'So satisfying': Grueling Rachel Carson Trail Challenge entices hikers

There’s nothing about the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge that makes it a walk in the park.

But once its hikers complete the hilly, scenic and physically demanding trail, the feeling is one of satisfaction and relief.

“I think it’s so satisfying,” said Amy Nelson, a board member of the Rachel Carson Trail Conservancy. “It’s gratifying to be able to put your body through such strain and to make it to the other side. It’s a feeling of accomplishment that’s unparalleled.”

The 26th annual challenge takes place Saturday from sunrise to sunset. The 36-mile endurance hike begins in Harrison Hills Park and ends in North Park.

“Each year, it’s gotten increasingly more popular,” Nelson said.

Competitors aim to finish the hike in one day. The race is not one to win, but rather one to finish.

“There’s a lot of hills,” Nelson said. “You’ll climb about 8,000 feet when it’s all said and done.”

Bridge between types of running

The traditional challenge has met its 600-person cap of participants, Nelson said. The homestead, or “half challenge,” begins at Springdale High School — near the Rachel Carson Homestead — and ends in North Park. That challenge also has met its cap of 300 people.

The third challenge, geared for friends and family, is a 7-mile trek from Hartwood Acres Park in Indiana Township to North Park. Groups can have up to five members, and Nelson said that race also has reached its cap at 50 groups.

“There’s still some climbing on that one,” she said. “There’s nothing easy about any of these hikes.”

Kevin Tucker of Pittsburgh has done the challenge for more than six years and finished in second place last year. While he is missing this year’s challenge to compete in a 50-mile, long-distance race out of town, he said there’s nothing like the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge.

“It doesn’t have a race vibe,” he said.

Tucker said the challenge is a gateway between trail running, road running and distance running. For many, it is the first difficult event they’ll do, he said.

“It’s a unique event in that it introduces runners of all abilities, whether it be running or trails,” he said.

There are very few races in the country that get as much attention as the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge, Tucker said. The volunteers make the trek go by easier, he said, offering snacks and drinks along the race.

“It makes the day much more palpable,” he said.

Prep work like a ‘part-time job’

With such a popular event, the nonprofit, all-volunteer organization had to get creative with a lottery system to determine who could participate on event day. They use a “karma” system, where one’s likelihood of participating increases on how many times they’ve volunteered previously.

The conservancy also cares for the Baker Trail and the Harmony Trail.

“We had hundreds more applicants than spots this year,” Nelson said. “You can’t enjoy your experience on the trail if there’s too many people.”

Conservancy board member Kathleen Ganster will be hiking the homestead challenge. Over the years, she has done the “full Rachel” four times, the homestead four times and the friends-and-family event once.

“They each have their strengths,” Ganster said. “There’s nothing like the full challenge. It’s an iconic event, and you want to see if you can make it until the end.”

Preparing for the full and homestead hikes is like a “part-time job,” she said. Doing the challenge is something that takes practice hiking the trail.

She said the hardest climbs are near Harrison Hills, “but that doesn’t mean it’s easy in other parts.”

The sections through Hampton and North Park are pretty and scenic, and not too challenging.

The “bizarre thing” about the challenge, Ganster said, is when people are finished, they say they hated it and will never do it again. But after they say that, they mention that they want to do it again next year.

“I think that’s why you see so much camaraderie, because this is tough, but we’ll get through it together,” she said.

Ganster said more and more studies show that getting outdoors and in nature provides health benefits.

“For whatever reason, you’re out there and it’s your hike, it’s your run,” she said. “That’s what makes it so special.”

‘Mental as well as physical’

Despite its grueling nature, the event grows and gets bigger each year. Nelson attributes the challenge’s popularity to a combination of self-fulfillment once hikers complete the trail and the encouragement provided by volunteers along the way.

On event day, volunteers are stationed at checkpoints, offering snacks, water and basic first aid to participants.

Conservancy board member Doug MacPhail is preparing for his 19th challenge. The marathon runner, 70, transitioned into hiking as a way to stay fit. The trail challenge is a personal goal he’s looking forward to.

“It’s mental as well as physical,” MacPhail said, noting that pushing through the discomfort makes it a more rewarding accomplishment in the end. Training for the event included goal-training hikes with volunteers throughout the spring.

“It’s being able to push through the physical turmoil and getting to the finish,” he said.

The event’s success, MacPhail said, is due to the work from volunteers making it a “well-run event.” He also said the trail’s Allegheny County location is within a 20- or 30-minute drive for more than 1 million people.

“It’s a wonderful, local resource for getting out into the woods and in nature for a healthy outdoor activity,” he said.

New this year, the conservancy will host a pasta dinner at North Park the Friday evening before the event.

Nelson said she enjoys seeing the camaraderie and interactions between trail-goers and volunteers.

“It’s just one big, happy family, and the camaraderie on the trail, it makes up for the pain and suffering,” she said.