We Bring the Highest Mountains to You!
We rent a ski resort for 4 days to bring you IronHike...
The IronHike Endurance Series at Mohawk Mountain is a single or multi-day event that is part hike, part trail run, part group camping trip, part one-of-the-hardest-damn-things-you’ve-ever-done, and full-on badass mountain footslog.
Three ways to IronHike!
1. Go it alone, together.
As an Individual Mountain Athlete, you choose from 12, 24, 48, 72, and/or 84-hour Events.
2. Buddy up.
You and a buddy choose to share the mileage and elevation from 12, 24, 48, 72, and/or 84-hour Events.
3. Team up.
You and 3 other team members choose to share the mileage and elevation from 12, 24, 48, 72, and/or 84-hour Events.
Events may require night trekking by headlamp.
Manage your laps and pace in our FlexRelay format. You also manage your rest, food, hydration, and sleep in your tent right off of the trail.
Here's What You Get (Included in your Registration):
- Exclusive single-day or multi-day Event entry for you, your team, and your spectators.
- One bad-ass, course for day and night trekking.
- Tenting for each night you are on the Mountain (you bring your tent).
- Base area pop-up space (set up your staging pop-up).
- One meal is provided per event day per Mountain Athlete on the Mountain.
- Summit Support Station with shade, hydration, snacks, and an area for any summit items you want to access on each lap.
- Event-specific, training guide and tips.
- Customized and Personalized Event Bib.
- Lap-tracking coins.
- Finisher's medal and year clasp for all finishers.
- Finisher's hat for individual event Mountain Athletes who finish.
- Exclusive community access via periodic live Mountain Athlete round-table meetings.
- Ski-patrol medical support.
- Free parking, Spectator area, and Restrooms.
- A new tribe, Bragging rights, Proof.
You will summit and descend the Mountain until reaching the equivalent elevation of:
Clingmans Dome
12 hours
12 laps
15 miles
7,140 Feet Elevation Gain and Loss!
Highest Summit on The Appalachian Trail
Significance: Do this all in one really hard day! Perfect if you only have the time for one day. Trek all day with your new tribe, and have a great dinner on the way home with your achievement and finisher medal close to your heart!
Participation: Individual Mountain Athletes, Trail Buddy, and Trail Teams
Description: You may have to trek past sunset to get up and down the mountain until you reach the elevation gain (and loss) equivalent to the highest mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains on the Appalachian Trail in NC / TN USA.
Type: Power-hike | Trail Run | Endurance Challenge | Ski Slope Loop
Double Dome
24 hours
23 laps
28.75 miles
13,685 feet of elevation gain and loss
Highest Summit on The Appalachian Trail (TWICE)
Significance: This one could take all day and all night.
Participation: Individual Mountain Athletes, Trail Buddy, and Trail Teams
Description: You will have a full 24 hours to get up and down the mountain until you reach the elevation gain (and loss) equivalent to twice the highest mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains on the Appalachian Trail in NC / TN USA.
Type: Power-hike | Trail Run | Endurance Challenge | Ski Slope Loop
Denali
48 hours
35 laps
43.75 miles
20,825 feet of elevation gain and loss
Highest Summit in USA / North America
Significance: This is the perfect "Damn-this-is-hard" weekend mountain trek! Get it done in 48 hours and get back to your other life on Monday.
Participation: Individual Mountain Athletes, Trail Buddy, and Trail Teams
Description: You will have 2 days to get up and down the mountain until you reach the elevation gain (and loss) equivalent to the tallest mountain in North America, located in south-central Alaska. This one is perfect for serious mountain athletes who want to invest a whole weekend.
Type: Power-hike | Trail Run | Endurance Challenge | Ski Slope Loop | Ultra Distance
Everest
72 hours
49 laps
61.25 miles
29,155 feet of elevation gain and loss
Highest Summit on Earth
Significance: This is our version of the currently popular event known as "Everesting". What makes us a bit different is that it is completely self-powered, with no lifts, so you are trekking to the equivalent elevation of Everest and back down! This is NOT a race, this is an investment in you. Do something over-the-top hard and let it change you for the better.
Participation: Individual, Trail Buddy, and Trail Teams
Description: You will have 3 days to get up and down the mountain at our venue until you reach the whopping elevation gain (and loss) equivalent to the highest Mountain on Earth found at the Mahalangur Himal, Himalayas in Nepal and China!
Type: Everesting Challenge | Power-hike | Trail Run | Endurance Challenge | Ski Slope Loop | Ultra Distance
Olympus Mons
84 hours
122 laps
152.5 miles
72,590 feet of elevation gain and loss
Highest Summit in the Solar System on Mars
Significance: The most elevation gain we have seen anywhere in one challenge, 72+K feet up and down! It is equivalent to the highest summit in the solar system on Mars! This one reaches "are-you-kidding-me?" status and lasts a whopping 84 hours. Only try this one if you have done all the work to get here. This is a Beyond-Everesting-Challenge!
Participation: Individual, Trail Buddy, and Trail Teams
Description: You will have 3.5 days to get up and down the mountain until you reach the whopping elevation gain (and loss) equivalent to the highest planetary mountain in our Solar System found in the Tharsis Montes region on Mars!
Type: Beyond-Everesting-Challenge | Power-hike | Trail Run | Endurance Challenge | Ski Slope Loop | Ultra Distance
What is IronHike?
The IronHike Endurance Series is a single or multi-day event that is part hike, part trail run, part group camping trip, part one-of-the-hardest-damn-things-you’ve-ever-done, and full-on badass mountain footslog. Prove yourself right about you!
Mission
We provide multi-elevation endurance trail events worldwide.
The IronHike Endurance Series is part of a new classification of events that combines physical, mental, and spiritual gumption. These are NOT races. No Podium, no age group awards, and no records to break.
These challenges will change your life! Extraordinary Events for a broad range of fitness and skill levels, from ordinary people to seasoned and elite Mountain Athletes reaching beyond their comfort zones!
We stay true to our founding love of trail, love of the summit, and a rich universal trail heritage and culture.
Venue
We acquire access to a mountain venue with base camp, summit, parking, tenting area, spectator areas, restrooms, and facilities for 4 days.
IronHike mountain athletes camp out in our tent city on-site and we allow tenting spectators to support them.
The Endurance Series starts Saturday morning. Each participant will push on until completing their goal elevation within the time allotted.
All Events are day and night trekking.
Events
IronHike is for those who want to live life to the fullest. Challenges change us and life's obstacles reveal our true selves.
Our goal is to give you that perfect mountain venue and events that will push hard on what you are made of in a way that will allow you to become a better version of yourself.
More than an event series, IronHike is a community of people passionate about overcoming obstacles and discovering their greatest selves.
When you find the mettle in your heart, you'll be able to achieve things you never thought possible.
Proof
It's not so much about proving things to others, it's more about proving yourself right about you.
Change the story you tell yourself in your own head and get on up there.
We bring you the unrelenting mountain.
You bring the mettle in your heart.
Culture
Here at IronHike, we are true to our founding love of trail, love of the summit, and a rich universal trail heritage and culture.
We embrace these principles:
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Leave no trace.
- Leave only footprints.
- Take only good vibes and photos from the mountain.
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of others.
Tribe
First-timers, day-hikers, long-distance hikers, trail-runners, ordinary or elite, young and old all on the same mountain.
Each mountain athlete is out there getting after the ups and downs, side by side, and summit after summit.
Individuals, Trail Buddy and Trail Teams are all welcome on the mountain.
Support
Here's What You Get (Included in your Registration):
- Exclusive single-day or multi-day Event entry for you, your team, and your spectators.
- One bad-ass, course for day and night trekking.
- Tenting for each night you are on the Mountain (you bring your tent).
- Base area pop-up space (set up your staging pop-up).
- One meal is provided per event day per Mountain Athlete on the Mountain.
- Summit Support Station with shade, hydration, snacks, and an area for any summit items you want to access on each lap.
- Event-specific, training guide and tips.
- Customized and Personalized Event Bib.
- Lap-tracking coins.
- Finisher's medal and year clasp for all finishers.
- Finisher's hat for individual event Mountain Athletes who finish.
- Exclusive community access via periodic live Mountain Athlete round-table meetings.
- Ski-patrol medical support.
- Free parking, Spectator area, and Restrooms.
- A new tribe, Bragging rights, Proof.
Basics
Just the nitty gritty... getting up there and back down.
Uncomplicated non-chichi events with:
- No yurts - glamping or gliking is not a thing at IronHike.
- No lifts or gondolas - get up there and down yourself... our events are entirely self-powered.
Training
Reaching the summit requires dedication, perseverance, and a great deal of determination.
We are currently collaborating with the Chaski Endurance Collective to bring you customized training options. Reach out to them at https://www.chaski.run/ or on Instagram at www.instagram.com/chaski.endurance
Trail Cred - The IronHike Team is full of US Military Veterans and Trail Crushers
We are a team of hikers, doers, and positive thinkers, many of whom are US Army veterans.
We launched IronHike to provide, all in one venue, a series of extraordinary trail Events for a broad range of fitness and skill levels, from ordinary people to seasoned and elite Mountain Athletes reaching beyond their comfort zones! Our mission is to create these experiences while staying true to our founding love of trail, love of the summit, and a rich universal trail heritage and culture.
John Kolker | Founder/CEO
Trailnamed "Ironheart", John is a US Army Intelligence Veteran and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Survivor, John passionately embraced extreme events starting in 2012 as a form of recovery, prevention, and growth.
He has since triathloned 15 times and hiked the full Appalachian Trail, New England Trail, and completed a Pilgrimage on the Camino Portuguese from Portugal to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
IronHike is John's offering to the world as a means of challenging one's self to embrace the power, mettle, and gumption within the human spirit.
Dan Allen | Co-Founder
Trailnamed "Turnpike", Dan is a world-class Masters Swimmer, hiker, and powerful triathlete with multiple podium visits. Dan is a US Army Military Police Veteran.
He continues to chip away at the Appalachian Trail and is training for several national races and challenges.
A programmer and IT professional, Dan advises the IronHike team on several aspects of the business.
Cliff Anders | Co-Founder
Strong hiker, accomplished musician, and a Longbow Apache Pilot US Army Veteran, Cliff's love of trail is unparalleled. Cliff goes by the trailname "Bushwacker".
Cliff has a storied life as a former D1 College Football Player and Team USA Bobsledder and continued professional service as a helicopter pilot.
Cliff continues to go out for his "Yearly 100" as he continues his NOBO march up the Appalachian trail year after year.
Cliff's energy and wisdom bring rich advice in the building of IronHike challenges.
Tim Thomas | Co-Founding Advisor
Trailnamed "TripleA", Tim is a US Army Intelligence Veteran with a keen sense of foundation, patience, and accountability.
Tim's love of hiking and triathlons have been a source of inspiration for many. Tim has hiked many trail miles in the South Eastern US and is beginning to hike the BMT Benton MacKaye Trail.
As a customer-facing business professional for many years, his engagement with the IronHike team is super valuable and brings a certain common sense to the effort.
Scott Festa | Co-Founding Advisor
Trailnamed "Ukulele Scott", Scott is a former Enlisted Green Beret and US Army Medical Officer PA and accomplished trail musician.
Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker, Scott completed the AT in 2020.
Scott engages in extreme challenge events annually for charity and will attempt Olympus Mons again in June of 2024.
Currently, Scott is a civilian medical entrepreneur and his keen business insights are influential in the IronHike team's decisions.
Paul Sealy | Co-Founding Advisor
Trailnamed "PackMan", Paul is an avid Appalachian Trail Hiker who continues to chip away miles on the AT.
An expert professional trail maintainer and outdoorsman, his love of the trail inspires many. Paul is dedicated to self-reliant, off-the-grid living at his homestead in Fancy Gap Virginia.
Paul is also a founder and entrepreneur focused on the mission of increasing food security and creating free fresh food outlets in food desert communities in the Carolinas by inspiring a culture of sharing and educating our neighbors on self-sustained gardening. Read more about this endeavor at dogoodpantry.org.
