Widely considered the hardest 100-miler east of the 100th meridian — an out-and-back over the Allegheny Mountains’ Elliott’s Knob and Reddish Knob with roughly 21,000 feet of climbing, now run as part of the UTMB World Series with a mandatory 8-hour trail stewardship requirement for every entrant.
Quick facts
- Location: Natural Chimneys Park, Augusta County, VA (start/finish)
- Date: September 18–20, 2026; start 6:00pm Friday
- Distance: 104 miles, out-and-back; 36-hour cutoff
- Website: grindstone.utmb.world
- Contact: Via grindstone.utmb.world — a UTMB World Series event, “Running Stones” category, worth 4 UTMB Finals Access points
- Registration: Via UTMB’s registration platform. Requires a minimum of 8 hours of trail stewardship work, completed and submitted by September 1 of race year.
Course description
Starting and finishing at the historic Natural Chimneys, the course eases in over Narrow Back Mountain’s scenic ridge before dropping to the Wolf Ridge aid station and launching into the first monster climb up to Reddish Knob. From there it continues to Little Bald Knob and onto the iconic Wild Oak National Recreation Trail, crossing Grindstone Mountain, Lookout Mountain, and Hankey Mountain down to Dowell’s Draft. The course then heads south over Crawford Knob and up the brutal Elliott’s Knob climb — the course’s highest point — before dropping 2,000 feet in two miles down Cold Springs Trail. Runners retrace much of the route back through Dowell’s Draft, Hankey Mountain, and the steep Horse Trough climb before finishing back at the towering limestone chimneys. The out-and-back structure means climbing nearly everything twice.
Elevation change
Approximately 21,000 feet of elevation gain (and an equal amount of loss) — widely cited as the toughest 100-mile course in the eastern United States, combining sustained, technical mountain climbing with a course that offers essentially no flat recovery miles.
Aid stations
Aid stations are spaced every three to five miles, with full crew access at five designated points: Natural Chimneys (start/finish), Wolf Ridge, Elliott’s Knob, Campbell’s Draft, and Dowell’s Draft. A key intermediate cutoff sits at Dry Branch Gap around mile 56 — runners must reach it by roughly the 17-hour mark to continue.
Special conditions & average temps
Mid-to-late September in the Alleghenies typically brings mild days and increasingly cold nights as the race extends into a second night for slower finishers, with the 6pm Friday start meaning nearly the entire field runs through at least one full overnight in the mountains. As a UTMB World Series event, entrants must complete 8 hours of trail stewardship work in their home area during the calendar year and submit proof before racing.
Recent results — top 3, men & women
2025
- Men: 1. Christopher Sobie 21:47:22 · 2. Yannick Bernard 22:43:54 · 3. Nick Luden 23:12:21
- Women: 1. Isabelle Danforth 26:36:23 · 2. Justine Koksal 26:59:35 · 3. Celia Nalbach 27:34:01
2024
- Men: 1. Gavin Prior 21:23:46 · 2. Anton Krupicka 21:52:04 · 3. Alex Proctor 22:17:30
- Women: 1. Katti Jackson 23:31:16 · 2. Jill Dennes 23:54:09 · 3. Tatiana Rypinski 24:51:28
2023
- Men: 1. Michael McMonagle 19:10:06 · 2. Grant Barnette 19:50:53 · 3. Joe Miller 20:54:00
- Women: 1. Alissa St Laurent 24:39:02 · 2. Shelby Johnson 26:17:52 · 3. Serena Eley 27:53:39
Registration deadline & how to get in
Registration is handled through UTMB’s platform; check grindstone.utmb.world for the current year’s opening date and entry process, as UTMB World Series races often use a mix of direct entry, running-stones qualification, and lottery elements. No formal qualifying race is required, but the trail stewardship requirement (8 hours, completed and submitted by September 1) is mandatory for every 100-mile entrant.
Traveling to this race? Find lodging near the venue via Hotels.com.