End-to-End Challenge

The biennial End to End Challenge is a 1-day hike of 30+ miles, with over 7000 feet of cumulative elevation gain over undulating terrain from Berry Pond in Pittsfield State Forest to the northern end of the Taconic Crest Trail at Route 346. Hikers are supported from beginning to end by volunteers of the Taconic Hiking Club. Participants who successfully complete the challenge will receive a Certificate of Accomplishment and a special “TCT 1-Day” patch. Participants who are club members will also receive the “Bloody Foot” patch. Obviously, this challenge is for very fit and experienced hikers!

End-to-End Challenge - Saturday, May 9, 2026

Date: The next End-to-End Challenge is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, 2026.

Registration: On-line registration via Eventbrite opens on March 1, 2026, at 7 AM.

Registration link: The link will be here on March 1, 2026, at 7 AM

After you register: Your registration is not complete until you print, complete, and submit this liability waiver, the link will be here March 1, 2026.

Start: The hike will start at Berry Pond in Pittsfield State Forest. The gate at the base of Circuit Rd to Berry Pond in Pittsfield State Forest will be opened at 5:00 AM to allow participants to drive up to Berry Pond.  The group will assemble, ready to hike, at Berry Pond by 5:30 AM for attendance and a brief orientation. The hike will then start at approximately 5:45 AM.

Planning - night before: If you do not have the luxury of sleeping in your own bed the night before there are plenty of comfortable B&Bs, Air B&Bs, motels and hotels in the Pittsfield MA area. There will be no camping facilities available at Pittsfield State Forest.

Planning - Transportation: You must plan for your own transportation to the start of and from the end of the hike. The Club does not provide a shuttle service.  We recommend that you have a friend or relative drop you off at Berry Pond and pick you up at Rt. 346 when you complete the Challenge. If you drive yourself to Berry Pond, you must have a plan to have a friend or relative drive you back to your car at Berry Pond at the end of your hike. Your registration is not complete until you have finalized plans for your own transportation.

Check points/Support sites:

As hikers progress north from Berry Pond, check points/support sites along the Crest Trail will be at:

#1 Madden Road, Hancock, MA (5.3 miles) Water available.

#2 Mattison Hollow junction (12.8 miles) Water and hikers’ packed lunches available.

#3 Petersburg Pass (20.9 miles) Water, Gatorade, fruit, cookies, snacks, hikers’ packed lunches available.

#4 Rte. 346 End of the trail! (30 miles) Water, Gatorade, cookies, and snacks available.

Provisions: Water will be available at each support site. Snacks like fruit, cookies, etc. will be provided at Petersburgh Pass and at the finish of the challenge, the Rte. 346 end of the trail.

You have the option of having your own small bag shuttled ahead to Mattison Hollow and Petersburg Pass locations. We suggest a small bag (quart-sized zip lock or similar) to stash lunch and/or special food needs. Clearly label your bag by inserting a label with your name and the location for the bag (Mattison Hollow or Petersburg Pass) into the bag, where it will remain visible. Please have your provision bags complete and labeled before you get to Berry Pond. Keep the bags light, especially for Mattison Hollow.

Hikers are free to carry whatever they wish on the trail. The club recommends snacks, beverages, whistle, compass or GPS, TCT map, iPhone, bug repellant, sunscreen, rain gear if appropriate, jacket, hat, headlamp, and wear sturdy, comfortable, already “broken in” hiking boots.

Rest rooms: There are no porta-potties at any of the check points. But there are plenty of trees to hide behind.

All hikers must clear the Petersburg Pass site by 4:00 PM to avoid problems caused by the remaining 8.35 miles of trail and oncoming darkness at 8:08 PM sunset.

Qualifications: Participants must be at least 18 years of age or older.

Applicants will be asked to include recent hiking or trail running experience to show they can complete the 30 miles and 7000 feet of gain. The Club has sole discretion and final decisions on participant’s suitability.

Applicants that participated in the 2024 Challenge need to apply for the Waiting List initially, if a vacancy opens there is a chance that the applicant will be added to the Participant roster.

NO Rain Date: There is NO rain date for this event. 

Refunds: Participant application refunds are available until April 11. The refund will be minus the Eventbrite fees.

NEU8 Note: For those working on the Northeast Ultra 8, this End-to-End Challenge only includes 30 miles, not the entire 37-mile Taconic Crest Trail required for the NEU8.

Footwear: Appropriate hiking footwear, such as hiking boots or trail shoes are required – no hiking in bare feet or stocking feet.

Other: No pets allowed.

Questions: Use the “Contact Us Here” button below, or email: taconichikingclb@gmail.com (no “u” in club)

End-to End 2024 a tremendous success!

We had another successful End-to-End Challenge on Saturday 5/11/2024! The weather was perfect for doing the hike - cool, dry, and not buggy. All 23 hikers completed the 30+ mile trek. The hikers started off briskly at 5:40 AM, just after sunrise. At check-in points, where snacks and drinks were provided, they all appeared to be moving strongly and with good spirits. The finishing times ranged from 1:59 PM to approximately 7:19 PM. There were some very fast hikers in the group! The participants all expressed how much fun the event was and their gratitude for everything that the Club did to hold the event.

Congratulations to all the participants: Bannish, Christy; Benedict, Sarah; Catallo, Merico; Chinnayakanahalli, Kiran; Finnell, Michael; Fuller, Steven; Gollin, Ed; Hall, Andrew; Hall, Peter; Hodgkinson, Seamus; Lancto, Gregory; Lewis, Scott; Muench, Erik; Parsons, Nate; Sajan, Jonathan; Sanariya, Nora; Schmidt, Chris; Seeloft, Robert; Stofko, Michael; Teal, Peter; Warne, Geoffrey; Witter, Audre; and Xu, Jonathan.

It took twenty-eight volunteers to make this happen, and many volunteers participated in two or more roles to help us accomplish the event. Whether it was planning, organizing, coordinating the participants or various groups of volunteers, clearing the trail and keeping it clear, carrying water up to the Mattison Hollow/TCT junction, sweeping, shuttling sweeps, assisting at Petersburg Pass and Rte. 346, baking goodies, dealing with the finances, making arrangements with Pittsfield State Forest and NYS DEC, greeting and assisting participants at the support sites, and all the other numerous associated tasks, we could not have done it without these volunteers! The Club is fortunate to have such a dedicated group of volunteers!

Volunteers included: Walt Addicks, Bob Armao, George Astle, Mike Boucher, Bill Coyle, Michelle Filiault, James Grady, Cameron Hastie, Claudia Kavenagh, Dylan Keenan, Kathy Kindness, Ted Loukides, Jennifer Morris, Dave Nagengast, Lynne Nagengast, Janice Nissan, Margaret Parks, Dave Pisaneschi, Cliff Prewencki, Karen Ross, Jeff Ross, Abbie Shoobs, Leslie Siegard, Ed Slattery, Chris Simpson Boucher, Paul St. Germaine, Martha Waldman, and Geoff Wilks.

Special thanks go to Martha Waldman for planning and organizing volunteers and to Abbie Shoobs, who stepped forward to do all the participant registration and communication and who graciously managed the hikers and their needs on the 11th from before dawn into the night.

Start your training now for the next End-to-End Challenge on May 9, 2026!