Locations of aid stations with crew access

When will my runner arrive?

The chart below will give you an idea.

Overall Rules

Violation of these rules can lead to the exclusion of the crew from the aid station or all later aid stations or disqualification of the runner.

• Crews are permitted only at certain aid stations. The one exception is the 211E Parking Area, which is a checkpoint, not an aid station. Crews and pacers may only meet their runners within 200 feet of a designated aid station.
• Crews may not meet runners at other places on the course due to limited parking, access, and safety.
• There are special parking rules for the Visitors’ Center and Picnic Area aid stations and the checkpoint at the crossing of Route US 211.
• Among other things, your crew and pacer may have only one vehicle (they may not have separate cars).
• If a pacer needs to leave a car at the south end of the course, he or she may do so at the 211E parking area or the Visitors’ Center parking lot. Pacers may NOT leave a car at Camp Roosevelt, but that location is a relatively short walk from the Caroline Furnace Camp, where you may leave a car. (It’s about a mile from the parking at Caroline Furnace to Camp Roosevelt.) Pacers’ cars may not be left at Gap Creek, due to the parking congestion and lack of a dedicated parking lot.
• Crews are required to comply with the parking instructions of aid station personnel. We must restrict parking in many areas for safety reasons and Forest Service requirements.
• Crews may not be allowed in certain portions of the aid station areas. Please note that if an area is cordoned off, you as crew are not allowed into these “runner only” areas.
• If your runner drops out, he or she must return the bib and GPS tracker to the aid station captain. Please do not drive away with a runner who has their bib number and GPS tracker.

Other considerations

Aid station food

Aid station food is intended for the runners, not the crews. Please don’t take food or drink from the aid stations unless it is offered to you first. Some food might be in short supply, especially sandwiches, hot soup, or other warm food prized by runners. Your cooperation with aid station volunteers is appreciated.

Cell phones

There is cell phone coverage over some parts of the course, but it is sporadic. Cell phones work if you are on the top of the mountain, but may not depending on your carrier if you are “in a hole” in Fort Valley. (The southern end of the Fort Valley is where the start/finish is.) The table below indicates which aid stations historically have aid station coverage.

Dogs

Dogs are not allowed at the Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp (the start/finish). The Camp is congested and has much food around. Please do not bring a dog on the Lutheran Camp’s property.

Elsewhere on the course, do not bring a dog into any aid station.

Restrooms

Except were noted, there are no restroom facilities or running water on the course or in the aid stations.

Insect repellant

Don’t forget it. You will be around grass, weeds, and woods both at the aid stations and the start/finish. Be particularly careful of ticks; they tend to be quite plentiful in the spring in this area.

Driving directions to crew-accessible aid stations

Please refer to our participants’ guide for detailed driving directions to the crew-accessible aid stations.