Course map, elevation profile & surface
Fly the course
Follow the route over 3D terrain, mile by mile.
Climbs
2 climbs · 3,720 ft totalbiggest firstElevation gain, measured two ways
| Source | Gain | vs lidar |
|---|---|---|
| Course file (GPX) | 4,365ft | +18% |
| USGS lidar, 1 m | 3,688ft | reference |
They differ because a GPS file picks up noise on every wiggle and often takes its heights from a coarse terrain model, while lidar maps the ground itself to about a metre. We sampled this route every 98 ft against USGS 3DEP and counted each rise of 10 ft or more, on Oct 23, 2026. The planner still uses the course file.
Aid stations as published on the course file
| Aid station | Mile | km |
|---|---|---|
| Start | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Shuttle back to start | 6.0 | 9.6 |
| Finish Mt Mitchell Summit | 6.1 | 9.8 |
Badge colours match the markers on the map above — always confirm locations and cutoffs with the race organizer.
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Race almanac the sky on race day
Next race day Sat, May 15, 2027
First and last light are civil twilight, the sun 6° below the horizon. The moon is lit as at midnight after the start; headlamp hours count a typical finish from the start while the sun is below civil twilight. Worked out for the start line.
Reviews what runners who have been there say
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About this course
Quest for the Crest 11k covers 6.1 mi (9.8 km) with 4,365 ft of elevation gain through North Carolina, United States. That is about 720 ft per mile of climbing, and 792 ft of descent. The course tops out at 6,657 ft and bottoms out at 3,025 ft. The surface is 85% trail and 15% paved. The profile has 2 sustained climbs; the biggest is the climb from mi 0.1, +2,772 ft over 4.1 mi at 12.7% on average (steepest stretch 60%). The interactive map above shows the full route with its elevation profile and aid stations, built from the course's GPS file.
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Course history
- Jul 22, 2026Added to the catalog
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