Here we go for week two of the 2023 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series! Join us on Thursday, August 10, 2023. Race time is 6:15 pm.
Race HQ is at Queeny Park’s Smith Shelter in central St. Louis County at 550 Weidman Road. Enter the park nearest to the Weidman entrance (the West side of the Park). Head up the hill and take the first left after entering the park. Follow the road until it ends at the large parking lot. Race HQ will be at almost the exact opposite side of the parking lot, in the Northeast corner.
Race start will be just to the east of Race HQ down the hill towards the small pond the shelter overlooks. This second course will feature 261 net feet of elevation gain over the 3.97 mile course and will also be highlighted with (depending on the weather) a low water crossing!
We’ll head down hill to the park valley before making a left onto the small trail that parallels the Dog Park. We’ll follow that for about a tenth of a mile before we meet up with a section of Fox Run we didn’t tackle last week. Make a left and start heading up hill for the longest climb of the run – just under a mile at about a 4% elevation grade.
Before you reach the highest part of the climb, you’ll make a right turn at the end of Fox Run onto Hawk Ridge, and we’ll start a reverse run of part of last week’s course around the northernmost section of the park. Instead of staying on Hawk Ridge all the way around the northeast edge of the park, though, we’ll stay to the right and and cruise south along the Dogwood Trail for its full length (about .4 miles).
At the end of the Dogwood Trail, stay to the left and make the quick but steep climb up the White Oak Trail (5% grade), where we meet back up with Hawk Ridge and begin to conquer the second half of the race. We’ll follow Hawk Ridge clockwise down the hill in front of the old Museum of the Dog towards the park’s main Picnic Site.
Here’s where things will change from the usual trails… No we’re not actually running across the lake. We’ll be running across a small portion of land separating two bodies of water, including a low water crossing. We’ll run through the trees back to up to the paved trail along the playground and make a right along the sidewalk along the newly renovated Greensfelder Recreation Complex before taking on your last challenge of the evening… heading up the steep ramp back up to Race HQ and the finish line.
Enjoy up to two cans of Schlafly Beer following your adventure and make sure you grab some of Great Harvest Bread Company’s tasty treats. We’ll have plenty of hot dogs and other refreshments at Race HQ as well. And make sure you stick around for the giveaways!
Approximate total distance of the race is 3.97 miles. Lowest elevation: 501 ft above sea level. Highest elevation: 671 ft. Total elevation gain over the entire course: 261 ft.
Want to register today? Here’s the link!
*Forecasted temps are currently around 84 degrees with humidity of about 60% for the start time. If you’re worried about the heat, we would also recommend considering bringing a hand-held water bottle or hydration backpack. We will announce the location of the water station before the race.