A Short Exposé on the Blood Rock Sections on the Belcher Track.

The new 50-mile loop is going to make some significant changes to the character of the Blood Rock Race. Yes, it’s still going to be tough! All those brutal backcountry climbs are still in the race. We are even adding a climb, the “Crack-in-the-Wall Climb.” However, for 100 milers, we are removing the entire third lap. That means only two Barkley’s, two Topless Hill climbs, and two runs along the East Ridge Trail. The other, and perhaps most significant, is the addition of several Belcher Road Sections.

Now, understand, Belcher Rd is a 6 mile long gravel road running the length of the Belcher Track. Some sections are almost totally flat, especially at the bottom along the railroad tracks by Hwy 11. There are some long, gentle downhill sections and some steep uphill and downhill. There is nothing on the road I can’t drive in my 2-wheel drive F150. The road is much like the red bike road but better maintained. Like the bike road, cars are not allowed.

What this road does is give access to the beautiful lakes in the Belcher Trace. Runners will first reach Belcher Road at the top of the Crack-in-the-Wall Climb. There runners will head southwest and pass along the shore of Catfish Lake. We call it Summit Lake since it sits on the crest of the ridge. There is on old spring fed quarry lake. After about a mile on the road, runners will drop down the Old Quarry Trail and back up to the Eagle Nest Ridge before returning to Belcher Rd.

After a shot, gentle climb you will reach Belcher for a ½ mile descent to Demopolis Lake. Runners will circle around this, the largest of the three lakes, and head back to Kings Chair. From there you will head down the old Blood Rock route into the backcountry. At the sunken road, runners will turn left and pass by the “Grotto.” This is an amazing pool fed by a perpetual waterfall and spring. Have your camera ready.

From there, runners will make their way along an abandoned road over to Belcher Lake. This is the lake just below Kings Chair. We plan to have the Blecher Lake Aid Station on the grassy area extending out into the lake. After the aid station you will continue east onto another long-abandoned road for a 3.5-mile loop before returning to the Belcher Aid Station. Oh, did I mention “la petite Barkley.” You will know when you find it.

After the second trip to the Belcher Aid Station, runners will follow Belcher Rd just over a mile, mostly downhill to, and along the RR tracks to a right turn heading back to the mountain and everyone’s favorite climb the not-so-petite Barkley. Runners will stay on the old Blood Rock course to the descent of the “East Face Traverse” AKA, the Old Wagon Rd. At the bottom of the traverse continue straight ahead along a single-track trail for about ½ mile and rejoin Belcher just before the Trail Station.

After the aid station runners head back along the sunken road to the “Topless Climb” and the Topless Rock Face. Make your way over the ridge and you are headed back to Redbud Pavilion on the old Blood Rock Course.

I highly recommend downloading the GPX file and taking a tour of the new course. By the end of May, the entire course should be cleaned off ready for runners. Most is ready now including the Crack-in-the-Wall climb and the Quarry Trial.