Another new route from Tom Hovan for this year’s 600K! Per Tom:

The name Ridge and Valley offers a clue to what the riding is like.  The ridge climbs on this ride aren’t easy, but the valleys offer relatively flat terrain.  In a technique employed as much as possible, we route through water gaps and around the ends of ridges to stay in the valleys, but some ridge crossings can’t be helped.

We start the 1st day heading northeast, leaving Pleasant Valley, as we shoot through the water gap at Canoe Creek and take the Lower trail up to Alexandria. The Lower Trail is a gentle start to the day and very usefully cuts through the hills of Morrisons Cove, and isn’t too terribly long  (17 miles or so), and even some of it is paved.  Near its northern terminus it cuts through the Williamsburg Mtn water gap, and leaving the trail, we enter Stone Valley.

Stone Valley is pretty lumpy, but there are no big climbs.  But, then the first ridge climb arrives over Barrville mountain on PA-305 instead.  On the flip side we enter the Amish paradise of Big Valley (aka Kish Valley, aka Kishacoquillas Valley) for a rolling run to the first control in Milroy.  From Milroy, we skirt past the 7-Mtns region by continuing northwest through a very quiet “lost” Lancaster valley (a place only visited by campers and hunters) where you slowly gain elevation, and you jump over the ridge with a spiky, but relatively low elevation gain (400 feet) ridge climb at the end of the valley.  We pass through the little towns of Troxelville and Penns Creek, skirt around New Berlin Mountain and enter Buffalo Valley.  We will turn around at the Purple Cow Controle (with a great ice cream and fast food menu).  If their fare doesn’t please, there is a Sheetz on the route just a few miles later.

Now heading SW we make our way through Buffalo Valley on PA-45 to our 3rd ridge climb of the day past the Hairy John Picnic area (the local version of the BigFoot legend).  If you can hear something other than your own breathing you might catch a mysterious hoot or howl coming from the woods.  Now in Penns Valley, we follow some very mellow creek roads till we are forced away from them and back into the rolling hills that take us into State College.  We control at a Sheetz in SC (at this point, most likely eating a later afternoon or evening meal of sorts).  The route then follows more rolling terrain through Half Moon Valley to a stop in Warrior’s Mark, and onto Spruce Creek. Here, we have to address a short spiky climb to get us back over to the Lower Trail.  Most of us likely in the dark at this point, the route retraces its steps back to the overnight control in Duncansville.

On Day 2, we head south, cutting through a water gap in Lock Mountain to Roaring Spring, then running south through the idyllic farmlands of Morrisons Cove. Just 18 miles into the day, we tackle the first of two ridge climbs of the day – or actually what is an elevated gap between Evitts Mtn. and Tussey Mtn.  It’s not very long, but it’s pretty steep. Notable here at the summit are remnants of trenches that the Union Army prepared for a possible advance towards Altoona by the Confederates to take the railroad hub there that never happened.  This brings us into the northern Friends Cove, then a stop in Everett for our first major control.  Stock up well, because it’s going to be a difficult 50 miles before you can resupply.

Heading south between Polish Mtn. and Warrior Ridge, the terrain is fairly lumpy, but not extreme, and extremely quiet. Then after a short climb up to Warrior’s ridge, we follow that ridge till the hamlet of Chaneysville.  The road into Chaneysville isn’t even quite two lanes in a lot of spots since it sees so little traffic.  We cut through Black Mtn water gap at Sweet Root creek and tackle a ridge climb up Tussey Mountain.  This climb is probably the hardest of the entire 600K.  It has a respectable 700 feet of elevation gain, but most significantly, it has a few steep bits in the 14-15% range.  With that behind us we have a rolling run down Beans Cove into MD and Rocky Gap Park.  .  A fast downhill to the west shuttles us to the southern end of Cumberland valley and we start heading north again.  We pass Lake Koon and tackle some fairly large hills, but thankfully no more ridge climbs for the time being, and finally reach a resupply point at Mom’s Quick stop – an oasis in the middle of a mostly empty Cumberland valley.

Leaving Mom, we continue on very quiet roads with some large hills, some over a mile long, but none very steep.  Most of them are pretty well shaded, which no doubt will be welcome given the time of day they will be traversed.  Then we pass through Bedford, and are forced out of the valley up a short, very steep climb into Briar Valley.  The last big hill of the day awaits, a partial climb up Evitts mountain.  Luckily we will turn off the climb about halfway up.  Another resupply in Claysburg Sheetz, and it’s mostly sunshine and rainbows for another fairly flat 20 miles to the finish.

By the numbers, the first day at 229 miles is 19 miles short of a 400K and has a relatively modest 52 feet of climbing per mile.  The second day is then, of course, 19 miles longer than a 200K, and climbing is higher at 63 feet per mile.  The 2nd day is also a bit more remote, with fewer opportunities to stop.  So, the 2nd day is closer to being equal in difficulty to the first compared to how most 600Ks are structured (the 2nd day is still easier, but we’re talking relative differences here).  The somewhat benign 1st day is meant to help give people (well, me) the ability/confidence to start the 2nd day.  At least that’s the story I am sticking with.

Summing it up, most of the route is rural, there are only a few busy connectors here and there for limited mileage.  Pavement quality is good overall – no need for fat tires.  There are some big gaps in resupply spots, so you need to be able to bring at least 75oz of water on board – 90 or 100 would be better if it ends up being hot.

 

Details

With a start, overnight, and finish at the Comfort Inn in Altoona, this pleasant 600K offers easy self-support…so much so that we’re waiving all fees for this one, since there’s no need for drop bag transport or extra hotel rooms.

Full route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51072979
Day 1: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50577351
Day 2: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/51073052
Registration closes: Thursday July 10th

Inspection opens: Saturday July 14th 3:30 AM

Requirements: current RUSA membership, signed waiver, headlight/taillight/reflective gear

Ride start: Saturday July 12th 4:00 AM (40:00 time limit)

Route: