Three days. Two nights. Epic climbs. Epic recoveries. A high-volume, high-vibe trail running camp in one of Tennessee’s most legendary state parks.
The hook
Sustained climbs up to 2,000 ft, then a large conventional sauna, a homemade cold plunge, waterfall swims, optional massages, yoga sessions, and bonfires. Repeat for three days.
Shared meals, local breweries, pizza in a barn, group sauna sessions, stargazing in a certified Dark Sky area, and stories around the fire.
Three guided runs led by ultra veterans who know these mountains. Forested southeastern singletrack, sustained climbs, technical descents, and Appalachian rollers.
The setting
Set among the steep, shaded ridgelines of Frozen Head State Park and the surrounding mountains of Morgan County (“MoCo”), FHUC is your chance to log serious vert, dial in your trail skills, and recharge at an epic ridgetop basecamp with a crew that loves the grind as much as the good times.
Morgan County is a hidden gem of public land: mountains, valleys, gorges, waterfalls, and abundant flora and fauna. It’s home to Frozen Head State Park, Lone Mountain State Forest, Catoosa WMA, part of Big South Fork, sections of the Cumberland Trail, and the Obed Wild & Scenic River. Three local breweries (MoCo, Lilly Pad, The Beer Barn), Dark Sky stargazing, and of course the Barkley Marathons and Barkley Fall Classic each year.
This camp is not legally affiliated with Frozen Head State Park, the Frozen Head Ultra Marathon, the Barkley Fall Classic, or the Barkley Marathons.
Who it’s for
It will be warm in the TN summer, and there will be no shortage of climbing. You should be able to run ~3 hours on trail at a time, be comfortable carrying your own nutrition and hydration (ultra vest recommended), and be ready for sustained climbing and descending.
Sustained climbs, real heat, and back-to-back long days. The right kind of stress for a peak training block.
Get a big vert weekend in to prepare for adventures to come, or use the TN summer for heat training before a warm-weather race.
In a controlled, guided environment with amazing daily recovery options. Work hard, play hard, learn from a like-minded crew.
The schedule
6–12 hours of trail running over the weekend: two runs at Frozen Head and one elsewhere in the area. Every run has “challenge by choice” optionality, so you can dial the volume up or down to fit your needs.
Camp weekend
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Lodging
What you get
Why a training camp?
Whether it’s FHUC or another camp, here’s what adding this kind of training stimulus to your calendar can unlock before a big event.
Multiple long efforts back-to-back let you train deep fatigue resistance without the damage of a single ultra-long run.
Increase motivation in a long training cycle and build community with like-minded peers. Learn from each other on trail and at the fire.
Identify issues (fueling, climbing, pacing) with time to adapt before race day. Or work on a known weakness in a controlled environment.
Getting there.
If you plan to fly, Nashville (BNA) or Knoxville (TYS) are your best bets. BNA is about 2 hours 15 mins by car, TYS is 1 hour 15 mins. Navigate to 200 Hawn Rd, Lancing, TN 37770 (or “The Rez, Lancing, TN” in Google Maps) to reach basecamp. We’ll send additional instructions closer to camp. Lexington, KY is another viable airport depending on flights.
Frozen Head Ultra Camp awaits. Registration is on Run This.
