Rock The Ridge.
Rock The Ridge covers 50 miles of wide carriage roads and trails on Mohonk Preserve near New Paltz, New York, and is held for the benefit of the preserve itself. The first two legs hold about two thirds of the climbing, so this ultra comes down to how much running you still have left once they are behind you.
Rock The Ridge 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The course is a loop of four legs that ends where it starts. From kilometre 2 the road climbs for three and a half kilometres, the longest ascent of the day, then keeps stepping up to around 420 metres. A long downhill follows and closes the first leg at about 150 metres. That is exactly where the hardest climb begins: close to 200 metres of gain in just over two and a half kilometres, opening the second leg and carrying it towards the highest point of the loop around kilometre 29.
At Slingerland Pavilion the marathon field finishes after two legs, while you are a little past halfway. The third leg mostly stays between 250 and 350 metres and collects almost as much gain as either leg before it, only without a big climb: two mid-sized ramps around kilometres 46 and 53, with short rollers between them. The fourth is the shortest and barely climbs at all. It stays close to level for a long way until, from kilometre 75, the final descent drops to just above 90 metres.
You spend the race on Mohonk Preserve, sometimes on wide carriage roads, sometimes on trails, and the event exists to support the preserve. A marathon and relay options run alongside the ultra.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 1.9 | 3.5 km | 5.3 % | 13.2 % | +183 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 9.1 | 1.5 km | 4.4 % | 5.2 % | +65 m | — |
| km 11.2 | 1.6 km | 3.1 % | 6.4 % | +50 m | — |
| km 21.5 | 2.7 km | 7.3 % | 10.7 % | +193 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 24.7 | 1 km | 6.5 % | 9.1 % | +65 m | — |
| km 38 | 1.4 km | 5.6 % | 8.8 % | +78 m | — |
| km 46.6 | 1.6 km | 4.1 % | 10.3 % | +66 m | — |
| km 53.3 | 1.4 km | 6.8 % | 10.1 % | +96 m | Cat. 4 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Rock The Ridge.
Start under control
Split the day into two jobs. The first 40-odd kilometres hold most of the climbing, and the task there is to get through them as cheaply as possible: walk the ramp after kilometre 21 early and without guilt, and do not let the wide roads talk you into a pace you will pay for later.
Hold your rhythm
The race is decided on the third leg. It has no long climb to justify a walking break, yet hardly a kilometre without a roller. If you can still run evenly here and take the short ramps with little effort, the nearly level fourth leg gives you a lot of time back. If you arrive empty, you will walk it.
Spend what is left
The biggest trap sits on the downhills. The descent before kilometre 21 feels easy, but over more than five kilometres it costs the very quads you need on the climb straight after it. The final descent hits the same muscles again beyond 70 kilometres, so keep your stride short and protect your legs on the early downhills.
Training plan for Rock The Ridge: 12-week build
Build the base
Expect around 10 to 14 hours as an age-group athlete. It is a continuously aerobic effort built from uphill walking, easy running and descending. Hard spikes are rare, since steep sections make up only a small share of the course and nearly a third of it is flat.
Train race pace
The demand shifts as the day goes on. Early on you need strength for around 300 metres of gain in one push, from the low point at kilometre 21 to the top of the course. Later something else counts: being able to keep running, not walking, on rolling and then nearly level ground past 50 kilometres.
Rehearse the course
Build your long sessions in that order: the climbing up front, the final hours at a steady run on flat or rolling paths. Two long runs on consecutive days reproduce that tired second half without the load of one enormous outing. Finish some sessions with a sustained downhill so your quads know what the last descent asks of them.
Arrive fresh
A date of 1 May puts your longest runs in late winter and early spring, so plan for them in good time. Mix wide forest roads with trails, since the race uses both. Practise eating and drinking at aid stations without losing your rhythm too: over this many hours, fuelling helps decide whether the third leg still gets run.
Courses
Download the Rock The Ridge course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Rock The Ridge dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about Rock The Ridge.
How long is Rock The Ridge?
Rock The Ridge is 80.47 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Rock The Ridge have?
Rock The Ridge has around 1,288 m of elevation gain over 80.47 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Rock The Ridge?
Rock The Ridge is classified as Rolling, averaging 15.8 vertical metres per kilometre. 32% of the route is flat, 31% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 4% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Rock The Ridge have?
The hardest climb of Rock The Ridge starts at kilometre 21.5, runs for 2.7 km at an average of 7.3% and gains 193 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Rock The Ridge a loop course?
Yes, Rock The Ridge is laid out as a loop: start and finish are in the same place.
Is there a GPX file for the Rock The Ridge course?
Yes. The Rock The Ridge course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Rock The Ridge?
Preparation for Rock The Ridge should account for 80.47 km, 1,288 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Rock The Ridge?
The pacing strategy for Rock The Ridge should reflect 80.47 km, 1,288 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Rock The Ridge take place?
Rock The Ridge takes place on May 1, 2027.
Where does Rock The Ridge take place?
Rock The Ridge takes place in New Paltz, United States.
Which distances does Rock The Ridge offer?
Rock The Ridge offers 2 distances — 50 Mile: 80.47 km; 26.2 Mile Marathon: 42.16 km.
How do I register for Rock The Ridge?
Registration runs through the organiser: mohonkpreserve.org. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
