This was a hard one but the name should of told me that to begin with, it is on a freakin' mountain after all! Race Management says elevation gain is around 950 ft but my Garmin said 1150 and they also say the course is 13.1 but I got 13.58 when it was said and done. This is a trail/road race and they warn you ahead of time that tree cover will affect your GPS but they say it will make you run short...not long!

But I digress and time to get on to the review:

Overall - A fun little trail/road race with spectacular views and lookout points. This was my first trail so I don't have anything to compare it to but my road races so be forewarned as you read on!

SWAG - Race Management is all about making this race different from your typically halfs and fulls so SWAG is a duffle bag with the race logo on it. Also you get the choice of a coon skin hat or a coffee mug. I think first time half runners got the choice of a tech hat also! The race medal is definitely unique as it is a slice from a log with the raccoon logo burnt into it and a rope as a lanyard. These are all done by hand so not all are alike. I do wish they burnt the year and race distance into the wood also and some did but not all.

Aid Stations - Limited due to most of the course being on a narrow, technical train so definitely carry your own water pack. When you did come across an aid station, they had everything you could possible want or need from water and Gatorade to nutritional needs and medical needs. I think in total, I passed 5 aid stations and one was roughly a half mile from the finish after a 3-4 mile trail.

Course Scenery - Beautiful lookouts and scenery every turn you took! Some personal advice, check out the course layout, which I finally found today for my review purposes, before you start and make a mental note for race day. I did not and when we started heading back to the start/finish, I thought we were done but in reality we had another 3-4 miles of trail and I was already exhausted. Remember, they email you telling you to expect to run short on GPS distance but in reality, you run over.

Expo Quality - Small race so not much here to see but they do offer a pre-race pasta dinner for those out of town. Also they have more race items available for purchase like shirts and hats.

Elevation Difficulty - Hard! Like I previously stated, you are on a mountain and will get around 1,000 ft in gains for the half distance.

Parking/Access - Race Management does there best to give out directions, signs, and traffic directors ahead of time because there is not actual address, you just meet at a event area/trailhead. Parking is limited but available for all. My only suggestion would be that Race Management direct people where to park but it is not impossible to find something available.

Recommendation? - Yes, I would recommend this race to others but probably not to first time trail runners and definitely not for first time half runners. There is a relay opinion and that is probably the best for first timers. This race is more tailored to the avid trail and distance runner and definitely those who are independent runners and are use to running distance without support.