Shut In: Hard Times to Sleepy Gap
Week 4 Segment Details
Strava Link: map and leaderboard
Veloviewer Link: interactive maps and more
Distance: 2.9 miles
Elevation Change: ~915 ft climbing / 423 ft descending
Course Records: 20:58 (Jesse McEntire) /24:29 (Kate Schwartz)
Weekly Awards: Gift Cards to Zia Taqueria
Period for performances: Oct 19th - Nov 1st (yes, 2 weeks!)
Segment Description:
This one has it all. A stiff climb to get started. A relentless steady climb immediately after that climb. A stark downhill descent. And finally, an enjoyable section of runnable trail to soak it all in. This 2.9 mile section of the Shut In trail could be considered a distilled version of the much longer Shut In race, making it an excellent tune-up session.
Course Navigation:
Start – Begin at the intersection of Hard Times Road and the Shut In trail. You will see some steps going up the hill where this segment begins.
Run up the Shut In trail for 2.9 miles (follow the “White Dot” blazes, there are no turns onto other trails).
Notes: at about 1.9 miles in just before approaching an overlook, there will be an intersection with a connector trail — stay straight, do not take this right-hand turn! At 2.3 miles in, there is a similar intersecting trail - stay straight on the Shut In trail.
Finish – The route ends at the approach of the Sleepy Gap Overlook parking area. Continue running through the walking path along the parking area to ensure your GPS picks up your finish properly.
Where can I park/how do I get there?
There is parking along the side of the road of the Blue Ridge Parkway where it meets the Hard Times trail. Otherwise, you could also park at Sleepy Gap and run the segment in reverse to warm up & scout it out beforehand.
Awards/Prizes for the Week:
Gift Cards will be awarded to Zia Taqueria for one lucky competitor, as well as those that manage to set a course record on this segment. Zia Taqueria has been an unofficial official post-Wedge Run hangout spot for several years & West Asheville staple. We have been extremely pleased with how they’ve handled everything since re-opening with both safety and quality in mind, and expect that you will too. We encourage you to check it out — it’s a great post-run food & drink option!
