McMinnville Mountain Crawl- not your average race, it’s an EXPERIENCE!
Cumberland Caverns is proud to join the McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce and Smooth Rapids Outfitters for the 5th year of the race of all races, McMinnville Mountain Crawl.
“Racing is an escape from society. From symbols of status, and self-perception. A chance to just be. For everyone to just be, with each other.”
—Erin Beresini
Mark your calendars and begin training now because Saturday, September 21st at 8:00 AM we are going to take you on one of the most fun and challenging races of your life!
Our adventure race consists of three legs: caving, biking, and kayaking to challenge your ability to tackle our community’s unique terrain. The McMinnville Mountain Crawl is a good test for the seasoned athlete but is also accommodating for the novice fitness or nature enthusiast.
Racers will enjoy three legs of the race beginning with a run through Cumberland Caverns. We have heard the requests for more cave time and we plan to deliver! Cumberland Caverns has arranged to take you further into the darkness, push your boundaries a little more, and even add some excitement to the outside portion leading up to your cave adventure.
For first-time cave racers we offer these helpful tips:
- The cave is a consistent 56 degrees year-round with 99% humidity
- The surface of the cave floor is very uneven and consists of dirt and rock
Once leaving the cave, racers will transition twice starting with a cycling leg (bring your own bike) including a scenic ride into downtown McMinnville, then a kayak race courteous of Smooth Rapids Outfitters. Spanning approximately 15 miles, participants will run approximately 2 miles at Cumberland Caverns, bike 7.4 miles to Smooth Rapids, and paddle approximately 6 miles to the VFW.
Racers can complete this individually or as a relay. This year, registrants choose from competitive and non-competitive classes. Registration will be held from 6-7: 30 am Saturday morning.
Over $3,000 in prizes awarded each year! Awards will include overall winners, overall by gender, and first finish by leg for the competitive class. For the non-competes, we’ll award the first finish, middle of the pack, and dead last. All will enjoy lunch and drink tickets at Smooth Rapids after the race!
Jackson Kayak Rivieras will be provided by Smooth Rapids and are REQUIRED for the competitive class. Non-competes can bring their own kayak or use a Smooth Rapids kayak.
Event Cancellation Policy
We always defer to the local law enforcement and safety crew recommendations in the event of adverse weather on race day. We will make every attempt to delay the race in the event of rain. If adverse weather continues and we are advised to cancel the race, all participants will still receive event t-shirts. Participants will also receive a courtesy kayak rental from Smooth Rapids!
We certainly hope the race will go on, and we’ll see you there!
If you are looking to get a “one up” on the competition, make plans to visit the cave by purchasing online tickets at the link below.
To sign up for this amazing race, click here: MCMINNVILLE MOUNTAIN CRAWL
Special thanks to the McMinnville Mountain Crawl for contributions to this article.