Key to directions below:

CMRR - Catskill Mountain Road Relay
TP - telephone pole; R - right; L - left; N, E, S, W for north, east, south, west; Rt - Route; Co - County
NYSDEC - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
SWFPV - Sundown Wild Forest Peekamoose Valley

Measurement:

Exacting USATF certification procedures were used to measure the 100K CMRR. Your car odometer will give you a general guideline for distance along the route. Distances expressed to the tenth of a mile are for driving. Distances expressed in kilometers, such as the 10km split locations, are precise.

Steve Holmbraker and I measured the course by bicycle four times using Jones-Oerth devices calibrated on a USATF certified calibration course (“Claryville 400 Meters” near the 60km split) before and after measurements of the CMRR course. Each day involved about 74-77 miles of biking. Measurement, paperwork and mapping were complex, but we can take pride in saying that this is now one of only seventeen USATF certified accurate 100Km courses in the US.

In previous years, participants' uncalibrated car odometers showed significant cumulative errors when compared to calibrated measurements at relay exchange locations, so please don’t rely on your car to give your runners splits between the 10km splits.

Please follow the start directions  and course description closely. As signage and support services have been kept to a minimum, it is largely the responsibility of the participants to make this a safe and enjoyable event.

Fill out the split times sheet at every exchange (every 10km) along the way, then hand in at the finish. Use one watch and a backup watch to get your team's split times.

Since most of the roads are narrow , make sure your vehicle is safely off the roadway whenever assisting or exchanging relay team members. Take your time to enjoy the scenery after you've  parked. There are many mountain views and waterfalls along the way. There are also sharp turns, fallen rock areas, no guardrail in some places, and steep drop-offs from the shoulder. You'll want to keep your driving speed down to 20 mph (3:00/mi) in these areas. Please allow adequate  driving time to the next exchange or pullover area so you can enjoy the trip. This is a spectacular route for running precisely because most of the route is not designed for high speed travel.

Be ready to start your first runner at your team's assigned starting time. Good luck!


Bathrooms:

Before the race, if you take Bridge Street (not Woodland Valley Bridge), toward  Main Street in Phoenicia, you will see some porta-potties just past the Town Tinker tube rental on the left. The owner had graciously offered their use to us in 2002. BYOTP (toilet paper). There are also  porta-potties at the following NYSDEC areas:
(1) the base of Winisook Hill ("Fiddler's Elbow", AKA the big hairpin turn), (2) Slide Mtn Trail Head parking area, (3) Biscuit Brook parking area, (4, 5) SWFPV (Sundown Wild Forest Peekamoose Valley) camping areas. There are bathrooms near the pool entrance at Davis Park in West Shokan where the finish is located.

100Km CMRR Course:

Starting in 2003, all relay legs in the CMRR will be 10km (6.2137 miles) each. This opens up the possibility of using these exchanges for split times for teams as well as for solo ultra runners. To date, only one person has completed the course solo (yours truly). Many have inquired about doing the race solo, but back out when they see the hills.

Gone are relay leg lengths of 5.0 to 6.9 miles each.
Each 10km split is the end of a relay leg.
10km split: end of 1st relay leg
20km split: end of 2nd relay leg
30km split: end of 3rd relay leg
(etc.)
Finish (100km): end of 10th relay leg

A brief overview of the route below is followed by a more detailed description of the route and split locations.

Brief Overview of CMRR Route, with closest towns:
1) Follow detailed description of route below from start through Phoenicia and L onto Rt 28.
2) Continue W on NYS Rt 28
3) Go L onto Ulster Co Rt 47 (at Big Indian), road becomes Sullivan Co Rt 157
4) Go R at “T” with Sullivan Co Rt 19 (Claryville)
5) Go L at “T” with NYS Rt 55 (Curry)
6) Go L onto NYS Rt 55A (Grahamsville)
7) Go straight onto Sullivan Co Rt 153 (not R onto NYS Rt 55A)
8) Route becomes Ulster Co Rt 46 (Lowes Corners)
9) Fork L onto Ulster Co Rt 42 (Sundown)
10) Go R onto Lang Rd to finish (West Shokan)

Detailed Narrative of CMRR Route and 10Km Split Locations:

Miles in tenths below are plus or minus 0.1 miles because they are car measured. These mileages start from the beginning of each leg.

100K CMRR start is on High Street (AKA Woodland Valley Road) at the Woodland Valley Bridge 0.9 miles west of Bridge Street  in Phoenicia. Start race by going west (the bridge and the Esopus Creek will be to your right). After passing Herdman Rd (on R, don’t take) as road turns sharply left at 0.1 mi, you will see Woodland Creek on your R. At about 0.5mi, cross a bridge over creek, then continue on  main road as you ignore several roads to R (Muddy Brook Rd at  0.6mi, then Panther Kill Rd at 0.8mi), then cross bridge over creek, pass Baker Rd on R at 1.0mi, see Woodland Creek on L, pass Grand View Dr on R at 1.1mi. Pass mailbox #790 on R at 2.4mi, “Fawn Hill” (Rd) sign on L at 2.5mi.

Continue on Woodland Valley Road. Pass house #834, 848 and 858 (all on your right), see Woodland Creek on L, cross old turn around (blackened over) at 2.8mi. Note start of guardrail on  L  around 2.8 mi as road curves to the R and goes uphill; turn around will be about 50 yards after the far end of this guardrail, but first, pass sign for Hideaway Campsites on R at 3.0, then pass mailbox #912 on R.

The turn around point is in front of a white picket fence at #933 Woodland Valley Rd.
There is a line painted across Woodland Valley Road which says "100K Turn" and has an arrow curving to L around a white circle marking the turn around point. For reference purposes only, twenty feet south of (past) the turn around line is a utility pole on the east (L) side of the road with "NYSEG 85" and "NYT 98" on it. Also past the turn around line is a School Bus Stop Ahead sign.

After rounding the turn around point, head back (north) toward the starting line by retracing your steps, then continue for 225 feet past the starting line to the 10km split. From 10km to nearly 40km, the Esopus Creek accompanies you as you head up toward its highest pond source, beautiful Winisook Lake

10km says “10K” on road (just after a guardrail on R) and is 57 feet before TP 5, 37, 19, 6 on R (ie. a telephone pole on the right with the numbers 5, 37, 19 and 6 on it). The next leg requires that you lead your runner through five turns early in the leg. Don't make the mistake that a couple of teams have made by staying at the exchange while their runner runs ahead and then misses one of these turns.

Go past electric substation on L at 0.8-0.9mi, then go under Rt 28 overpass. The runner who just completed the first 10km can continue along the race route to cool down, then be picked up later once your second runner is on the left side of Rt 28 and will no longer need directions through any turns. It is suggested that you have a timer and your second runner at the exchange when your first runner comes in, then drop off your teammates at the turns in Phoenicia in advance to guide your second runner through the turns.

In Phoenicia, follow your detail map carefully. I strongly recommend you scout this section ahead of time so you know the route. The 100K CMRR goes left, over railroad tracks and onto Bridge Street, over the Esopus  River, left onto Main Street in Phoenicia (it’s OK to run on sidewalk), past stores, over another bridge, then immediately left onto narrow Jay Street. After Jay St makes a 90 degree right turn, it becomes South Street. Next, South Street goes uphill to a "T" with Rt 28. Go left at the “T”,  then stay on the far left side of the shoulder of Rt 28 so you are facing any traffic. Do not run, walk or stand in the vehicular traffic lane of Rt 28: this is a 55 mph road. After this, there are only six more turns in the remainder of the CMRR. The CMRR goes through this part of the route early to beat the potential heat and traffic on this unshaded road.

It is required that competitors run on the broad left shoulder of Rt 28 for a shorter and safer route. The four turns in Phoenicia insure that competitors run on the broad left shoulder of Rt 28. See rules re: disqualification if not running on left side.

Along Rt 28, there are numerous “Old Rt 28” side roads between Phoenicia and Big Indian which will not be referred to in the route description below.

At 3.4mi, pass Ernst Rd on L, Broadstreet Hollow Rd on R (4.7mi), go over NY City aqueduct bridge (5.0mi), Ulster Co Sheriffs Office and Shandaken Town Hall on L (5.3mi), Hinkley Rd on R, “Parking Area Ahead 1000 feet” sign, pass entrance to parking area on L at 5.6mi (good place to aid runners), pass its exit at 5.7mi. Drivers can pull into this large parking area on L. Suggestion: drop off a runner here to warm up.

Pass Peck Hollow Rd on R (5.7mi), then Liton Rd (sic) on R, pass Fox Hollow Rd on L (5.9mi), Shandaken sign (6.0mi), Ulster Co Dept of Road & Bridges on R (printed on snowplow, 6.1mi).

20km is at driveway of #7349 Route 28, fifty-three feet after TP321, 19-1, 235 on L. The gray building on L is American Tackle (fishing supply). This 20km split is just after “Mechanic on Wheels Jerry Bender”.

Pass Jct with Rt 42 on R (for Lexington - don’t take). Cross over bridge over Esopus Creek. Pass “Parking Area 1/2 Mile” sign (0.6mi), “Parking Area 1000 Feet” sign (1.0mi), then pass Lower Golf Course Rd (on R) and Golf Course Rd (on L at 1.1mi), then pass old exchange location on L opposite entrance of big parking area on R at 1.2mi. Stay on Rt 28, pass Webster Ave on L. Resident Bill Webster ran with a group of his fellow firefighters one year, starting at 5:30am, the earliest ever start at the time.  Pass “Parking Area 1/2 Mile” sign (2.9mi), Indian Teepee at (3.2mi).

Next, turn left onto Ulster County Route 47 at Morra's Market in the hamlet of Big Indian (3.3mi), pass Morra’s at 3.4mi. Go uphill, stay on Co Rt 47 and go through the hamlet of Big Indian. Morra's Market is the last store on the route until Grahamsville (about 30 miles later)! Guardrail (3.6-3.8mi) and Esopus Creek on R. Next, pass Lost Clove Rd on R (3.8mi), go past houses, guardrail (4.1-4.7mi) on R, Hatchery Hollow Rd on L (4.7mi), cross over bridge over brook at 4.8 mi, guardrail (5.0-5.4mi) on R.

Pass Oliverea sign at 5.3mi. Pass Cold Spring Lodge sign (5.8mi). Enter straightaway with “Pure Maple Syrup” sign on L about 100 feet before 30km mark. Pass #608 on R, then drive to pull-over area just before McKinley Hollow Rd to park on the R.

30km is on County Route 47, thirty-two feet before TP NYT 72, two hundred and fifty feet before parking area on R before McKinley Hollow Rd. Runners should park at the McKinley Hollow Rd parking area, then walk back or jog to 30km mark. Do not park in front of houses at 30km, as there is insufficient parking here and this is private property.

The next leg is by far the toughest uphill leg in the course. It goes up a series of hills, the last of which is a 10.5 per cent grade for 1.2 mi. Make sure your team's best uphill runner does this challenging leg which gains over 1,000 feet in elevation.

Pass guardrail on R from 0.1 to 0.3mi, go uphill (>20’), then down (~40-60’), see pond on R at 0.7mi, go on flat at 0.8mi, pass Forest House on L, Alpine Inn sign on R and Burnham Hollow Rd (0.9mi), Eagle Mtn Rd on R, go faintly uphill (1.1mi), steeply uphill at 1.2mi, curving rd sign ahead at 1.3mi, start descent (<20’)), go over bridge, pass old exchange between Maben Hollow Rd and Little Peck Hollow Rd (1.5mi).

After a series of uphills and a bit of downhill, look for where the giant culvert pipe goes under the road. This is where the big ascent of Winisook Hill begins. The culvert pipe is a piece of NY City’s aqueduct pipe - huge, because it has to handle tremendous volumes of snow melt coming down off Panther Mtn (note deep reentrant, or groove in mtn, to L)

Going further uphill, you will see a parking area across the road from a porta-potty at the L side of the hairpin turn. This is a good vantage point from which to support your runner. This is part way up the steep climb of Winisook Hill. Climb up Winisook Hill (1.2 miles at 10.5 percent grade, another great training location for preparing for mountain races like Mt Washington in NH), pass Winisook Lake on L (end of steep hill), grade lessens, reach peak of hill, then descend soon to the 40km split, noting 15mph sign for sharp turns on descent.

Astoundingly, current Race Director George Shurter averaged 5:59 per mile when including the climb up Winisook Hill in his relay leg one year. Former RD Brian Cavanagh hadn’t even listed a time that fast on the pre-race pace charts. This year, the best times for each leg will be new leg records because of the leg length changes.

40km is on the downhill on County Route 47, forty-one feet past hard-to-find Winisook Club tombstone-like marker on R. White lines on road show where stone marker is; go past them to exchange area. This is 898’ (0.17 miles) before (uphill from) Slide Mtn Trail Head Parking Area, in line with ash tree on the R with “Forest Preserve Wilderness Area - NYSDEC” sign on it, and yellow paint blaze (border of state land and Winisook Club land). There is a porta-potty at this Slide Mtn Trail Head Parking Area. Slide Mtn is a great hike to do another day: 2.65 miles up to summit. It has the best views in the Catskills: you can see all of the thirty-five Catskill peaks over 3,000 feet high from its 4,180 foot high summit.

Another reference for 40km is that there is a John Burroughs historical marker (metal plaque on post) on left 494 feet after the 40km split and 404 feet before the Slide Mtn Trail Head Parking Area.

Additional references for 40km: Runners will probably miss the Printing on Winisook Club stone slab marker faces away from runners. Fifteen feet past 40k are two “Forest Preserve Wilderness Area - NYSDEC” signs on L on a big birch tree with yellow paint blazes. The West Branch of the Neversink River runs closer to the road at this point than it does in all its travels. This is where it makes a bend from E of the road going SE toward the road, then it starts to parallel the road as it heads S.

Runners, please be safe: make room for the occasional car that may come along; do not congregate in road even though you may have seen few cars on this road so far. There is a tendency to become very relaxed on this beautiful, scenic road. For your safety, you need to be aware of vehicles as well. I’m guesstimating that teams will be converging on the route between 40 & 60km.

40-50km route:  Pass Slide Mtn Trailhead Parking Area (0.17mi). Good smooth, hard-packed dirt road from 0.5 to 2.8 miles in 2003; road is being repaved. Pass an "Entering Town of Denning" sign on the right, pass yellow and black road sign at peak of a hill indicating the curving road ahead. This sign is where the old CMRR 4th exchange was.

Pass ostrich-emu farm on L at 2.0mi, pond on L (2.5), Biscuit Brook parking area on L (3.4) which has a porta-potty, pasture on L (4.2mi). Pass the expansive Frost Valley YMCA Camp (both sides of road) with chapel and pond on R at 4.3mi. Go over bridge at 4.4 mi, Frost Valley’s main entrance sign on R (4.6 mi), big lake on R (4.8), road zigzags a few times. Pass pasture on L (5.2), long straightaway (5.4), White Pond on L (5.5mi), Claryville Fire Dept on L (5.7 mi), then go over bridge, pass white house on R (5.8mi). Road curves sharply R at 5.9 mi, passes house on R (6.0mi), then curves sharply L, very close to West Branch of Neversink River.

Traveling very  close to river at 6.1 mi (on L), road zigzags ahead, then enters straightaway, rises up over a blind hill (ie any oncoming vehicles would not see you until you approach the crest of the hill). Note that before reaching the 50km split, the West Branch of the Neversink River is barely visible to the left and road winds for 150-300 meters. Runners, make room for the occasional car that may come over the hill from beyond the 50k split; do not congregate in road even though you may have seen few cars along this road so far. Drivers, please park safely all the way off the road.

50km is on County Route 47, forty-four feet past twin-trunked birch tree, in line with apple tree on R, 30 feet before 2 foot-high stump on L. There is a very small drainage ditch on R and a swampy area with reentrant (groove in hillside) going up to the R. 50k split is marked by white line going all the way across the road, with “50K, EX 5” on L side of road and “50K, 100K” on R side of road.

From 50k split, it’s another 1.6 miles to old bridge that’s been fixed past Frost Valley. Pass pines, pasture and a #2554 on a mailbox (1.2mi), then bridge over a small brook (1.5mi). The old exchange used to be here at this bridge that’s been paved over. Cross bridge over brook at 2.6mi. Run next to West Branch of Neversink River. River does sharp long curve to L at 3.0-3.2mi, curves to R at 3.3mi,does a very sharp L at 3.5 where there is a waterfall on the R where there is parking. Road curves to L, then R (3.6mi).

Continuing on Ulster Co Route 47, go past Round Pond Rd on R at 4.0 mi. Ulster Co Route 47 becomes Sullivan Co Route 157 (4.4mi); road changes from oil and chip surface to smooth asphalt surface with lane lines. Pass Blue Hill Rd on R (5.0mi). Although not on the CMRR route, the dirt and gravel Blue Hill Rd goes uphill for 1.0 mile at an 11.7 percent grade!

CMRR route curves L over two bridges (first the West Branch, then the East Branch of the Neversink River), then at “T” intersection (5.2mi) with Sullivan Co Rt 19 in Claryville area , go right. This is one of only two right hand turns in the entire 100km course; the other is 0.1 mi from the finish. Pass Claryville Reformed Church (5.3mi); route is flat as a pancake. Pass Bungalow Brook Rd at 5.8mi, originally named Bung Hole Brook for the holes in the kegs which held the moonshine which was made up in the hills here during the Great Prohibition.

Immediately go over bridge over Bungalow Brook. At far end of guardrail on R for bridge over brook, the white painted “400” and line on R road shoulder marks the end of the Claryville 400 meter Calibration Course approved by USATF as an accurate standard on which to calibrate the Jones-Oerth device before measuring the 100K CMRR. Steve Holmbraker and Brian Cavanagh used a steel tape measure to measure this 400 meter “cal course”. Note how straight and level the cal course is. Both this cal course and the 100k course are certified as accurate until 2012.

60km is on a flat section of road where the Neversink River is on your R. The 60k split is 190 feet past the start (white line and zero on R shoulder of road) of the Claryville 400 meter Calibration Course. For further detail, see link for map of cal course at http://www.sullivanstriders.org/usatf_cal_map_claryville400m.jpg
The 100k course map is at http://www.sullivanstriders.org/usatf_cert_map_100k.gif

Go up and down a minor hill immediately after 60k. Road becomes straight from 0.2 to 0.5mi.

60-70km: The route is relatively flat until passing Hunter Rd on the R (1.0mi). Hunter Rd offers access  to the Halls Mills Covered Bridge, where the Neversink River forms a calm cool pool. The route goes uphill on County Rt 19 for 1.3 miles at a 3 per cent grade, starting at 1.1 miles. Pass the old exchange (2.2-2.3mi) at the top of this hill near the first of two hill signs.

Crest  the hill, pass Cummings Rd on L (2.3mi). Note that cell phone reception is available at 2.6-2.7 mi (one of the few places on the CMRR course): this is a point from which you can see a tower straight ahead on top of grass-covered Thunder Hill. From Cummings Rd, plunge down Wildman Hill for 1.4 mi at an 8 per cent grade to the "T" intersection with State Route 55 at the bottom in the hamlet of Curry (3.6mi).

At Rt 55, have someone watch for traffic as your runner makes the left turn. Watch for turning vehicles along Rt 55 from here through Grahamsville. Pass Kelly Rd then Clark Rd on R, Pepacton Hollow Rd on L, Hilltop Rd on R, Van Dr and Roadside Dr on L at 4.9mi, Fairground Rd on R (5.1mi), Denman Mtn Rd on L, Davis La on R (5.3mi), River Rd on R (5.6mi).

Continue E on Rt 55. Go past your last stores and gas stations on the CMRR route. Pass Rt 42 (on  R at 5.9; don’t take), Hastings Dr on L, then Reynolds Rd on R, then Reynolds Spur on R after that. You are very close to the 70k split. Rt 55 curves L, goes uphill. On the uphill L curve is the 70km split. Park at Tri-Valley Central School, not at Grahamsville Rural Cemetery.

70km is on Route 55 after passing Route 42, eighty-four feet past Reynolds Spur street sign on R directly across from cemetery entrance. This is just before the school. This is in front of a white house with black trim. This is also before a church on R.

From 70-80km, the CMRR route goes from Grahamsville past the hamlets of Lowes Corners,  Sundown, and Bull Run (a two house hamlet!), paralleling the Rondout Reservoir and Creek upstream along the way.

Next, pass Moore Hill Rd on L, then take left onto State Route 55A at 0.3mi (sign says “W Shokan 18, Sundown 5”). Go left, follow Rt 55A, pass Rocky Hill Rd (0.8mi), Eureka Rd on L (1.4 mi), bald eagle viewing area (1.6-1.7 mi), a good place to pull over and park. Two bald eagles were seen flying over this area as recently as August 14, 2003. Several years ago, I spotted a rare golden eagle here before this was formally named as an eagle watching area. Notice Rondout Reservoir on R. In winter, eagles like to walk out on the ice and pick up the fish that have gotten chopped up by the turbines of the power plants. This is why they are seen near reservoirs with power generating facilities. Water rushing through the aqueduct (from other reservoirs) coming through the mountain goes through turbines at the power plant.

Go past the power plant area and the old exchange area shortly past it (2.2 mi). Pass Rt 55A turnoff on R (don’t take it) at 2.3 mi. Go straight, over bridge & immediately past Sugarloaf Rd on L (2.5 mi), ball field on R (2.7-2.8 mi), then Sullivan Co Route 153 (AKA “Sundown Rd” on sign) at 2.9 mi.

Go through Lowes Corners (hamlet), past East Mtn Rd on R (3.5mi; site of a former covered bridge). Rondout Creek is visible on R from 3.6-3.9mi. Pass Van Valkenburgh Rd on L (4.7mi), enter Town of Denning (road becomes Ulster Co Route 46) at 5.0 mi, road changes from asphalt to oil and chip surface. Pass Sundown Studio (5.4mi), Van  Aken Rd on L (5.5mi), then immediately go right onto bridge over Rondout Creek  (5.6mi) in Sundown. At Ulster Co Rt 46, stay L, taking Ulster Co Rt 42. Ignore sign for  Sundown Greenville Rd then Whitehouse Rd on R (both at 5.7mi). Take Ulster Co Rt 42 (Peekamoose Rd) to the L. Go along beautifully forested road. Rondout Creek is visible on L at 5.8-5.9 mi. Pass house #47 on L at 5.9 mi which has occasionally had a loose dog. Pass tarp-covered vehicles at 6.1 mi. Rondout Creek passes under the road via culvert at approx. 6.2 mi

80km split is on County Rt 42, 120 feet past TP 16 on L, before Balace Rd (sic) on L and about 30 yards before small seasonal camp store on R. Road makes a sharp bend to the R after store. At 80km split, there is a culvert under the road that crosses from a pond on the L to the Rondout Creek on the R; there is a low stone wall on the L on top of the culvert.

After 80k split, pass large black satellite dish on L at 0.3 mi. About 0.4 miles into leg, watch out for possible loose mutt on L at house with porch under construction. Dog warden has been called. Pass cliffs on L and go uphill at 0.7 mi. State land on L and R at 0.9 mi. Between 80 and 90km, this narrow road ascends as you pass several NYSDEC parking areas within the Sundown Wild Forest Peekamoose Valley Area (“SWFPA”). SWFPA Lower Field Parking area on L at 1.1 mi; go downhill. See two Bull Run houses (#300, 304) at 1.6 mi: small town!

There are porta-potties near camping and parking areas on L at 1.8 mi (SWFPA sign is missing from post). Pass SWFPA Upper Field Parking at 2.0 mi.

Cross one-lane bridge going to L with box guardrails over Rondout Creek, then pass third SWFPA Morrell Field Parking on L with porta-potties set back in far edge of field at 2.2 mi. 

Go uphill, cross small bridge with waterfalls on L, then continue past old exchange #8 at 2.4 mi. Pass SWFPA Peekamoose Mtn Trailhead Parking on L at 2.5 mi. There is a natural pool ("The Blue Hole") in the Rondout Creek on R about 100 meters past here.

“No Guardrail Protection” signs begin on R at 2.6 mi and continue for several miles. As long as you're not the one driving, watch and listen carefully for the rushing sound of waterfalls on this road, more or less noticeable depending on the volume of recent rains. This is where the road demands a driver's attention the most, so please drive safely. The route is a narrow road with little or no shoulder and precipitous drops to the creek. Occasionally, rocks are seen in the road after heavy rains have loosened the soil on the hillsides. There are occasional small pull-over areas on R; be careful when using them.

See waterfalls on L at 3.5mi. Road changes from smooth asphalt to rougher oil and chip surface at 3.9 mi. Cross bridge with waterfalls to L at 4.1 mi. There are waterfalls to R at 4.4mi. Pass biggest, most visible waterfalls during summer on Peekamoose Rd at 4.7 mi and cross over bridge. In April, when leaves are not on trees yet and Spring snow melt continues to pour off the Catskill mountains, many more waterfalls are easily seen. Huge piles of logs on L at 4.8 mi.

After the beautiful waterfalls, pass houses (5.1, 5.3 mi), then tranquil Peekamoose Lake (from 5.3-5.7 mi), This is all part of three miles of road frontage and thousands of acres owned by Howard Pack, a man who made millions in pioneering the use of shipping containers in the 1940’s that would be lifted by crane from tractor trailer or railroad car to ships and visa versa. He has his own ski hill, logging operation for firewood, several houses and equipment for clearing the roads of heavy snow or the occasional avalanche heavy snowstorms, the county’s snow plows cannot make it up Peekamoose Hill’s 13 percent grade (even sanding in reverse) and so this road can become closed for a few days at a time. This is one of the most remote roads in the Catskills, which makes it an idyllic setting for the CMRR. Please respect Mr. Pack’s private property as well as that of other landowners along the route.  You could say that Mr. Pack owns the hamlet of Peekamoose. Famous composer Irving Berlin used to live in Sundown, which you just passed through.

At 5.8mi, cross bridge as creek switches from L to R side of road, then pass steep scree (loose rock) slopes on L, creek on your R. Road goes uphill, gradually curving to the L. Pass trees and scree on L, then road curves sharply L uphill. Everybody count out loud the sequence of TP’s (telephone poles) on R: “1, 2, 3, 4, 5!”, curve L, then see yellow reflector then white reflector on two posts on R then see 90km split painted on road next to cool natural pool in creek on R. You found the 90k split in the middle of nowhere! I love this area.

90km is on Ulster County Route 42, seventeen feet before TP 674NYT, 130. This sixth TP has “90K” painted in white on base. Due to narrow shoulder at 90k split, there is almost no room for parking; you can either park two wheels on the road and two wheels where you can see the narrow shoulder, or else drive about 50 yards ahead to find room for parking on the R. Visibility from behind is not good at the 90km split, so watch for cars from behind, even though traffic is rare. Visibility ahead is good.

Do a gradual climb for the next 0.2 miles, pass scree slopes on L (0.3mi), “Welcome to Town of Olive” sign at 0.9 mi, pass between the imposing slopes of primordial Peekamoose Notch at the road peak (1.1mi), then reach old 9th exchange (1.2mi).  Feel for cool breezes after you crest the top of the hill. Listen and watch for falling rocks. This is the far end of Mr. Pack’s road frontage. If wealth were measured in rocks, he’d be a trillionaire. Rumor has it that the local running club does sprints up these rock slopes each Wednesday night, “Black Fly Night”.

After having ascended into Peekamoose Notch, the CMRR route descends 1,050 feet in elevation, 480 of which is over 0.73 miles down Peekamoose Hill. At 1.3 mi, shift your car into low gear to reduce your speed and save your brakes down Peekamoose Hill (12.5%, 0.73 mi). Peekamoose Hill takes sharp curves to L at 1.6 and 1.9 mi. After “Road Narrows” sign, see stone walls on both sides of road as stream runs under road from L to R at 2.0 mi. The steepness of the grade lessens here. This is where I’ve started my uphill repeats to train for the Mt Washington (NH) Hill Climb.

It is 1.015 miles from the old 9th exchange (blackened over) down to Kanape Brook Trail Head Parking Area signpost on L. To get your time for one mile, subtract the same number of seconds from your time as the number of minutes it took to run this 1.015 miles. The unofficial record in the CMRR for this downhill mile is 4:01, by Gary Hans (4:05 minus 0:04 = 4:01). Asked what it felt like, he responded “It hurt”. Former All-American X-C runner Bob Crego, out of shape, ran a 4:10 (4:14 minus 0:04 = 4:10). The two runners were representative of the range of heights of runners who’ve done the CMRR: one shorter, one taller. Do longer legs help people run faster? Another year, one of Bob’s self-deprecating quotes was “It’s hard to taper for a 13 mile race when you’re only training 10 miles per week!”

Pass Kanape Brook Trail Head Parking Area on L at 2.2 mi. Pass first houses in nearly four miles at 2.3 mi. Pass South Hollow Rd on R (2.3 mi), Every Rd (obscured by bush on L at 4.7 mi), curve sharply to R, Moon Haw Rd (5.3 mi) and Bell Lane on L, Burgher Rd on L (5.6 mi), then immediately go over bridge over creek, pass High Point Mtn Rd on R at 5.7 mi. At 6.0 mi, pass church, red brick buildings for fire dept and Olive Town Hall.

Please direct your runner through the right turn onto Lang Rd around 6.1 mi and to the finish of the 100Km CMRR less than 0.1 mile in. One runner missed this turn and ran another two miles because his teammates were not directing him. If you miss the Lang Rd R turn, you would come to a “T” intersection with NYS Rt 28A.

100Km finish is on Lang Rd, four feet before center of base of tree; tree is before corner of fence on Lang Rd & Davis Park driveway; finish is also 55 feet before TP NYT 4 with "3LN9" sign on it. Finish line is marked on road as “100Km CMRR” with a line under it and “Finish” under it.

Do not park in the roadway of Lang Rd before the finish line. Lang Rd is the entrance for Davis Park in West Shokan; it needs to be kept clear of cars so that the official's view of the finishing straight is not blocked.

Congratulations for finishing the 100Km CMRR! Please hand in your completed split time sheet to a CMRR race official at the finish line within ten minutes of your team finishing the CMRR so that split times can be recorded and results printed. Thank you!

There's parking, shade from which you can watch your teammates, a pool, showers and bathroom facilities. Pool and showers are open when weather is bathing-suitable. Bathrooms are open regardless of weather. For the Catskill Mountain Road Relay, the people of the Town of Olive have kindly waived their residency requirement for use of the pool and showers. They charge a minimal fee of $2. Erin has been in charge of the pool area every year that the CMRR has been held.

For those who may be driving back to the start in Phoenicia, it’s 10.1 miles via Rt 28A (go R out of Lang Rd, then L at yield sign) and Rt 28 west.

Copies of USATF Course Certificates for 100Km CMRR and Claryville 400m calibration course available upon request.