The final race of the 2021 Alpine Shop Trail Run Series will start this Thursday evening at 6:15 pm in Castlewood State Park. As tradition demands, then, the final race of each year’s Trail Run Series will ascend the park’s Grand Staircase. Are you ready to climb?
Same Race HQ as it has been all month long. When you enter the park, you’ll follow the road to the gate at the train tunnel. There, you’ll show your registration ticket to the friendly Alpine Shop staff member there and they will let you through to the dedicated parking area on the south side of the park. We have over 160 spots dedicated to Trail Run Series participants.
We’re happy to welcome Ansel Wachter with Altra Footwear on this evening where he’ll have trail runners (the shoes, not the people) to demo if you feel like it, as well as swag to give away at the end of the evening. Make sure you say “Hi!”
Race start time will be at 6:15 pm. But we are heading to a different starting line! Actually, you don’t need to head anywhere once you’re at Race HQ. You’ll just walk to the edge of the parking lot.
From the start, we’ll go straight up Kiefer Creek Road, but before we get to the train tunnel, we’re going to hang a left into the area being used as the overflow parking lot. We’ll continue straight onto the wide open meadow in front of you.
We’ll follow this meadow for its entire length, giving the field some time to spread out before meeting up with the River Scene Trail.
Just when you start to think you the trail can’t possibly go any further away from race HQ, “the tunnel” comes into view.
For those of you new to this series, “the tunnel” is a pedestrian only tunnel under the still-active railway that bi-sects Castlewood State park. Back in the early twentieth century, people from St. Louis city would take the train from downtown to Castlewood for relaxation and entertainment. Canoes spanned the Meramec River from literal river bank to river bank with revelers. And when evening came, they headed up the stairs to the “Castles” for which Castlewood was so named. Hotels, bars and restaurants lined the top of the bluffs. Some of the foundations can still be seen today during your run. While there may not be beer waiting for you at the top of the stairs, we promise there will be some at the race finish.
Once you’ve passed under the tunnel, Castlewood’s Grand Staircase is all that’s between you and the bluffs. While not the “original” Grand Staircase that the party goers back in the 1900s used to scale the climb, you can see remnants of it during your “dash” to the top. 200 stairs later, you’ll be near the crest of your climb, with only a couple more steep sections of trail to deal with for the remainder of the run.
We’ll hop on the Lone Wolf Trail to descend back to the valley floor (Editor’s note: Lone Wolf is still my favorite trail in the park), where a nice refreshing creek crossing will lead you to a right hand turn onto Grotpeter Trail at just past the halfway mark on your run.
You’ll follow Grotpeter past the Park Office, where you can grab a quick drink (at approximately the three-mile mark) if you need one on this hot evening. *If you’re worried about the heat, we would also recommend considering bringing a hand-held water bottle or hydration backpack. Grotpeter will take us back to Kiefer Creek Road, and over the creek. Then, as we have all month long, you’ll head down Kiefer Creek Road back under the train tunnel and hang a left down the River Scene Trail. You’ll go past the parking lot and come around it on the Southeast side, avoiding any cars in the parking lot. The finish line will be directly in front of you in the open meadow!
Enjoy some Schlafly and Urban Chestnut Brewing Company Beer, some hot dogs and other refreshments at Race HQ following your race. And return your Atlra’s if you demoed them!
Approximate total distance of the race is 3.95 miles. Lowest elevation: 407 ft above sea level. Highest elevation: 633 ft.
