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Martha Moats Baker Memorial 50Km

MMB is an acronym for Martha Moats Baker Memorial 50K. This is a low key, no fee run put on by Dennis Herr. If you have questions or want to participate, please contact Dennis at: herrdennis@yahoo.com

The Start

The start is at the same trailhead as the TWOT start/finish. If there is no room in the parking lot, don't park along the road, but go about a quarter mile east and park in front of Camp May Flather. The camp will be open so do not block an entrance. For directions, refer to the TWOT page.

Here is the course narrative, the inscription on Martha's memorial, and other information about the course.

Course Description

Map/Elevation Chart from Keith Knipling
Click for Larger PDF version

Start at the parking lot. Go up and over Grindstone Mountain and continue on Chestnut Ridge to the top of Little Bald. Here you leave the Wild Oak Trail and go right on Bald Mountain Road for 4.4 miles past the 2nd gate to FDR 85 and hang a right. Go 1.2 miles uphill on this dirt road to the stone spring (this will be flagged), and climb up the short, steep trail to Reddish Knob aid station. Descend on the circular road around Reddish down to the northern end of the guardrail and cut right on what will be overall a 7-mile descent to Tilghman Road. During this section, at all three trail junctions, stay to the right. First section is the Timber Ridge Trail (blazed yellow - flagged). Run down this trail (about 4 miles) to the Hearthstone Trail and fork right and after about 3 miles bottom out on Tilghman Road. Turn left on this gravel road, run for 1 mile to the dog graveyard aid station. After the aid station, run up to the Cookie/Tower Trail "T" and go right (blazed yellow). Continue south past the tower for a 1/4 mile on what is now double-track, and veer right at signpost which says "Tillman Trail 439" at the top of a small rise. Drop 1 mile down to Tilghman, cross the stream and then go left on the gravel road for 1.3 miles to the Grooms Ridge Trailhead, and the final aid station. Right on Grooms Ridge Trail (blazed yellow) and trudge up 4 miles to junction with white blazed Wild Oak trail. Go left on Wild Oak and 4 more miles down to the parking lot and the finish. Turnsheet [pdf]

The MMB Memorial site is 2.3 miles north of Little Bald on the right side of the Bald Mountain Road between two oak trees. Once you pass the 1st gate, it's at the northern end of the 2nd large wildlife clearing area. The inscription says:

Martha Moats Baker
Born 1880
Froze To Death Near This Spot
On Brushy Mountain
January 1925
Found August 30, 1925

Again, the aid stations for the event will be set up at Reddish Knob (13 miles), dog graveyard (22) and at the Tilghman Road/Grooms Ridge Trailhead (27).