Bel Monte is a great race with a beautiful yet challenging course for the first 8ish and last 8ish miles (it's an out and back). I'm not a great trail runner and someone told me the race was a great beginners race....I think it may have been if it had not snowed a few days before and the snow on the first 8 miles of the course hadn't become icy. The first 8 (also last 8) miles were really tough we had to wait in long lines on certain parts of the trail because it was so slippery and it was single track people had to hold on to trees to get by. All the elevation gain for this 50K is also in this 8 mile stretch making it even more difficult. Also be prepared for several stream crossings were you will have to get into the water that can be calf deep and mud depending on the weather. I DNFd because I was just spent from trying not to slip on the first 8 miles and after the stream crossing my feet were soaked and it was in the low to mid 30s out. I'd love to run the course again in a month with more favorable weather.

For driving to and from the race and parking I recommend having an AWD or 4WD vehicle roads were icy and lots of mud where we parked so lots of smaller cars had to be pushed.

If you are waiting for someone to finish bring lots of warm clothes and plan on who will finish first so you can have access to your car to wait. There is no indoor waiting area. Sign up early and reserve a cabin early so you can stay at the race start and not be cold if you can the cabins sell out quick. We stayed in Waynesboro and the drive wasn't bad. I recommend checking out Basic City Beer Co if you have time. Also bring cash...they offer $5 showers in the old time store near the start/finish....personally i didn't shower but wish i had.