Races
Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania. Laurel Highlands. Seventy point five miles on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.
Field, 2026 · 27-year samplescraped
Geometryderived
Course records
The cruxLaurel Ridge traverse above the Youghiogheny River (near mile 46)
Course DNA
Laurel Highlands runs 70.5 mi through Pennsylvania. +2,697 ft gain and -2,661 ft loss. Surfaces skew 85% trail / 15% dirt road. Laurel Ridge traverse above the Youghiogheny River. High point near 219 ft. Low near 56 ft. June temps run 45°F to 85°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 35.
Train for 2,697 feet of climbing across 70.5 mi. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 20 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 5/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 46.
June in Pennsylvania: plan for 45°F to 85°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 20 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 18. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 85% trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 35.
Hold effort through mile 18. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 35. Laurel Ridge traverse above the Youghiogheny River near mile 46 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 23 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
Results
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