Take on the App Gap at the Allen Clark Memorial Hill Climb This Sunday
There are easier ways to enjoy fall foliage in the Mad River Valley. But for cyclists who love a challenge, few are as memorable as riding to the top of the Appalachian Gap.
The Allen Clark Memorial Hill Climb returns Sunday, October 4, with the first rider starting at 10 am. The course begins near the intersection of Routes 100 and 17 in Waitsfield and climbs 6.2 miles and 1,600 vertical feet to the summit. Riders start individually at 30-second intervals, racing the clock all the way up.
The climb honors longtime Mad River Valley resident Allen Clark, who took up cycling later in life and came to love the challenge of the App Gap. Allen was also a supporter and volunteer with Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports. Today, the race carries that connection forward: proceeds support Vermont Adaptive’s work helping people of all abilities get outdoors and take part in recreation.
That makes this more than a test of legs and lungs. It is a distinctly Mad River Valley event: a demanding ride through a place we love, a tribute to someone who loved it too, and a way to help more people experience the outdoors.
Check-in opens at 8:30 am at Stark Mountain Bike Works. Online registration is open, with limited race-day registration available. Entry is $60 for ages 15 and up and $30 for riders under 15; race-day registration adds $10. Medals will be awarded across eight age categories, followed by awards and a raffle at noon.
Ready to climb? Find race details and register here. If you’re staying on the sidelines, come cheer the riders on as they take on one of the Valley’s great cycling challenges.
