2013 - Results

50K

1.  Josh Snyder                 Poteau, OK            30                     5:48
2.  John Nobles                Cleveland, OK       27                     6:17
3.  Matt Clay                    Fayetteville, AR     34                    6:35
4.  Mark DenHarder        West Fork, AR        48                    6:57
5.  Paul Rejda                  Tulsa, OK                37                    7:33
6.  Stuart Johnson            Shawnee, KS           53                    7:36
7.  Deb Johnson               Shawnee, KS           53                    8:49
8.  Colleen Voeks            Kansas City, KS      39                    8:49
9.  Travis Owens             Tahlequah, OK        48                    8:49


25K
1.  Jedd Kirby                Poteau, OK               29                    3:07
2.  David Joseph            Fayetteville, AR       21                    3:20
3.  Sean Nichols            Heavener, OK           29                    3:22
4.  Aaron Ochoa            Broken Arrow, OK   38                    3:27
5.  Jared Wakeha           Big Cedar, OK          27                    3:35
6.  Jordan Christy          Coweta, OK              22                    3:46
7.  Shannon McFarland Rogers, AR               36                    3:54
8.  Lori Enlow               Tahlequah, OK         39                    4:08
9.  Donovan Cotner       Bixby, OK                43                    4:10
10.  Zach Duncan           Wilburton, OK           25                   4:26
11.  Warren Realrider   Norman, OK              37                   4:31
12.  Todd Enlow           Tahlequah, OK          42                   4:43
13.  Kasey NG               Miami, OK               20                    4:43
14.  Russell Bennett      Tulsa, OK                 41                    4:45
15.  Herve Lucier          Whitesboro, OK       57                    4:51
16.  Jason Ayer              Fayetteville, AR       30                   4:54
17.  Susan McCourt       Farington, AR          35                   5:42
18.  Danielle Martin      Tulsa, OK                 31                   5:42
19.  Cindy Luttrell         Norman, OK            33                    5:42
20.  Julie Dolph             Noble, OK                43                    5:54

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Welcome to the Ouachita Switchbacks 50K and 25K.


The race is set for January 19th, 2013.

The race will begin and end from the Pashubee Trailhead located near Big Cedar, Oklahoma.

UPDATE - We did not have enough time to secure a permit with the National Forest Service.  That is my fault as I was not aware of how difficult that was.  NEVER THE LESS - THE RUN WILL GO ON - But this will be an informal unorganized run among friends.  NO ENTRY FEE, NO SHIRTS, NO FRILLS - But everything else will remain the same.  We will have aid stations and food and drinks at the finish and we will have results available so in that sense it is still a race.  This will be a good practice for the 2014 run for which we will surely have time to get a permit and will be an organized event with entry fee etc.  If you would like to participate, just show up on race day.  If you will let us know you are coming on our facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/events/478863385469857/ - that will help so I can plan for the aid stations etc.

We are very much looking forward to our first time running of the Ouachita Switchbacks.  It is going to be great fun.  Please let me know if you have questions or comments.

By the way, we did consider pushing the date back a couple of months in order to attain the necessary permit but the race calendar is so booked then already and this seemed like a good date.

Contact - If you have questions, please contact Race Director Tom Brennan at tabrennan@windstream.net or at 918-658-0478.

Contact Information

Tom Brennan, Race Director
Poteau, OK
918 - 658 - 0478
tabrennan@windstream.net

Please feel free to contact me if you have questions!

Registration

Registration will open soon.  I am waiting on approval of a permit request from the National Forest Service.  Once that is attained, then registration can open.  If we are unable to get a permit for the first year (because of my late application), then the run will go on but it will be a no fee, no frills type of race with minimal aid but will still be a lot of fun.  I will keep this registration page updated at least weekly to let you know.

Location

The race is located in the Ouachita National Forest near Big Cedar, Oklahoma.  Big Cedar is an intersection where highways 259 and 63 meet but there is not really a town there.  Talihina, OK is located 25 miles to the west and Mena, AR is located 35 miles to the east and Heavener, OK is located 25 miles to the north.  Poteau is 40 miles to the north.  All of these towns have hotels and restaraunts.

There is also an RV park at Big Cedar and their website is - http://www.bigcedarrvpark.com/index.html

There are no stores in Big Cedar and there will be no restroom facilities at the race site.  It is a primitive location without electricity and so be prepared.

The race itself is located two miles north of Big Cedar on Hwy 259 and then 4 miles East on a forest road.  There is a big sign on Hwy 59 that says - Pashubee Trailhead.

Race Day Information

There are no bathroom facilities and there is no electricity at the race start and finish location so plan accordingly.  It is a remote location and there is not much that can be done about this.

The race will begin at 8:00 am for the 50K and at 8:15 am for the 25K.  There is an early start option for 50K at 7:00 for those who think they may take more than eight hours.

The sunrises at 7:39 am and sets at 5:39 pm.  50K runners should be back at the at the Pashubee TH by 1:30 pm and should be at the last aid station by 3:30.  If you start early, this would give you nearly 10 1/2 hours to finish the course before dark.  After 3:30, we will close the Kiamichi aid station and give a ride back to anyone left on the course.
If you decide to drop, let the race director or aid station know!  We will be looking for you if you start the race and do not finish and leave without telling anyone.  As most trail runners know, if this happens, search and rescue will be called and you will be responsible for the costs incurred looking for you while you are at home having a beer.

The first and third aid station at the Hwy 259 Trailhead will be fully stocked.  The aid station on top of Winding Stair Mtn at Mile 8.8 will have limited aid.  Gatorade, Water, some basic food.  Aid Station back at Pashubee at mile 17.7 will be fully stocked as will the turnaround aid station at mile 23 and 26.

Runners will get a sweatshirt with race entry and a finishers ball cap at the finish.

There will be a nice warm fire at the finish with potato soup, stew and chili.  Cornbread and tons of other food and beverages and a big party at the finish that may go on into the night.

Course Description


This is a very tough and arduous course.  Of course we do not wish to scare any one away and want as many people to participate as possible but also want runners and hikers to know what to expect.

The course is very technical single track with substantial elevation gain.  It is expected that the winning time for the 50K will be well over five hours.

The entire course follows the Ouachita Trail which is clearly marked by blue blazes.  A few critical junctions will be marked with flour but otherwise the course should be really easy to follow.  If you do not see blue blazes and thus are not on the Ouachita Trail, you have gone off course.  But there are no trail intersections of any significance and so as long as you stay on the trail and follow the blue blazes.  You should be good to go.

The race begins at Pushubee Trailhead.  To get to Pashubee Trailhead, travel north of Big Cedar, Oklahoma on Hwy 259 for approximately 1 - 2 miles.  You will see a sign that says Pashubee Trailhead and will proceed East for approximately 4 miles on a forest road and that road will take you to the Trailhead.  Signs will be posted to direct you from Hwy 259. 

Coming from the North, you will go approximately 5 miles South of junction 259 and hwy 1 (Talimena Scenic Drive) until you come to the sign that directs you to the Pashubee Trailhead which is approximately 4 miles East on a Forest Road.

The course starts at Pashubee Trailhead and heads west.  The course follows the Ouachita Trail the entire route which is marked by blue blazes.  Runners will go 3.7 miles on the trail over and down one significant climb back to hwy 259 and another trailhead and parking area.  Runners will cross the hwy to the first aid station.

Immediately after the aid station, runners will cross a creek which if there has been rain, there may be ankle deep water.  After the water crossing, runners proceed on a steady climb.  You are beginning to climb the Winding Stair Mountain.  At mile 5 is a cool rock glacier which is very scenic and around mile 6 is the Red Cedar Spring.  You could even refill water here if you need to though it is not an aid station.

Continue climbing past a hiker campground at a steady climb and around mile 7, the trail begins to descend to a small saddle.  At this saddle is where the real climbing begins.  The Ouachita Trail has 33 switchbacks (hence the name of the race) to the top of Winding Stair Mountain!  The views will be incredible and unlike anything you would ever expect in Oklahoma.

The climb ends at an old fire tower at the top of the mountain which is mile 8.8.  There will be a limited aid station here because we will have to hike in supplies but it should be plenty to fit your needs.  All runners will turnaround here and descend the mountain and follow the course back to where they started.

Aid will come again at the Hwy 259 Trailhead which is mile 14 on the course. 

25K runners will then finish there out and back run back at the Pashubee Trailhead which will actually give then a total distance of 17.7 miles.

50K runners will continue past where they started at Pashubee Trailhead which of course will be another aid station.  Now they will head East on the Ouachita Trail.  Fuel up here because it is 5 to 6 miles to the next aid station.  There is simply no place for another aid station after this point and so runners should plan to be self sufficient. 

The next 5 miles will take runners over one smaller climb and then one significant climb before descending to the Kiamichi River.  There will be an aid station just before the river at the Kiamichi River Trailhead.  If you have crew or friends or family following you, they can access this trailhead by traveling East from Big Cedar to Forest Road 6031 and then following that for two miles to this trailhead. The course will go a little more then a mile until it crosses the Kiamichi River a few times and then turns around.  The turnaround is placed after a few river crossings so that everyone will get to see the river!  It will be clearly marked.  Turnaround here, go back across the Kiamichi to the aid station.  Fill up here and proceed the five plus miles back to the original start and the finish line!