Up to the Challenge

Runners tough it out for the Black Mountain Marathon and Mount Mitchell Challenge

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
February 25, 2023

The crack of dawn barely illuminated downtown Black Mountain, Feb. 25, as an anxious energy filled the air.

But, by the time the sun rose over the mountains, hundreds of athletes were bound for the trails north of Montreat, where many of them would run 40 miles, gaining around 4,000 feet of elevation on their way to the peak of Mount Mitchell. 

The Mountain Mitchell Challenge and Black Mountain Marathon returned for their 26th year, welcoming 317 endurance runners to the center of town. All of them followed the same route up to the Black Mountain Gap Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway, where marathon runners turned around and Challenge competitors continued their climb. The annual tradition, which begins and ends on the roads of Black Mountain and Montreat, follows trails up to Sourwood Gap, where runners encounter the first of several volunteer aid stations.

Marathon runners reach an altitude of 5,340 feet, while the Challenge goes to the 6,684-foot summit of the tallest mountain in the east of the U.S. Both races conclude with a lap around Lake Tomahawk.

Aaron Slabach, of Blacksburg, Virginia, finished in 4:49.23, to win first place in the Challenge. He was followed by two more Blacksburg runners: Jordan Chang, in second, and Danny Mathieson.

James Brooks, of Decatur, Georgia, cruised to a victory in the Marathon, with a time of 3:19. He was followed by a trio of runners from Cincinnati — Shai Bermaher, Keith Harris and John Pascoe — who finished the race together in honor of a friend who passed tragically while training for the Boston Marathon.

Amy Berkman, of Hillsborough, led all women in the Marathon until the final mile, when St. Augustine native Eva George raced to the front on her way to a 4:11 finish.

Guido Ferrari, of Durham, and Montreat’s Robert Barker, who have combined to log more than 1,500 miles in the event, each returned to compete for the 26th year in 2023. Barker was among dozens of runners form the Swannanoa Valley to compete in the race.

Photos of the 2023 Mount Mitchell Challenge and Black Mountain Marathon can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.