The End to End, a 29 mile endurance challenge along the Taconic Crest Trail, will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2014, as announced by the Taconic Hiking Club. This event pits entrants against 29 miles of unimproved backwoods trails traversing three states – New York, Vermont and Massachusetts. The challenge of this hike is a cumulative total of 7,836 feet of ascent and 9,470 feet of descent to be completed in one day.
In past years, entrants have come from New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York to test their stamina against the rigors of a trail that includes Berlin Mountain, the highest point in Rensselaer County.
Those interested in achieving the end reward of a specialized trail patch and a unique certificate of achievement should contact R.J. Hydorn, 2 Miller Avenue, Troy, NY, 12180, or rjhydorn@lycos.com to have the registration form sent. The form is also online at http://taconichikingclub.blogspot.com. Completed registration forms will not be accepted until December 1, 2013. An entry fee of $30 is required with each registration. This fee is non-refundable after March 31, 2014. There will be a ceiling of 25 entrants for this event, with each application handled on a first received, first served basis. Additional entrants will be placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.
All participants in this challenge are expected to arrive in Pittsfield State Park on Friday, May 16, to camp out and be ready for the 5 am wake up and hot breakfast served by the Taconic Hiking Club. Hikers start at 5:30 am, and there are three support sites with water and other supplies along the route. Sweep parties follow the hikers to provide assistance and support as needed. Volunteers will be available to pack the hikers’ camping gear and move their cars to the finish line at Rt. 346 in Pownal, VT. Entrants are encouraged to bring a companion to help with this and to be available to drive a very weary hiker home after the successful completion of this event.
It should be noted that this is not a timed event and entrants only compete against their own clocks, not each other. This unique event has been held for over 30 years and has attracted attention in both Backpacker and Adventure magazines. For more details see the Taconic Hiking Club website, http://taconichikingclub.blogspot.com.