FRIGID
ADVENTURE TREK
Race #1 of the Four Seasons Series
One of our most loved races - returns to kick off the year in frozen style. It’s cold (hopefully), beautiful and the perfect early-season shakeout to get your navigation brain firing again. Expect crisp air, detailed maps, and the classic FRIGID vibes everyone talks about.
Registration closed January 26
FRIGID is a go this weekend and right on brand! We’re ready to welcome you for a winter adventure that lives up to its name.
-
LENGTH: 5 Hour Cutoff
DISCIPLINES: Navigating • Trekking
WHERE: Carter Caves State Park, KY
WHEN: Saturday, January 31, 2026
WHO: Solos or TeamsTHE COURSE:
There is NO minimum distance required - show up and find as many checkpoints as your legs/time allow. Teams trying to “clear” the course should plan on roughly 20 miles. The format will be point-based with easier>harder checkpoints valued accordingly.COST: $75. Kids race for FREE! (under 16). A free Navigation Clinic is available to help get you race-ready.
|| Registration is CLOSED. Check out the next race in the Series though - THAW ||
FRIGID is intentionally priced at $75, well below the $80–$120 most half marathons charge, because we want you to try this sport - not be priced out of it. And instead of paying to run a straight line with hundreds of strangers, you get a hand-built course, maps, real navigation, a hot post-race meal, and hours of choose-your-own-adventure. More fun, more challenge, less money. -
Registration Includes
Branded fleece neck gaiter (nice and thick, see below)
Waterproof map (with the option to add extra maps)
A well-marked, thoughtfully designed course
Perfectly placed checkpoints
Post-race meal (vegetable soup + cornbread)
Kids under 16 race for Free
A Free Navigation Clinic
A frozen good time
-
Saturday — January 31
Free Navigation Clinic: 8:00–9:00 AM
Check-In + Maps: 9:00 AM
Race Start: 10:00 AM
Race Cutoff: 3:00 PM
FRIGID | THAW | ZENITH | HARVEST
About the Series
The 4 Seasons Series is a year-long navigation challenge that keeps pace with nature’s rhythm.
Four races. Four seasons.
Stay found, push hard, and keep coming back for more!
We’ve kept it simple, fair, and fun - whether you’re chasing the podium or just stacking points race by race.
-
Each race in the 4 Seasons Series earns you points toward the overall Series standings. The higher you place, the more points you earn.
You score points based on where you finish in your division (Solo - Male, Solo - Female, or Team):
1st place earns 100 points
2nd earns 99 points
3rd earns 98 points
And so on, dropping by 1 point per place
All finishers receive at least 1 point
DNF/DQ = 0 points
-
Your Series Score is the total of your best 3 race scores out of the 4.
We drop your lowest race, giving you room for a miss, a busy weekend, or an off day.
If you commit to adventure through all four races, we’ll toss you a 5-point bonus for staying consistent and getting after it the entire year! That might be the difference maker at Harvest. -
Team Divisions - For series scoring, team size, gender mix, and members will inevitably shift over a year - totally fine. All Team divisions (Male, Female, and Coed) are combined into a single Team category to accommodate this .
Solo Divisions - Male and Female remain separate.Team/Solo Name - As long as you race under the exact same team name, your points stay with that team. Solo points stay with the individual racer.
-
Harvest, our Fall race, is the Series finale. After that race, we tally the points and crown our 4 Seasons Series champions in both the Solo and Team divisions. Awards will be given to the top three in each division, recognizing the Solo and Team podiums.
If you’ve competed in 3 races, but can’t show up for Harvest, no problem. We’ll run the numbers, lock in the standings, and share the results even if you’re not there for the finale.
“This was my first go at one of these kinds of races, and I really appreciated how approachable everything felt - it made me want to come back for more!”
FAQ
-
Probably one of the best races to get you into the sport! These courses are naturally beginner-friendly - no minimum distance, all checkpoints optional, and zero bike or boat. Just navigation, hiking, and a good time in the winter woods. We place several very easy checkpoints close to trails and obvious features so you can build confidence right away. Plus, we host a free navigation clinic the morning of the race, taught by two experienced racers (and actual real-life teachers). You’ll show up nervous and leave feeling ready.
-
It’s a quick, free class before the race that teaches you how to read the map and find checkpoints. Two experienced racers (and actual teachers) walk you through the basics so you’re race-ready even if you’ve never navigated before.
If you’d like to attend, just check the box during registration! -
Think of it like a scavenger hunt in the woods. We hand you a map with checkpoints on it, and you choose which ones to visit. Every checkpoint you find earns you points. There’s no required route and no minimum number to get. You’ll be surprised at how many DON’T run. You hike, navigate, collect points, and make it back before time’s up. Simple, fun, with a very non-intimidating group of folks.
For the runners and seasoned orienteers, we scatter in the good stuff - farther checkpoints, trickier nav, and terrain that’ll keep you honest. There’s enough on the map to keep you pushing hard right up until the cutoff. -
Each checkpoint is worth a set number of points. You collect points by visiting checkpoints and punching your passport (provided). The team with the most points at the end wins, and if there’s a tie, the faster team gets the higher placement.
Checkpoint values aren’t random - harder checkpoints are worth more. That usually means they’re either farther away, require more physical effort to reach, or demand sharper navigation to find. Easy, close-in checkpoints give you quick points; the trickier ones reward teams willing to stretch their legs or use their nav-skills (or both).
-
Stay right at Carter Caves State Resort Park and step out to the START!
To book a room, call 606-286-4411 ext. 1 and give them the Group Code: 5116. The room block is held until December 29th, so make your reservations before then to guarantee availability. -
You bet! Breakfast will be available for purchase from 7:30–10:00 AM.
-
Absolutely, and Mika needs company. Dogs are allowed in designated accommodations (with a required pet fee) and are welcome on park trails as long as they remain leashed.
Cold-weather 361° Buff
Included with registration: a thick fleece neck gaiter to keep you warm during FRIGID and on future winter adventures!