Challenging 3rd annual Pleasant Mountain Race tests runners’ resilience

By Ed Pierce

Dozens of runners lined up on Sunday, Sept. 28 to tackle a challenging obstacle by competing in the 3rd annual Pleasant Mountain Race sponsored by the Loon Echo Land Trust.

A total of 60 runners gather at the starting line to 
compete in the 3rd annual Pleasant Mountain
Race sponsored by the Loon Echo Land Trust
on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Pleasant Mountain in
Bridgton. The race is a half-marathon which
stretches 21 kilometers long with more than
4,000 feet of elevation gain.
COURTESY PHOTO 

The event is not your typical road race as runners leave behind paved city streets for rugged mountain terrain. Despite its intense physicality, 60 athletes departed from the starting line in the race on the tallest mountain in southern Maine.

Funds raised from the Pleasant Mountain Race support the nonprofit Loon Echo Land Trust, which maintains the 10-plus miles of trails on the mountain.

The mountain racecourse itself is 21 kilometers long and has over 4,000 feet of elevation gain. Runners began the competition at the Pleasant Mountain Ski Area’s East Lodge, then headed up the Bald Peak Trail, and descended the mountain on the Firewarden’s Trail. They then ran from the Firewarden’s Trailhead to the Southwest Ridge Trailhead to then head back up the mountain to the summit, across the ridge to Sue’s Way Trail, and down the Bald Peak Trail and return to the East Lodge.

“The course is marked, although we encourage all our runners to study the course beforehand,” said Pleasant Mountain Race co-director Scott Eugley, who helped mark the course along with co-director Addie Casali. “We try to minimize interference with hikers, so we usually mark the course the day before and take things down the day after. Typically, I will mark the course, and Addie will take it down.”

Eugley said that it’s not uncommon to see runners cross the finish line and immediately sprawl out in the grass in exhaustion as the course is unforgiving and punishing, with thousands of feet of steep climbing and descent while navigating the technical single-track and traverse across Pleasant Mountain’s iconic ridge.

“It’s a testament not only to the difficulty of the course, but also the grit and effort the runners put into it,” he said. “The most common comment is probably, ‘That was hard.’ This course embodies the spirit of trail running in the Northeast. It was our goal to design the most challenging course possible on Pleasant Mountain, to bring the best out in our runners.”

At 2,006 feet in elevation, Pleasant Mountain is indeed the tallest mountain in southern Maine and remains one of the defining landmarks in the Sebago Lakes region. The mountain is a favorite destination for hikers, birdwatchers, snowmobilers, hunters, snowshoers and skiers. Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT) owns 2,064 acres on the mountain and protects an additional 24 acres through a conservation easement.

The land trust oversees the management and stewardship of the hiking trail network on Pleasant Mountain and the majority of the land that the Ledges, Bald Peak and Southwest Ridge trails are on are owned and managed by LELT.

Classified as a half-marathon, this year’s race once again saw runners give it their all and pushing themselves physically to overcome some of the most difficult geographic race conditions that many of them will ever encounter.

“The feeling of accomplishing something really hard is priceless,” Eugley said. “We urge the public to get involved in their community, get outside, and test their limits.”

Crossing the finish line first among make runners in the race was Nate Manning in a time of 2:34:47. The winning female this year was Nichole Cort with a time of 3:15:53.

Local sponsors and partners for the 3rd annual Pleasant Mountain Race include:

* Loon Echo Land Trust

* Revision Energy

* Norway Brewing co.

* Maine Morning Micro Roasters

* Live music by Dylan Tanguay

* Scale Shack Food Truck

* Photography by Mike Stew

* Wilderness Rescue Team (Search and Rescue/Medical Team)

Loon Echo Land Trust (LELT), founded in 1987, is a nonprofit organization that protects land, ensures public access to the outdoors, and builds and maintains recreational trails in Raymond, Casco, Naples, Harrison, Sebago, Bridgton, and Denmark. For more information on LELT properties, upcoming events, or how to get involved, visit LELT.org or their Facebook page. <