Hawk Mountain From Philly 300K Brevet

Start Location

Chamounix Carriage House Hostel

Chamounix, also known as Montpelier, is a historic home located in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Federal-style house was built in 1802 by George Plumsted who was a wealthy Philadelphia merchant, then enlarged to nearly double its original size by subsequent owners after 1853.

We will use the Carriage House for our start, finish, registration, and lodging. The Carriage House is the building on the left before the eyelet loop at the end of Chamounix Drive.  Do not confuse the Carriage House with the Mansion, which is partway around the loop on the right.

Parking

In our opinion, the safest place to park is the the Hilton/Homewood lot just off of city avenue. Here is a Google map link.  Price is $13/day. As far as we know, this fenced-in lot is secure and it's a very short, easy bike ride from this parking area to Chamounix.  There are free on-street parking alternatives a short distance away, including along W Ford Rd, that may be reasonably secure because of the residences and businesses nearby.

We believe that immediately outside Chamounix is not a safe place to park, as there have been instances of petty theft in the area. Should you decide to park near Chamounix anyway, do not leave valuables in your car. There should be nothing visible that might tempt thieves. If you must leave clothes and minor gear someplace during the event, it would be best to leave these inside the Carriage House, but please don't leave anything of great value. For Carriage House events, please park cars along Chamounix Drive in front of the Carriage House as shown in this diagram. Do not park back in the circle by the mansion or on the side alley to the left of the Carriage house. Park on the left side of Chamounix drive within easy view of the front porch of the Carriage house.  Park end-in, not parallel to the curb.

Lodging

Riders are advised to make sleeping arrangements at or near the start/finish. Please don't try to drive a long distance before or after a tough brevet.  Multiple options are available.

• You can reserve a real bed in the Carriage House for "hostel style" shared room accomodations conveniently located at the start/finish. Book this through PA Rando as part of your brevet registration. There are a limited number of bunk beds in shared rooms with  access to a common bathroom and shower. These are available before and after the event for a small extra fee.  First come first served, with priority to riders riding longer events.
• If you are staying at the Carriage House before the event please try to arrive by 9PM so as to not disturb riders who want to get to bed early and sleep adequately before the event.
• There are numerous lodging options in the city of Philadelpia, please book your arrangements with a hotel directly.

 

Finish

As you approach the finish control there are two buildings in the cul-de-sac eyelet. We are in the Carriage House on the left awaiting you with refreshments and eager to hear your tall tales, some of which might even be true.

Volunteer

This event needs volunteers for the following jobs:

• Start Controle
• Finish Controle

Contact Organizer to Volunteer.

Ride Description

Nestled in Pennsylvania’s Blue Mountain ridge, Hawk Mountain is renowned as one of North America’s premier raptor migration watchsites, where thousands of hawks, eagles, and falcons pass each autumn. The ascent up the mountain’s access road climbs 826 feet over two miles, averaging an 8.2 percent gradient—enough to test even seasoned riders. Thanks to the recent completion of the Schuylkill River Trail segment between Auburn and Hamburg, it’s now possible to pedal from Philadelphia to Hawk Mountain and back in a single day, without climbing back over the mountain, enjoying seamless riverside riding on this epic 300K brevet. This ride will also give club members one more chance to notch a 300K for the 2025 calendar year. 

We’ll roll out from the Chamounix Carriage House and head north through Wissahickon Park. Your first refuel opportunity comes at a Wawa control in Harleysville. Note that this Wawa has indoor seating and restrooms.

From Harleysville we head west into the rolling farmland surrounding Oley Valley. This section delivers back-to-back climbs and descents on quiet, tree-lined roads. Keep an eye out for classic stone barns, and be ready for a few playful dips in temperature as you dip into the valley bottoms.

Next up is Kutztown, with its charming Main Street and historic college campus. It’s a great spot to stretch your legs, top off your bottles, and grab a handful of snacks before the big climb. There is a Turkey Hill available for convenience store staples and a local coffee shop called Four Monkeys Coffee & Roastery.

Brace yourself for the ride’s signature challenge: Hawk Mountain. This is where grit meets glory—reward yourself at the summit with sweeping views of the ridge and, if timing’s right, migrating hawks soaring beneath you.

After descending Hawk Mountain, we use the new section of SRT from Auburn to Hamburg and make our way south to Reading. There is a control in West Reading with a Wawa stop for sandwiches, coffee, or whatever you need to recharge.

From Reading we tackle a final series of rollers on the edge of the Schuylkill River Valley. There is a Wawa control outside of Pottstown - this “last chance” control lets you pick up any last-minute snacks or water before the home stretch.

The final 25 miles follow the Schuylkill River Trail back into Philadelphia. Enjoy the smooth pavement and riverside scenery as you make your way back to the city, climb one last little grunt up to Chamounix.

 

Course History

Date	Finishers
2025-09-27	17

General Info

This ride is a randonneur style bicycle event under the sanction of Randonneurs USA and Audax Club Parisian. Completing this event can help you train and qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris and earn RUSA and ACP  awards. You need a current RUSA membership to ride this event. You can sign up for RUSA here.

First time riding with PA Randonneurs? Read an overview of what to expect on your first PA brevet. All participants are obliged to follow the rules for riders as well as local vehicle laws (PA, NJ, NY). Safety is a primary concern. All riders must sign a waiver. Please read these Safety Instructions.

To receive credit for finishing a randonneuring event you must complete a brevet card as required by the rules. PA Randonneurs accepts traditional brevet cards filled out with stamps/signatures and backed up with merchant receipts. PA Randonneurs encourages use of the eBrevet cell phone app. (Version 1.3 minimum required) as an electronic brevet card assistant. Nevertheless, you must check into all controls on the app -- or provide traditional proof for each control. Your finish time and finish code from the  app must be written on the paper card, along with your signature, or you may be disqualified.

These events are not for beginners.  The courses are hilly. You may face extremes of weather: heat, cold, wind, rain. The roads are unmarked and open to automobile traffic. There will be night riding in the longer events.  There is no sag wagon. Complete several ordinary century cycling events before starting a 200K brevet;  complete several 200Ks before starting a longer brevet.

Registration

Registration Fee

• Register before Apr 1, only $35
• After Apr 1, fee is $50

Includes

A light breafast will be provided at the start and dinner at finish.

Lodging at the Start-Finish

• Bed before event: $40
• Bed after event: $40
• Bed both before and after: $70

Pre-registration required.
Registration closes 23:59 EDT, Thursday 9 April

Schedule

04:00 Sign-in, Bike Inspection
04:50 Rider meeting
05:00 EDT Riders depart

Conditions

Finish Cutoff: 01:00 EDT 12 April 2026 (20 hours)

Daylight Hours

Sunrise: 06:26
Sunset: 19:36

Weather

Weather forecast for start location: Philadelphia, PA.

This event runs rain or shine. Rides are sometimes postponed or canceled if there is a significant chance of extreme conditions that threaten safety (e.g. ice, snow, high winds). Check the message board for last minute announcements.

Questions About This Event?

Please click here to ask the organizer a question about this event.

The online URL for this event info page is

https://parando.org/info/event/2026-04-11/300

For all other information about Pennsylvania Randonneurs, visit our web site https://parando.org/