22.74 mile, point to point in the Applegate valley, near Jacksonville, Oregon, is the perfect FKT route. Clearly established trail that is easy to navigate for people not familiar with the area, rich history and minimal logistics makes this route something that will become very desirable for locals as well as any trail runner. The trail runs between the Grub Gulch TH to the north, and the Little Applegate TH on the south end. You may run either direction, but the south TH is about 500 feet lower than the north. The only logistics is organizing your own car shuttle from the finish back to the start, which isn't a very long drive.
The Sterling Mine Ditch Trail is one of the most popular and publicized trails in Southern Oregon. It's open year-round, and is open to foot traffic, mountain bikes, and equestrians. This area is really lovely, featuring wildflowers in the spring and autumn colors.
The original "Ditch" was constructed by hand in 1877 to direct the Little Applegate River to a hydraulic mine that was in the upper reaches of the Sterling Creek drainage; the ditch was used for this purpose until the 1930s. The mine and the mining town Sterlingville are gone, but the ditch has now been reclaimed and is used as a valuable recreational resource.
Comments
Running this today with a couple friends, will share the results :)
Looks like Jace beat me to it, but I’ll be running this tomorrow morning. I don’t know if FKT is in the cards as it’ll be a bit farther than anything I’ve done but I’m excited for the run!