Years in the making: Mountain Tiger hosts inaugural trail race at Donner Summit
TRUCKEE, Calif. — On Saturday, July 26, Mountain Tiger officially launched its debut trail race at Donner Summit, drawing 278 registered participants to an 11-mile course featuring sweeping alpine views and a lively post-race atmosphere that welcomed mountain athletes of all kinds.
With 95 percent of entries sold out, runners tackled a challenging route that included summiting four peaks: Rowton, Crow’s, Lincoln and Judah.
The event marked the official in-person debut for Mountain Tiger, a long-envisioned project from local runners and co-directors Alice and Connor Curley. Although the idea had been simmering for more than a decade, serious planning began in 2023, when the couple committed to creating a course that reflected their love for tough but accessible mountain running.
Mountain Tiger was founded in 2010 with the goal of getting more people to interact with the wilderness. The group is also known for Hilloween, a virtual hill climbing contest held annually since its early days.
Ahead of the race, Mountain Tiger offered free entries to transgender youth, a decision rooted in the organization’s broader mission of inclusivity.
“These kids deserve to feel welcome in sports and on the trails, so we wanted our race to be a place where they felt just that,” Alice Curley said. “Running, the trails and nature should be for everybody.”
According to Alice Curley, the focus has always been to build an experience that feels rewarding, exciting and inclusive.
Donner Summit was a natural choice. The Curleys live in the Tahoe region and consider these trails among the best in the Sierra. The chosen route, featuring ridgeline running, varied terrain and four distinct peaks, is one of their personal favorites.
Looking ahead, Mountain Tiger aims to create more challenging, sub-ultramarathon mountain experiences for those in the Tahoe region and beyond.
“Connor and I have a combined 33 years of experience working in the running industry, and Mountain Tiger is where our professional experience and love of Tahoe’s incredible trails collide,” Alice Curley said.
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