You may be looking to join the crew of Go Beyond this Saturday, as they traverse out to Astoria to run a popular trail known as the Fort To Sea Trail. The trail is known for its fun and winding route, that runs from the beach up to Fort Clatsop.
Hundreds of runners have tackled this trail, (which is also popular for hikers). It should come as no surprise, therefore, that there are lots of great Strava segments along the way! Let’s talk about a few:
Fort To Sea Trail – from Sunset Beach Rd to Pioneer Farm Ln
From the trailhead just up from the beach, runners head northeast toward 101, before crossing and working uphill to the fort. The section between the beach and Hwy 101 is this one, which is just 1.77 miles long, has only 34 feet of gain, and is currently held by Josh Fry of Astoria (11:03) and Marci Mohler of St Helens (15:17). This section has been attempted 342 times by 185 people.
Enjoy the rolls, here comes the Switchbacks
As you make your way toward the Fort, there is a north route and a south option. If you stay south, you will encounter this lovely gem that takes you right to the start of some tough switchbacks that lead up to Clatsop Ridge Overlook. Current KOM is Josh “I’m sensing a pattern” Fry (3:35) and Emma Abrahamson of San Diego (3:56). This section has been attempted 794 times by 223 people.
Fort to Sea from 101
Since you parked at the trailhead, you’re going to have to return at some point, and when you do, this segment is your final 2.54 miles from Hwy 101, onto the sandy beach. And with a 45 foot drop in elevation, it makes for a quick section. The current leader is Josh Fry (16:04) and Brianne Boatman of Cannon Beach (22:19) and has been attempted 188 times by 126 people.
Beyond these 3 segments, there are several more in the upper area between 101 and the fort, along with quality trails that are varied and rolling.
Also, if you use Strava (or want to get started – it’s free!) please join the Run Oregon club! We currently have 719 members! It’s a fun way to keep track of your miles and see how others in the area are doing.
Strava is an online training and racing log for runners and cyclists. The basic account is free and requires you to create a login. Note that this is not sponsored by Strava, nor endorsed or supported in any way by Strava. It’s just a fun thing we’re going to do to give some speedy shout-outs to area runners and pose a challenge to those of you willing to take on their segment.
