Touted as a unique experience for Upper Peninsula and other visiting runners, this endurance run is designed to be runner’s choice of a 12- or 24-hour race scheduled for Saturday and Sunday of the holiday weekend, May 27-28.

Entrants can race for themselves or as part of two- or four-person teams at the resort that is on the National Register of Historic Places and is also listed as an International Dark Sky Park.

The crisp, clean air and rugged solitude of Copper Harbor offer a beautiful venue that is well suited for such a challenging event, organizers said in an email promoting the event.

The event offers the opportunity for athletes to explore new distances and push past perceived limitations. With no set distance to the race, the finish is up to each participant.

A past competitor gives a peace sign while running the Back 9 Endurance Run near Copper Harbor. (Photo courtesy Keewnaw Mountain Lodge)

The race course, set on the lodge’s Back 9 Trails and around its golf course, is a 3.5-mile loop that includes hills, flats, forests and a spectacular view of Brockway Mountain. Lanterns and other lighted, glowing and reflective markers will be set along the trail to aid runners at night.

Avid trail runner Mariah Summer inaugurated the event in 2021 to provide a unique experience for runners in the Keweenaw. That year, she led participants for a Saturday morning start, with the 12-hour race concluding at 8 p.m. and the 24-hour run the following morning at 8 a.m. Much the same took place in 2022.

For past results and photos, visit the Back 9 Endurance website at https://back9endurancerun.com/. Prospective racers can also contact race director Amy Bory at amy@keweenawresort.com or register at the lodge’s website at https://keweenawmountainlodge.com.

The Keweenaw Mountain Lodge, with its public relations email at pr@keweenawresort.com, focuses on outdoor activities, rustic worldly food and education.

It’s been a fixture in the Keweenaw since ground was broken on the project in 1934 as part of a Works Progress Administration program.

The four-season resort consists of log cabins; a lodge; dining services; access to mountain biking, running and hiking trails; and a nine-hole golf course. The lodge is the headquarters for the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park.

These amenities provide guests with the opportunity to enjoy a fun, joyous and adventuresome experience in the pristine natural beauty of the U.P., helping guests get closer to nature.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.