us and we can discuss.  If runners generally run all the flats and downhill, then these are very reasonable timeframes.

 

  The race starts in Cope Park near downtown Juneau at 9am on Sunday June 26th.  The route is 15 miles long beginning with a quick trip by the Capitol building on the way up to Basin Rd. and the Perserverance trailhead.  We will mark the route through town and have a few people on course directing runners on the roads.  Once on the trail the route proceeds up to the Perseverance/Mt Juneau junction.  We will have a course official making sure everyone is getting onto the Mt Juneau trail here.  Do not turn up Mt Juneau before this junction!  Climb to the summit of Mt. Juneau where there will be the first of three mandatory checkpoints with some water and food including Clif products.

 

  After leaving the summit continue along the Juneau Ridge trail for three miles.  The ridge will be marked with pin flags.  Weather will dictate how often the flags will be placed, but you can count on a minimum of 10 flags per mile and up to 100 if we have a cloudy forecast.  The second mandatory checkpoint will be at the back of the ridge where you begin the descent into Granite Basin.  This is the approximate halfway point for distance.  From here you will descend through the upper basin and down to the swimming hole on Granite Creek where there will be last of the three checkpoints.

 

  From the swimming hole it is about 1.25 miles down to Perserverance trail junction.  Take a right at this junction and follow the main trail 2.5 miles back to Basin Road.  The trail will be minimally marked at junctions.

 

  Once on Basin Road, continue over the Gold Creek bridge and turn right onto the flume trail.  Upon leaving the flume trail following signs through neighborhood towards Cope Park.  The finish will be near the tennis courts.