Aid Station - Cruel Jewel Ultra-Marathon

Looking to do a little something different?  We’ll be managing one of the eleven Aid Stations (AS) for the Cruel Jewel 100 Miler and 50 Miler Ultra- Marathon.  The Cruel Jewel runs along the Blue Ridge Mountains and is hosted by Josh and Leigh Saint, our very good friends who own the Hiker Hostel.  We’ll be managing the AS at Deep Gap on the ASKA Trail (near Blue Ridge, GA).  Here is the Google Map Link: Deep Gap Trailhead

The AS opens at 6:30pm on Friday, May 13th and closes at 2pm on Saturday, May 14th.  We will run the AS in shifts.  We’ll work out the shift details a little bit later, but well before the event starts.  There will always be at least one of the Trip Leaders onsite at all times.

Here’s how the race flows:  The 100 milers (there are currently 125 registered) will start at Vogel  State Park at noon on Friday, May 13th.  They will see us for the first time at roughly mile 42.  They leave us and run a 5 mile loop and come back by, then only have 2.5 miles to the turn-around.  After the turn-around, they run the same 2.5 miles back to us, run the 5 mile loop again and back to us, then leave for the way back to Vogel.

The 50 milers START where the 100 milers turn around.  So 2.5 miles after they start, they get to us.  They run the 5 mile loop, see us again and then head for Vogel.  Just a short time after the 50 milers start (Saturday morning at 8 AM) our aid station is going to be super busy!  We’ll have 80-ish fresh runners passing through and we’ll need at least 2 people to account for them as they come by. 

Basically, every time a runner comes into our Aid Station, they need to be accounted for.  The 100 milers will be more spread out and you’ll have 100 milers coming and going in every direction even after the 50 milers start.

Weather:  May in Blue Ridge.  It could rain.  It could be hot.  It could be cold.  Volunteers should be prepared for it all!  It could be buggy…we provide bug spray.  There is no bathroom.  We provide TP.  You should bring chairs to sit in between helping runners (and it would be nice to bring a few extra if you have them for others).  We’ll also have a couple of awnings set up.  All food for the runners will be provided.  However, if you would like to bring something special, that’s great!  Runners love to see something new (besides pretzels and PB&J). As the sun goes down, warm food is appreciated.  We are working on having a camp stove to provide warm food and drinks.

As a wonderful bonus, two of our members, Carrie and Trena (our wonderful president) are already signed up to run in the 100 miler!  So we’ll also have a chance to cheer them on!

Deep Gap - From McDonald's restaurant at intersection of GA Hwy. 515 and GA Hwy. 5 in Blue Ridge. Proceed east on GA Hwy. 515 (toward Blairsville) approx. 0.8 miles to Windy Ridge Road. At Windy Ridge Road turn right, go 0.2 miles to dead end with Old U.S. 76. Turn left, go 0.2 miles to Aska Road on right. Turn right, go south 4.4 miles to Deep Gap parking area below gap and on right side of road. 

Deep Gap Trailhead

Dogs do NOT need to be on a leash, IF they are well behaved!  If they may run off, jump on the runners (or the food table) they need to be on a leash.  Runners love seeing them, but the dogs must be well controlled.

No carpool as we would not want cars left overnight at a Park and Ride.  However, there is plenty of parking at Deep Gap.

Here is a description of what the 100 mile runners will be facing: "The Cruel Jewel 100 is a 105.9 mile foot race deep with in the beautiful Chattahoochee National Forest of the North Georgia Mountains. It consists of 95 miles of trails, 11miles of mountain roads, and 20 aid stations. Along your journey from Vogel State Park to Blue Ridge and back, you will experience tough, and sometimes technical, single track trails, ferns and old growth poplar trees, steep ascents and even steeper descents, an historic steel bridge spanning the Toccoa River, the Dragon's Spine, lush green hardwood forests, rocks, roots and ridge lines ... all of which will be passed before you reach your final destination. And as a bonus we have thrown in 33,000 feet of gain and 33,000 feet of loss just to keep it interesting !!"