Rachel Carson Trail Challenge pushes hikers to the limit

While 99% of participants finish the Pittsburgh Marathon, the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge has an average finish rate of 75%.

The Rachel Carson Trail will put more than 1,000 hikers’ physical and mental endurance to the test Saturday for the 28th annual challenge featuring three separate courses.

The full challenge will be an all-day, 37-mile hike along the Rachel Carson Trail starting at 5:30 a.m. in Harrison Hills Park. The 19-mile Homestead challenge hike starts at 10 a.m. at Springdale High School, and the Friends & Family Challenge, a 7-mile hike, begins at noon at Hartwood Acres.

There are no winners, only conquerors, as all participants must finish the hike by sunset at North Park — an allowance of 15 hours for those hiking the full challenge.

But why do so many people participate if the trail is so rigorous?

“I don’t know,” said Jim Crist, 71, from Hampton, who has been volunteering at aid stations and participating in the full challenge ever since its start in 1996. “Maybe the words of John F. Kennedy resonate in their mind. I think we don’t do Rachel Carson because it is easy. We do it because it is hard. So you know, when people finish, I mean, they really have something to be proud of.”

Safety is the main concern as the completion percentage dropped to less than 50% last year due to weather conditions. This year’s weather forecast looks to be the same: The trail will be muddy, and the sun won’t be forgiving as it peaks in the 90s on Saturday afternoon.

“We want to make sure everybody stays hydrated, drinks a lot of fluids and Gatorade, and listens to their bodies. If they are not feeling well, they should consider not continuing. There will be plenty of support along the way to get them back to the finish or to an air-conditioned vehicle,” said Steve Mentzer, Rachel Carson Trail Challenge events director.

There will be four aid stations for the full challenge, two for the Homestead challenge, and a separate aid station for the Family & Friends challenge where participants can restock on necessities.

“This year, we’re going to do well, but only because we do the preparation to make sure that we have the ice and the fluid and that we’re attentive at each of the aid stations (and) paying attention to these hikers to make sure that they are still safe,” Crist said.

Kalliyan Winder is a TribLive staff writer. She can be reached at kwinder@triblive.com