Annual Mt. Baldhead Challenge returns to Wick's Park in Saugatuck
SAUGATUCK — For the first time since 2019, the annual Mt. Baldhead Challenge will return to Wick’s Park in Saugatuck. Billed by its organizer as the "ultimate multi-terrain race," the challenge will enter its 22nd year on Saturday, Sept. 10.
That organizer, the Rotary Club of Saugatuck-Douglas, was forced to cancel the annual event two years ago as a precaution against the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the club confined the race to the dunes, trails and beaches west of the Kalamazoo River in order to avoid congestion and possible spread of the virus downtown.
This year's race will feature an 8.2-mile “challenge” and a 12.5-mile “extreme” — both of which will commence at 9 a.m. The shorter race will be staged at 1 Adventure Company on Park Street, on the west bank of the river.
The longer race will start from Wick’s Park. Both will step off simultaneously with a horn blast from the Star of Saugatuck positioned in the middle of the Kalamazoo River. Runners from both tracks will return to Wick’s Park for the finish and a party in the park sponsored by the Rotary Club.
For the first time since 2015, the Rotary Club will invite children under 10 to compete in the Mt. Baldhead Kids’ Fun Run, a free half-mile race through downtown Saugatuck at 8:30 a.m. Net proceeds of the Mt. Baldhead Challenge benefit elementary-school-aged students by building and sustaining summer and after-school enrichment programs at the Boys and Girls Club in Saugatuck-Douglas.
“We’re excited to be coming home to Wick’s Park for the 22nd running of the challenge,” said Race Director Ed Karasek. “We work hard each year to make the race the best possible experience for runners, their families, volunteers and residents. It’s a relief now that pandemic precautions aren’t dictating how and where we run.”
Participation in the race has grown substantially in recent years, with 525 runners participating in 2019. Organizers have decided to cap this year's participation at 500, mainly for logistical reasons.
“We are well on our way to our goal of 500 athletes, with about two-thirds (opting) for the shorter version,” Karasek said. “We’ll be shuttling those runners from Wick’s Park to the other side of the river, so we wanted to keep it manageable.”
The course
“Extreme” runners will leave downtown via Culver and Lake Street, turn right onto Blue Star Highway and head to the Beach-to-Bayou Trail on Center Street in Douglas. Once they reach Lakeshore Drive and the vista of the Big Lake, they proceed north to Campbell Road, then on to Park Street heading north.
At that point, they'll follow the “challenge” runners up to the Crow’s Nest Trail at Oxbow, then down to the new Fishtown Trail Loop near the water tower. From there, it's 302 steps up to the east face of Mt. Baldhead. If they have time to catch their breath and snap a photo at the top of Mt. Baldy, they’ll be ready to run down to Perryman Street and across to the Dunegrass Community, through the meadow and woods to Vine Street.
Subscribe:Get all your breaking news and unlimited access to our local coverage
Heading south on Park Street to Tower Marine, athletes will enter the home stretch at Blue Star Highway before returning to town for the party in Wick’s Park. The “Mt. Baldhead Bash” will feature music, games and refreshments provided by Saugatuck Brewing Company, including “Beermosas” and “Beery Mary’s.”
“We also need more volunteers than our Rotary Club can provide,” Karasek said. “Each year, Saugatuck and the race experience get exceptionally high marks from our runners in participant feedback surveys. Friendly and helpful volunteers get to cheer the runners on and help out with any problems they might have, and the volunteers get a cool T-shirt and have a lot of fun.”
Helping children thrive
In 2019, the Rotary Club partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Holland and Saugatuck Public Schools to introduce much-needed supplementary enrichment programs after school and over the summer to students in Saugatuck Public Schools.
Rotary then made a commitment to raise approximately $300,000 to cover the cost of the first three years of programming. The club has raised about $240,000 of that goal to-date.
“We’re confident we can achieve the original goal this year,” said club fundraising chair Jim Sullivan. “We couldn’t do it without the Mt. Baldhead race and its community of athletes, volunteers and donors who have responded so generously to our plans.”
The Boys and Girls Club in Saugatuck-Douglas has enrolled over 200 students since its inception in 2021 and welcomed an average of 50 students per day over the last school year. The programs help children to thrive in the areas of academic achievement, physical health and well-being, character development, citizenship and teamwork.
“Along with our partners at the Boys and Girls Clubs, we want to help our schools extend their record of excellence by supporting students (to) develop the kinds of skills they’ll need not only to succeed, but to live lives of significance," said Rotary Club President Mark Smaller.
Interested runners can register online at bit.ly/RUNMBC22. Volunteers may sign up at bit.ly/HELPMBC22.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Annual Mt. Baldhead Challenge returns to Wick's Park in Saugatuck
