ALEXANDER COUNTY, NC (September 17, 2018) – The public is invited to the Vertical Mile Challenge (VMC) Fun Day on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area. In addition to hiking the VMC trail, there will be a free BBQ sandwich lunch; live music with David Kerley; a scavenger hunt; door prizes; and more.
The VMC continues to grow in popularity as residents and visitors enjoy the challenge of the hike, while spending time with family and friends at Rocky Face Park. There are currently more than 4,000 participants in the Vertical Mile Challenge Club, who are working on their goals of eight laps (one vertical mile), 40 laps (five vertical miles), 80 laps (10 vertical miles), 100 laps (milestone), and even more. For the VMC Club, participants hike at their leisure, with no time limit or set number of days to achieve their goal. The only requirement is that you fill out the logbook upon completion of your lap(s) each time.
VMC Club participants hike a 2.2-mile trail loop, which includes the popular “Stairway to Heaven” trail, which is approximately a third-mile long trek with an elevation change of more than 500 feet at a 25 to 30 percent grade. Eight laps of the 2.2-mile loop total 5,280 feet up and 5,280 feet down (a vertical mile).
The free lunch from Apple City BBQ, courtesy of Alexander County Government, will be available beginning at 11:00 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information about the Vertical Mile Challenge, visit www.rockyfacepark.com/the-vertical-mile-challenge.
History of The Vertical Mile Challenge
In 2011, Jimmy Ballard and Doug Dawkins went hiking on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont. They hiked south from Hanover, New Hampshire into New York State. Somewhere in Vermont during the countless ups and downs, Jimmy wondered if they had been a vertical mile – 5,280 feet up and 5,280 down. In fatigued and deranged humor, they thought, “Wouldn’t it be something to put on a run where the whole idea was to do a vertical mile in the shortest distance possible?!” It took a while to find the right location, but with the help of Alexander County Manager Rick French, they discovered that Rocky Face Mountain Recreational Area was the perfect location. Alexander County holds the annual VMC trail race in June of each year. The fifth annual Vertical Mile Challenge trail race is set for Saturday, June 15, 2019 at 8:00 a.m