Alpine Challenge 100 Mile

Race - Nov 23, 2019

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Features River/Creek · Spring · Views

The 100 mile (160 km) course takes in six major climbs with 7,600m of ascent and descent including Mt. Feathertop, Mt. Hotham, Mt. McKay, Spion Kopje, Mt. Nelse and Victoria's highest mountain, Mt. Bogong plus five river crossings.

Equipment: Refer to runningwild.net.au/alpine-c…

Navigation: The course is generally unmarked, but major decision points (i.e. points where people have a tendency to go the wrong way) are marked. The course follows bush walking trails and is generally easy to follow using map, course notes and the Avenza interactive map for all distances, which shows your location on the course in real time on your smartphone. To ensure against technology failure all participants need to be able to navigate with map/compass or GPS. If you are unsure how to use a map and compass check out the link below or go to rogaining or orienteering.

The 100 mile course is an arduous course with six major climbs, each of approximately 1,000 m that take a cumulative toll. The event takes place in an exposed Alpine environment that participants continue to underestimate as demonstrated by the high DNF rate and rescues by Alpine Search and Rescue. The course is subject to sudden and severe changes in weather: hot sunny days as well as rain, fog, high winds, sleet and snow can occur during November.

This is not a run to be taken lightly, hypothermia is a serious risk as is the potential for getting lost, and participants must be prepared for any weather conditions.

Each year runners get lost due to simple and avoidable navigation errors.

The Alpine Challenge should only be attempted by experienced trail runners/walkers with good navigation experience.

The Alpine Challenge is, without doubt, the toughest, most challenging, most spectacular and rewarding all mountain trail run in Australia—if not the southern hemisphere over four distances.

The 100 mile (160 km) course takes in six major climbs with 7,600m of ascent and descent including Mt. Feathertop, Mt. Hotham, Mt. McKay, Spion Kopje, Mt. Nelse and Victoria's highest mountain, Mt. Bogong plus five river crossings. The 100km involves over 4,000m of ascent and descent and the 60km course over 2,000m of ascent and descent, and for those undertaking the 36 km run, you'll have over 1,300m of ascent.

It also offers the most challenging weather conditions, from intense heat during the day or snowstorms and driving rain, to subzero temperatures at night.

In 2006, in the inaugural event, four experienced runners attempted to run the course but were stopped by unseasonal snow. Running in pairs, two runners pulled out at Mt. Nelse after taking 17.5 hours to complete 60 km and two other runners turned back at 3 a.m. in calf deep snow and white out conditions on the approach to Mt. Bogong.

In 2007 the run was canceled due to bushfires, and it was only in 2008, that the course was completed with three out of five runners completing the distance in 42 hours in perfect conditions and running 50 km with a pack with overnight gear. Records tumbled in 2009 with a change to the course which eliminated the mandatory overnight gear and a new start/finish at Bogong Village. New records were set 32.45 hours (men's) and a record of 36 hours for the first female to finish the event.

For more information, visit runningwild.net.au/alpine-c…