Hanging+Rock+6+summit+run

=HAROC part deux=

Mileage: ~31.1 miles Summits: 6 - Moore's Knob (2), Cook's Wall (2), Hanging Rock (2) Elevation Gain: ~7,100 ft. Elevation Loss: ~7,100 ft. Garmin Data: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/874040767

For a few years, I've ran Hanging Rock starting at Tory's Den and hitting all the peaks. Over time I've figured out that there's pretty much a 50k course that can be ran within this park and one day I was going to prove it. I was finally able to do the entire route I had thought about for so long on August 22. Sure enough, it was almost exactly 50k. This is sort of like the HAROC challenge on steroids.

This run is essentially an out and back starting at the Tory's Den parking lot and hitting the three summits within the park twice. Route is Tory's Den > Moore's Knob > Cook's Wall > Hanging Rock > to the end of Indian Creek trail (without doing Riverbluffs loop) and then back to Hanging Rock > Cook's Wall > Moore's Knob > Tory's Den. I haven't ran the Riverbluffs loop trail but you could add it in for a little extra if you wanted. Maybe one day I'll go back and do this again adding in that trail.

I figured this would be about an 8 hour run (for me) and I did it just under that. I stopped and took pictures along the way as well as filled up water at the visitor's center on my way out to the Indian Creek trail as well as returning before heading back up Hanging Rock trail the second time. The best way to do splits for a challenge would be each peak as well as when you reach the end of the Indian Creek trail turnaround. My splits are an estimate based on my elevation profile in the Garmin activity as I didn't record them at the time of running.

My best attempt at drawing out the map route (black is outbound, blue is inbound): =__Post your time here__= Nathan Kreeger - 8/22/2015 - **Time: 7:52:59** | Splits: Moore's Knob (1) - 57:34; Cook's Wall (1) - 2:05:49; Hanging Rock (1) - 2:55:43; Indian Creek (end) - 4:04:44; HR (2) - 5:15:24; CW (2) - 6:07:38; MK (2) - 7:04:53

Darian Smith - 9/27/2015 - **Time: 6:18:36** I Splits MK (1) - 41:09; CW (1) - 1:27:42; HR (1) - 2:09:16; IC (end) - 2:57:21; HR (2) - 4:08:17; CW (2) - 4:51:40 (approx.) MK (2) - 5:33:20 (approx.) Wet, Spitting rain, no views, high winds, quite chilly along ridges. However, good nutrition, motivated, and solid run. I think the GPS shafted me on distance by "estimating" around Cooks Wall 2 and Moores 2. The Distance is probably closer to 33 miles and the elevation is probably closer to 7000 feet gain and 7000 feet loss. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/914915726

Eli White and Darian Smith - 8/27/2016 - **Time: 6:42:15** I Splits MK (1) - 46:06; CW (1) - 1:35:28; HR (1) - 2:13:59; IC (end) - 3:08:19; HR (2) - 4:14:57; CW (2) - 4:59:37; MK (2) - 6:00:17 (I think Eli got to the top ~2-3 min before Darian) A nice cool start turned into a blisteringly hot day; mid 90s. Eli was the pace setter. However, our pace was WAY too fast for our own good. We repeatedly ran out of water, then drank too much at water stops. It was nice jumping into the Dan River and in the multiple water falls along Indian Creek. Nutrition was good. Beer waiting at the end. Darian's data: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1368409156 Eli's data: https://www.strava.com/activities/691198599

Eli White - 10/1/2016 - **Time: 5:42:53** I Splits MK (1) - 45:59; CW (1) - 1:30:37; HR (1) - 2:11:09; IC (end) - 2:57:57; HR (2) - 3:59:32; CW (2) - 4:36:05; MK (2) - 5:07:57 The highlight was the dramatic views of Pilot and other peaks poking through the sea of clouds from the top of Moore's Knob! The fog burned off after summiting Hanging Rock (first time), but temperatures remained comfortable below mid 70s. Low energy at one point, but otherwise felt great! https://www.strava.com/activities/731176022

Sunrise from Wolf Rock

Sauratown Mountain and Pilot Mountain, from Cook's Wall

Cook's Wall in the distant middle, Pilot Mountain and Sauratown Mountain distant right, from Moore's Knob lookout tower