IronHike Amicalola Falls Appalachian Trail Approach Fall 2026
Date and time
Tuesday, December 8, 2026 · 6:00 PM
Location
418 Amicalola Falls State Park Road, Dawsonville, GA
Date and time
Tuesday, December 8, 2026 · 6:00 PM
Location
418 Amicalola Falls State Park Road, Dawsonville, GA
Date and time
Tuesday, December 8, 2026 · 6:00 PM
Location
418 Amicalola Falls State Park Road, Dawsonville, GA
...the world's premier mountain staircase endurance Event above Georgia's highest waterfall. The AT starts here. So does the next version of you.
Register Now. Claim Your Spot. 🎯
👥 Buddies Half Off · code buddy50
💰 Save at least $50 · code reg50
🎖️ Vets, Military & 1st Responders · $70 off · code brave70
👥👥 Trail Family of 4 · save up to 25% per person · code reg50
🔥 Hard things are harder alone.
📣 Buddies Half Off
50% off when you register with a Trail Buddy. Use code buddy50 at checkout. Half the price. Twice the suffering. All the proof.
No buddy yet? Register for any Buddy Event now. Your buddy completes their info on RunSignUp later at no extra cost.
Code buddy50. All Buddy Events. Any Series.
First-time Mountain Staircase Athlete?
Start with Kuwohi
12 Hours · 11 Laps · 6,644' Gain · 13,288 Stairs
You have the base fitness if you can do any of these: ✅ Climb stairs regularly or do stair workouts ✅ Hike 4 hours over varied terrain ✅ Walk regularly and want a real test of yourself
Your pace is your pace. The Staircase doesn't judge. Neither does your Tribe.
Solo - Kuwohi
Seasoned Ultra Athlete?
144,960
Total Stairs. Round Trip.
72,480 feet of vertical gain. On a staircase. In Georgia.
🔴 Olympus Mons Ultra. The Hardest Ultra on Earth. Or Mars.
84 Hours · 180 Miles · 72,480' Gain · 120 Laps · Powered by Skratch Labs®
You've done the 100-milers. You've done the crazy ultras. You have never climbed 144,960 stairs. Nowhere close.
Only 3 finishers ever. None on this course yet.
Solo - Olympus Mons
30 states. 3 countries. Ages teens to 70s. This is who shows up.
💬 "I thru-hiked the AT in 2019. Started at Springer. Took the road walk to skip the Approach Trail because everyone said it was brutal. Been thinking about those 604 stairs ever since. Not this time. I reached out to the Cadre last week and told them I am in."
— Renee · AT Class of 2019 · Registering for Kuwohi
▲ ▲ ▲
Choose Your Summit
👤 Solo. Go it alone, but surrounded by a Tribe.
👥 Trail Buddy. Partner up for shared endurance.
👥👥 Trail Family. A FlexRelay team of four tackling stairs and elevation together.
Each Event uses our FlexRelay format · self-managed pacing, no minimum laps per person. Some Events require night trekking by headlamp. The down is not a gift. You own every descent.
▲ Kuwohi · 12-Hour | 11 Laps | 6,644' | 13,288 Stairs | The entry point. Your first staircase endurance Event. Badass Rating
💪💪☆☆☆ 📅 IronHikers Away: Sat, Dec 12 @ Noon | Final Bell: Sat, Dec 12 @ Midnight
👤 Solo · $95/day with code reg50 💰 👥 Buddies half-off · $59/day each with code buddy50 💰 👥👥 Trail Family · $96/day each · built in 🎁
Register for:
Solo - Kuwohi
Trail Buddy - Kuwohi
Trail Family - Kuwohi
▲ Double Kuwohi · 24-Hour | 22 Laps | 13,288' | 26,576 Stairs | A full day and night on the Staircase. Badass Rating
💪💪½☆☆ 📅 IronHikers Away: Sat, Dec 12 @ Noon | Final Bell: Sun, Dec 13 @ Noon
👤 Solo · $147/day with code reg50 💰 👥 Buddies half-off · $70/day each with code buddy50 💰 👥👥 Trail Family · $123/day each · built in 🎁
Register for:
Solo - Double Kuwohi
Trail Buddy - Double Kuwohi
Trail Family - Double Kuwohi
▲ Answer the Bell - Basic · 24-Hour | 24 Laps | 14,496' | 28,992 Stairs | One lap per hour, every hour, on the hour. Badass Rating
💪💪💪☆☆ 📅 IronHikers Away: Sat, Dec 12 @ Noon | Final Bell: Sun, Dec 13 @ Noon
👤 Solo · $197/day with code reg50 💰 💡 Solo only · no FlexRelay team format
Register for:
Solo - Answer the Bell Basic
▲ Denali · 48-Hour | 34 Laps | 20,536' | 41,072 Stairs | Two days, two nights, no shortcuts. Badass Rating
💪💪💪½☆ 📅 IronHikers Away: Fri, Dec 11 @ Noon | Final Bell: Sun, Dec 13 @ Noon
👤 Solo · $333/day with code reg50 💰 👥 Buddies half-off · $143/day each with code buddy50 💰 👥👥 Trail Family · $258/day each · built in 🎁
Register for:
Solo - Denali
Trail Buddy - Denali
Trail Family - Denali
▲ Everest · 72-Hour | 49 Laps | 29,596' | 59,192 Stairs | The authentic self-powered Everesting alternative on a staircase. Badass Rating
💪💪💪💪☆ 📅 IronHikers Away: Thu, Dec 10 @ Noon | Final Bell: Sun, Dec 13 @ Noon
👤 Solo · $311/day with code reg50 💰 👥 Buddies half-off · $132/day each with code buddy50 💰 👥👥 Trail Family · $239/day each · built in 🎁
Register for:
Solo - Everest
Trail Buddy - Everest
Trail Family - Everest
▲ Answer the Bell - Full · 84-Hour | 84 Laps | 50,736' | 101,472 Stairs | On the hour. Every hour. Until you can't. Badass Rating
💪💪💪💪💪 📅 IronHikers Away: Thu, Dec 10 @ Midnight | Final Bell: Sun, Dec 13 @ Noon
👤 Solo · $229/day with code reg50 💰 💡 Solo only · no FlexRelay team format
Register for:
Solo - Answer the Bell Full
▲ Olympus Mons Ultra · 84-Hour | 120 Laps | 72,480' | 144,960 Stairs | Powered by Skratch Labs®. Badass Rating
💪💪💪💪💪½ 📅 IronHikers Away: Wed, Dec 9 @ Midnight | Final Bell: Sun, Dec 13 @ Noon
👤 Solo · $289/day with code reg50 💰 👥 Buddies half-off · $122/day each with code buddy50 💰 👥👥 Trail Family · $221/day each · built in 🎁
Register for:
Solo - Olympus Mons
Trail Buddy - Olympus Mons
Trail Family - Olympus Mons
🏁 No podium. No records. No age group awards. Your only competition is yesterday's version of you.
The Staircase keeps no score. You finish what you finish. That's enough.
🏔️ The Most Epic Staircase Events on Earth.
Every comparison below is apples to apples. One complete climb and descent of each world landmark vs one complete IronHike Event. All stairs up. All stairs down. Round trip.
4.2x
Empire State Building, New York
Kuwohi · 13,288 Stairs · 1,576 up · 1,576 down = 3,152 round trip
8.0x
Eiffel Tower, Paris
Double Kuwohi · 26,576 Stairs · 1,665 up · 1,665 down = 3,330 round trip
5.2x
Manitou Incline, Colorado
Answer the Bell - Basic · 28,992 Stairs · 2,768 up · 2,768 down = 5,536 round trip
7.1x
Burj Khalifa, Dubai
Denali · 41,072 Stairs · 2,909 up · 2,909 down = 5,818 round trip
33.0x
Washington Monument, DC
Everest · 59,192 Stairs · 897 up · 897 down = 1,794 round trip
38.1x
Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb
Answer the Bell - Full · 101,472 Stairs · 1,332 up · 1,332 down = 2,664 round trip
46.0x
Empire State Building, New York
Olympus Mons Ultra · 144,960 Stairs · 1,576 up · 1,576 down = 3,152 round trip
Only 3 finishers ever. None on this course yet.
Solo - Olympus Mons
You have seen the Events. You have seen the numbers. The Staircase is waiting.
December 9–13, 2026 · Amicalola Falls State Park · Dawsonville, GA
Register Now. Claim Your Spot. 🎯
The Staircase keeps no score. You finish what you finish. That's enough.
💬 "I finished Mohawk last October and loved it. But by February I was on the StairMaster every morning thinking about what an IronHike on a staircase would feel like. When the Georgia announcement dropped I told the Cadre the same day — I am in for Everest."
— Derek · IronHike Mohawk Athlete · Registering for Everest at Amicalola
✅ What's Included in Your Fall 2026 Registration
⛺ Free tenting for Mountain Athletes. Pitch your tent steps from the course. Lodge and cabin options also available for Mountain Athletes, family, and spectators.
🔥 Base camp support station. Hydration, snacks, and Tribe camaraderie at the Reflection Pool.
🏅 Personalized Event bibs, summit tokens, finisher's medals, and hats.
📋 Custom training plans. Designed by Chaski Endurance Collective.
✅ Exclusive AT Approach Trail staircase access. The official gateway to the Appalachian Trail.
🚑 On-site medical support. Throughout the Event.
📞 Mountain Athlete Tribe community calls. Pre-Event prep and post-Event connection.
🅿️ Free parking for Mountain Athletes at Amicalola Falls State Park.
🤝 A new Tribe. Bragging rights. Proof.
🛏️ Stay at the Lodge. Steps from the Staircase.
The Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge sits at the summit of the park, overlooking the falls and the North Georgia mountains. Stunning views. A full restaurant on-site. Walking distance from the course. For Mountain Athletes who want a bed between laps, and for family and spectators who want to watch the sunrise over the falls, there is no better base camp. Cabins also available for families and groups.
📞 Reservations: (800) 864-7275
Mention IronHike to ask about the group rate for Mountain Athletes, family, and spectators.
Visit Lodge Website
💬 "I live in Nashville. New England is a flight and a half. I kept watching IronHike videos thinking some day. Then they announced Georgia and I reached out to IronHike before I even finished reading the page. December cannot come soon enough."
— Darnell · Nashville, TN · Registering for Double Kuwohi
🌿 Fall 2026 | When and Where
For five days, December 9–13, 2026, we take over the AT Approach Trail staircase at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, Georgia. The park is home to the highest waterfall in Georgia and the official approach to the Appalachian Trail. Georgia in December means cool mountain air, dramatic cascades, and the AT gateway at your feet. The staircase is waiting.
📍 Venue / Course Details · Amicalola Falls State Park
🏔️ The Venue • Amicalola Falls State Park and Lodge • 418 Amicalola Falls State Park Road, Dawsonville, GA 30534
📐 Course • AT Approach Trail Staircase Course • Lap: 1.5 mi • 604 stairs up • 604 stairs down • 604' gain per lap • HQ Bell Summit: 2,550 ft • Reflection Pool: 1,946 ft
✈️ Nearest Airports • Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (ATL) · 1 hr 15 min • Chattanooga (CHA) · 1 hr 30 min
🚗 Drive Times • Atlanta · 1 hr 15 min • Chattanooga · 1 hr 30 min • Nashville · 3 hr 15 min • Charlotte · 3 hr 30 min
🔗 Resources • Amicalola Falls State Park • Mountain Athletes Guide • Contact the Cadre
💬 "My daughter asked me why I was training on the StairMaster at 5am every morning. I told her I was going to Georgia in December to climb 41,000 stairs. She said that sounds insane. I said I know. I just got off the phone with IronHike and we are both in."
— Terri · Charlotte, NC · Registering for Denali · Trail Buddy with her daughter
▲ ▲ ▲
Your first summit or the hardest endurance Event on Earth. Both live here. On a staircase in Georgia.
IronHike is a veteran-owned elevation-based endurance event Series now at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, Georgia. No lifts. No shortcuts. No gondola. Earn every step up and every step down. The self-powered Everesting alternative on the AT Approach Trail, the official gateway to the 2,197-mile Appalachian Trail.
If you've done 5Ks, half marathons, or weekend hikes and keep asking what's next, this is what's next. No running required. If you can climb stairs repeatedly, you can do this.
You won't go up alone. The Tribe is already there, at 2 AM, at base camp, on the staircase. Shared suffering builds something that finish-line medals don't.
🏔️ Are you curious about Mohawk Mountain?
IronHike started at Mohawk Mountain Ski Area in Cornwall, CT. A real mountain. 595 feet of vertical gain per lap. A different kind of hard. Two Series run there every year. Spring and Fall. Same Tribe. Same Cadre. Different Mountain.
If the Staircase is calling you and the Mountain is too, IronHike has both.
🌿 Spring at Mohawk🍂 Fall at Mohawk
💡 What to Know
Mountain Athletes Guide
Everything you need to know about the course, the venue, training, gear, and what to expect on the Staircase.
📖 Read the Mountain Athletes Guide
The FlexRelay Format
Each team member in the Trail Buddy or Trail Family Event has no minimum or maximum laps, mileage, elevation, or time on the course. Teams manage who is on the Staircase for how long and when, according to conditions, fitness levels, and the needs of the team.
Common Questions
Do I need to be a runner? No. IronHike is a hiking Event. If you can climb stairs repeatedly, you can do this. Running is never required.
What if I can't finish? The Staircase keeps no score. Every lap is earned. Every Mountain Athlete sets their own ceiling. The Event ends when you decide it ends, or when the Final Bell rings.
Cancellations, Deferrals & Transfers
Policy: No refunds, deferrals, or transfers between Series. Upon request, you may receive an 80% credit toward any future Event (no expiration). All sales final.
Transfers within the same Series are allowed on a case-by-case basis.
IronHike Endurance Productions
Who We Are
IronHike Endurance Productions is a veteran-owned endurance event Series built by US Army veterans who hike, coach, and compete. We produce elevation-based endurance events and multi-day staircase endurance events at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, Georgia. The AT Approach Trail staircase event Series runs at the official gateway to the 2,197-mile Appalachian Trail. Our FlexRelay format lets Mountain Athletes compete Solo, as a Trail Buddy pair, or as a Trail Family of four. This is not a race endurance event. There is no podium, no finish line prize, and no gondola. Every foot of elevation gain is self-powered, earned one stair at a time, by athletes from 30 states and 3 countries and counting who came here to prove themselves right. The Events
IronHike offers seven elevation-based endurance events ranging from a 12-hour endurance event to an 84-hour endurance event, covering 6,644 to 72,480 feet of vertical gain at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, Georgia. For athletes looking for a self-powered Everesting or an affordable Everesting alternative, IronHike is the answer. We are the leading 29029 alternative and Barkley Marathons alternative in the USA. The Olympus Mons Ultra is ranked as one of the hardest ultra events in the world. The Answer the Bell Ultra is a staircase backyard ultra. Our FlexRelay format makes multi-day ultra endurance accessible to athletes at every level. The Tribe
The IronHike Mountain Athlete Tribe spans 30 states and 3 countries and counting, supported by the veteran-owned Cadre who trek every Event alongside them. You show up, you belong, and you prove yourself right one lap at a time. The Place
IronHike Amicalola Falls AT Approach Trail Fall 2026 takes place December 9–13 at Amicalola Falls State Park in Dawsonville, Georgia. Self-powered Everesting Georgia. Staircase endurance event Georgia. AT Approach Trail endurance event. Elevation endurance event Georgia. Amicalola Falls endurance event. Multi-day staircase endurance event Georgia. Endurance hiking event USA. Staircase ultra Georgia December 2026. Amicalola Falls Lodge IronHike endurance event December 2026.
36.0 mi
126.0 mi
16.0 mi
33.0 mi
51.0 mi
74.0 mi
180.0 mi