July 10, 2022
July 10, 2022
Course Changes for 2021
Please note, due to construction on the Kancamagus Chair Lift, the 2021 race course will be a little different. You will still get to finish at the top of Upper Walking Boss.
But there will be some changes in the middle of the course. To see the changes, you can either View the Strava Segment or download a GPX of the course.
Location
Loon Mountain Resort
60 Loon Mountain Road
Lincoln, New Hampshire
Course
6.02 miles
3066 Ft Elevation Gain
Surface
Trail, Grass Ski Slope, Cat Track
Race Director: Tom Hooper
Times
Race Start:
Women: 7:30 AM
Men: 8:00 AM
Cost
$50
The Boss
Over the years our Loon Mountain Race has developed quite a following. The reputation as one of the country’s toughest mountain races is due in large part to the kilometer ascent of North Peak via the black diamond trail known as Upper Walking Boss. ‘The Boss’, as it’s affectionately known, is roughly a kilometer of grassy slope with angles that exceed a dizzying 40% grade!
Prizes and Awards
Overall Race Prize Money
Prize Money will be distributed to the Top 3 Men and Women and Top Master and Top Senior (M&F).
Prize money will be awarded as follows:
1st Place: $400
2nd Place: $250
3rd Place: $100
Top Master (age 40+): $50
Top Senior (age 50+): $50
Upper Walking Boss Preme Presented by
Northeast Delta Dental
$1500 in Prize Money will be distributed to Top 3 Men and Women on UWB
We’ll have a timing mat at the bottom of UWB and at the top at the finish line.
Three fastest times for both genders will win these premes:
1st $400
2nd $250
3rd $100
5 Classic Vertical Trail Races in the U.S.
What goes up … doesn’t always come back down. These hill climbs are brutal but reward you with great views from the top. These five vertical trail races each started as a simple test of who could get to the top of a local landmark the quickest. They are sure to give you burning quads and a spectacular view from the finish. Getting down is another issue… At the Loon Mountain Race, the six-and-a-half-mile course tests every type of ability. It starts out on cat track, changes to technical single track and then around the halfway point hits the first ski slope, with a grade between 15 and 20 percent. The most notorious section of the course is called “Upper Walking Boss,” a kilometer-long section that runs straight up a black diamond slope with a grade of 40 percent.
Read More
Most Competitive Hillclimb
This race up Loon Mountain is an annual benchmark on one of the country’s most competitive trail running circuits. Among the most dastardly hill climb races in the country, the course of this five-miler has an average grade of 10 percent—but in some places it ascends at an unthinkable 40 percent—as it meanders upward on a combination of dirt trails, gravel service roads, and grassy ski slopes. -RW
Trail Runners Bucket List
Widely considered the New England Trail Running series’ most difficult event, the Loon Mountain Race in Lincoln, New Hampshire, packs a whopping 2,200+-vertical gain in just 6.6 miles. Racers literally run up a mountain—the average grade is 10 percent, with some sections as steep as 40 percent. The trail winds up the ski resort’s runs, including the black-diamond pitch Upper Walking Boss, before finishing at the top gondola station on Loon peak. -OM
Dirty Dozen – America’s Best Trail Races
Running 6.6 miles with over 3000 feet of vertical gain will definitely make you question the sanity of running up Loon Peak instead of skiing down it — especially on the black-diamond ski run portion, where racers navigate a 40-percent incline. Front-runners dance up the grass ski slopes, dirt trails and service roads like mountain goats.
The 15 Most Epic Trail Races Across The U.S.
This isn’t an ordinary trail race. It’s straight up Loon Mountain to the Summit Lodge at the top of the ski resort’s gondola. You’ll gain 2,200-plus vertical feet over a 6.6-mile course, which has been the site of the USATF Mountain Running Championships. While the average grade along the course is 10 percent, by far the hardest part is the ascent up the black diamond trail Upper Walking Boss – a staggering 40 percent incline!
Other Important Stuff
Aid Stations
The course will feature two fluid aid stations. The average temperature in July is 77F so make sure you run with fluids if you think you will need more than three hydration stops. We will provide fluids at the finish area and back at the Governor Adams Lodge.
Drug Testing
Athletes who participate in this competition may be subject to formal drug testing in accordance with USATF and IAAF rules, in accordance with USOC, USADA, or IAAF procedures. Athletes found, after a disciplinary hearing, to be positive for prohibited substances, as defined by the WADA Code and/or IAAF, or who refuse to be tested, will be disqualified from this event and may lose eligibility for future competitions. Any prize money payable to an athlete who has tested positive shall be withheld until the final disposition of all disciplinary proceedings. BEWARE: Some prescriptions, over the counter medications, and nutritional supplements may contain prohibited substances. Information regarding drugs and drug testing may be obtained by calling the USADA Reference Hotline at 1-800-233-0393, or www.usantidoping.org.
Hiking/Trekking Poles
Hiking poles are prohibited at this USATF sanctioned event.
Headphone Policy
The use of personal music devices is strongly discouraged at this race. To enjoy all that our race has to offer and for the safety of all participants, acidotic RACING, LLC encourages a headphone-free environment during the running of the Loon Mountain Race.
We believe your race experience and those around you will be greatly enhanced by leaving the headphones at home or in the car. Running headphone-free allows opportunities to develop camaraderie with your fellow runners and to enjoy everything the race has to offer. Plus, volunteers and spectators will be on course cheering you on and providing directions to help get you to the finish line.
Runner safety has always been, and will continue to be, a top priority for our event. Please be mindful of the other participants and respect the race personnel to ensure a safe and enjoyable race for everyone.
Photography & Video
Commercial photography and/or videography at our events is strictly prohibited unless advanced permission has been granted. Please contact the Race Director for further information. The use of drones at our events is prohibited. Spectators wishing to take photos or videos must remain off the course at all times.
Travel Info
Loon Mountain is approximately 90 minutes from Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, NH. It is approximately 2 hours from Logan International Airport in Boston.
A USATF New England
Mountain Circuit Event
This race is part of the eight race USATF-NE Mountain Circuit,
the oldest mountain running circuit in the US.
Learn more at the USATF-NE Website
Photos and Results
Contact Us
Questions? Interested in becoming a sponsor? We’d love to hear from you.