Media Information
The upcoming Rachel Carson Trail Challenge presents an exciting opportunity to promote the outdoors, fitness, our region, and togetherness via a challenging endeavor. Here are several article templates regarding the Challenge which are suitable for newsletters and other publications.
Rachel Carson Family Challenge 2008
Families looking for healthy, outdoor activities they can do together should consider the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge. Adults have been attempting the grueling "Challenge" for the last 11 years. This 34 mile hike along the Allegheny County, Rachel Carson Trail happens every year on the weekend closest to the Summer Solstice. The challenge is to finish between sunrise and sunset.
The Rachel Carson Family Challenge will take place along with the traditional 34 mile Challenge on June 21, 2008. The Family Challenge is an 8-mile hike from Hartwood Acres Park to North Park. It shares a finish line with the 34 mile Rachel Carson Challenge and the 18 mile Homestead Challenge. This fun but vigorous family activity has a minimum age limit of 8. All participants get a t-shirt, a trail guide, checkpoint support, and earn a place at the celebration cookout. A single registration can be used by up to 5 family members.
Families may start any time between 12:00 PM and 12:30 PM. Your start and end time will be recorded electronically. There is one rest stop 5.2 miles into the trail at Sample Road. Food and drink will be available at the rest stop. You can find more information and a link to the registration site at http://www.rachelcarsontrails.org/rct/challenge/rctc08. Look for Family Challenge under Participant Information three quarters of the way down the page.
Rachel Carson Trail Challenge 2008 (Short)
The twelfth annual Rachel Carson Trail Challenge will take place on Saturday June 21, 2008. The Challenge is a 34-mile long, one-day, endurance hike on the brutal Rachel Carson Trail. Unlike a footrace, the "challenge" is not to "come in first" or "win", but to endure, to enjoy and to finish the hike in one day. The Challenge starts in Harrison Hills Park at sunrise, 5:50 AM, and ends in North Park finishing before sunset at 8:54 PM. If 34 miles sounds too daunting, we offer two shorter events that same day. The first is the Homestead Challenge, an 18-mile hike from near the Rachel Carson Homestead. The second is an 8-mile Family Challenge from Hartwood Acres Park. All events finish in North Park.
The Challenge entry fee includes a t-shirt, shuttle bus, checkpoint support, cookout, and a trail guide. There will be four checkpoints throughout the hike, offering water, sports drinks, various snacks, and basic first aid. There will be four 8-9 mile training hikes covering the entire trail prior to the Challenge. These hikes will be on 5/31 & 6/1 and 6/7 & 6/8. There is a $3 activity fee per person, per hike, collected on the day of the hike. Everyone is welcome on these hikes (note: the minimum age is 8); you do not need to be entered into the Challenge to participate.
Get more information at http://www.rachelcarsontrails.org/rct/challenge/rctc08
Rachel Carson Trail Challenge 2008 (Long)
The twelfth annual Rachel Carson Trail Challenge will take place on Saturday June 21, 2008, the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. The Challenge is a 34-mile long, one-day, sunrise to sunset endurance hike on nearly the entire brutal Rachel Carson Trail. Unlike a footrace, the "challenge" is not to "come in first" or "win", but to endure, to enjoy and to finish the hike in one day. This time, the Challenge starts in Harrison Hills County Park at sunrise, 5:50 AM, and ends 34 miles later in North Park. The deadline for finishing is sunset, 8:54 PM or 15 hours 4 minutes, whichever comes first.
The trail passes through Harrison, Fawn, TerentumTarentum, East Deear, Springdale, Harmer, Indiana, Hampton and McCandless. It goes through Harrison Hills Park, Agan Park, Emmerling Park and North Park. If 34 miles sounds too daunting, we offer two shorter events that same day. The first is the Homestead Challenge, an 18-mile hike from near the Rachel Carson Homestead in Springdale. The second is an 8-mile Family Challenge from Hartwood Acres Park. All events finish in North Park.
The Rachel Carson Trail is a "primitive" trail in the sense that no special grading or surfacing materials are used. While the trail is blazed marked with yellow blazes, there will be an occasional missing blaze where a tree has fallen or foliage has grown to cover the blaze. Some of the trail follows logging roads, power lines or gas lines; there will be blow downs, washouts, poison ivy, nettles, bugs, loose gravel and rocks, gullies, and wet stream crossings. There are no switchbacks on the trail; all hills — some are quite steep — are traversed directly up and down. You must be prepared to expect the unexpected. The better hiker you are, the better you will do on the Challenge.
All hikers will be given a trail guide to assist them on their journey. There will be four checkpoints throughout the hike, offering water, sports drinks, various snacks, and basic first aid. Hikers are expected to carry all their own gear and necessities, including snacks, water, first aid and raingear.
The Challenge entry fee includes a t-shirt, shuttle bus, checkpoint support, cookout, and a trail guide. The shuttle bus is available to take participants from the finish to check-in just before sunrise, and again later in the afternoon to take those finishers who parked at the start back to their vehicles.
There will be four 8-9 mile training hikes covering the entire trail prior to the Challenge. These allow you to learn trail blazing and navigation, as well as see the trail firsthand. Many Challenge veterans participate in these hikes because they are a fun and sociable way to help you get in shape for the event. These hikes will be on 5/31 & 6/1 and 6/7 & 6/8. There is a $3 activity fee ($1 if Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy member) per person, per hike, collected on the day of the hike. Everyone is welcome on these hikes (note: the minimum age is 8); you do not need to be entered into the Challenge to participate.
Get more information at http://www.rachelcarsontrails.org/rct/challenge/rctc08