Loyalhanna Watershed group celebrates 50 years with Over The Hill Challenge

Those who enjoy a trek in the country can set themselves a lofty goal by taking on the Loyalhanna Watershed’s Over The Hill Challenge.

The climb up the hill overlooking the association’s barn, at its farm headquarters off old Route 30 just west of Ligonier, is part of a non-competitive pedestrian event set for March 20, rain or shine.

It combines scenic appeal with a series of optional obstacles and the exertion of a roughly 5K-length course.

As the nonprofit marks 50 years of protecting 2,500 miles of waterways in eastern Westmoreland County, the event is “a great way to help celebrate our anniversary,” said Executive Director Susan Huba. “We wanted to come up with different types of events to get people outside while supporting organizations we have worked with in the community.”

For the Over The Hill event, the association is partnering with the Latrobe-GLSD Parks & Recreation program, which will benefit from the registration fee of $20 per person.

To maintain social distancing as a covid-19 pandemic health precaution, Huba said, participants will depart in staged waves from the starting line near the farm’s renovated barn. They’ll climb up the hill to an area where a local farmer’s cattle will graze once warmer weather arrives.

From there, Huba noted, “The view of the Ligonier Valley is pretty incredible. Very few people have been up to the top of the farm. It is steep and it is challenging.”

She said the course will include about a dozen obstacle stations where participants can push items in a wheelbarrow, climb over hay bales or stop to chug some milk. “We want to have the challenges relate to farm activities,” Huba said.

Finish times won’t be recorded, Huba said. “People can kind of pace themselves,” she said. “It’s totally up to them.”

Participants will receive swag bags including a commemorative gaiter and water bottle. Refreshments will be available for purchase from the Pickled Chef and Stateside Vodka.

Funds generated through the challenge will help cover costs of instructors and equipment for Latrobe-GLSD Parks & Recreation’s 2021 Learn to Swim Programs. “It helps to subsidize the cost so we can keep our fees low,” said Craig Shevchik, executive director of the rec program.

Swim students as young as 18 months are grouped according to age and skill level. Visit latroberecreation.org for details.

To register for the challenge event, visit loyalhannawatershed.org and search under the “Events” heading.

Contact Huba at 724-238-7560, ext. 1 for more information.