BALLWIN, MO — The final course for the Alpine Shop Summer Trail Run Series presented by Marmot has been confirmed. The infamous Castlewood State Park stairs are waiting for you!
The run starts out flat and fast, with the opening 1/4-mile being slightly downhill towards the railroad tunnel. Once under the tunnel, runners will veer left onto the River Scene Trail, wrapping around the southern peninsula of Castlewood State Park on flat, sandy trails. We’ll have a water station available at about the 1.5-mile mark if needed. Runners will then continue on flat trails for the next 0.8 miles until they reach the stairs. Then, it’s a 200′ climb up to the top of the bluffs overlooking the scenic Meramec River. Runners will traverse along the ridgetop before plunging back down to the finish line via the technical River Scene descent.
Advance registration is available here. On-site registration will be available from 5-6 pm on Thursday, August 27th at the Start/Finish Line (cash, credit cards, and checks accepted).
After the race, series winners in each of our 4 divisions (Men’s Open, Women’s Open, Men’s Master’s 50+ and Women’s Master’s 50+) will be awarded the iconic Marmot Minimalist waterproof/breathable jackets…a $200 value! These jackets are the bee’s knees when it comes to protection from all sorts of weather without weighing you down. Features include a GORE-TEX PacLite shell, PitZips, and Angel-Wing movement that will stick with you throughout any adventure. Updated Series points are available here so you can check out who’s in contention for these incredible jackets.
Approximate distance is 3.6 miles. (Please note that GPS units will vary widely at Castlewood State Park due to elevation changes and forested areas. Lowest elevation: 410 ft above sea level. Highest elevation: 650 ft.)