kunanyi Mountain Run

Get yourself into a rhythm as you hit the dry forests and single-trails of South Hobart. As the trail gets steeper, the rainforest fern trees of the gorgeous Myrtle Gully Track get bigger. Passing Junction Cabin, the sunlight returns and you’re up into the scree and then boulder fields before you finally hit the summit aid station, with breathtaking views around the southern part of the state.

From there, the quads get some respite as you traverse the breezy, snow-gummed alpine country of the Wellington Range over Mount Connection, past the head of Sleeping Beauty, then down into the lush rainforest creek of Myrtle Forest, home to the second aid station – you'll want to fuel up for the climb back up.

Pushing back up out of the tall trees and onto the range again, the views are back as you pass the rocky outcrops of Collins Cap, Collins Bonnet and Trestle Mountain. With Trestle behind you, it’s time to leave the alpine zone again and dive towards beautiful Mountain River (under the mountain, next to a River) and Aid Station #3.

The last big climb is waiting for you, and there’s a reward when you get to the top the impressive (and impressively accessible) skyline ridges of Montagu Thumbs and Cathedral Rock. Have your scrambling muscles and cameras ready for this bit. There’s a picturesque out and back before the next aid station, a quick river crossing and a short climb until you’re on the smooth, gentle downhill of the wide Pipeline Track. Your legs will love this 8km.

Your final aid station is the Fern Tree Tavern, and from here you can tell it’s all downhill to finish. Chimney Pot Hill and Ridgeway trails take you towards Tolmans Hill and around the Waterworks. It’s all fist pumps and victory cries as you hit Huon Road, pass the famous Cascade Brewery, and across the finish line. You’ve done it! The first kunanyi Mountain Run ultra, and you’ll have some stories to tell about this epic day out.

This classic summit-return mountain run takes you through colonial history, captivating and diverse landscapes, and along one of the most challenging and rewarding race courses you’ll ever do. Head out on Old Farm Road and Main Fire Trail before the field stretches out and you hit the single trail of the amazing Myrtle Gully Track. Skip across to Junction Cabin then up rocky Hunters Track to the Chalet. Breathtaking Organ Pipes track is the closest you’ll get to flat on this run, but then it’s hands on knees to grind out the final ascent to the summit via the epic Zig Zag.

To return, you’ll tackle Zig Zag in the opposite direction, fly down Pinnacle to The Springs, keeping the momentum going as you get into the thick forest of Radfords and Fern Glade, which spits you out at Fern Tree. Chimney Pot Hill and Ridgeway trails take you towards Tolmans Hill and around the Waterworks. Time to give it all you’ve got left as you hit Huon Road, pass the famous Cascade Brewery, and hit the finish line. This is a race that’ll you’ll remember – and will be telling tales of – for the rest of your life.

Get yourself into a rhythm as you hit the dry forests and single-trails of South Hobart. As the trail gets steeper, the rainforest fern trees of the gorgeous Myrtle Gully Track get bigger. Passing Junction Cabin, the sunlight returns and you’re up into the scree and then boulder fields before you finally hit the summit aid station, with breathtaking views around the southern part of the state.

From there, the quads get some respite as you traverse the breezy, snow-gummed alpine country of the Wellington Range over Mount Connection, past the head of Sleeping Beauty, then down into the lush rainforest creek of Myrtle Forest, home to the second aid station – you'll want to fuel up for the climb back up.

Pushing back up out of the tall trees and onto the range again, the views are back as you pass the rocky outcrops of Collins Cap, Collins Bonnet and Trestle Mountain. With Trestle behind you, it’s time to leave the alpine zone again and dive towards beautiful Mountain River (under the mountain, next to a River) and Aid Station #3.

The last big climb is waiting for you, and there’s a reward when you get to the top the impressive (and impressively accessible) skyline ridges of Montagu Thumbs and Cathedral Rock. Have your scrambling muscles and cameras ready for this bit. There’s a picturesque out and back before the next aid station, a quick river crossing and a short climb until you’re on the smooth, gentle downhill of the wide Pipeline Track. Your legs will love this 8km.

Your final aid station is the Fern Tree Tavern, and from here you can tell it’s all downhill to finish. Chimney Pot Hill and Ridgeway trails take you towards Tolmans Hill and around the Waterworks. It’s all fist pumps and victory cries as you hit Huon Road, pass the famous Cascade Brewery, and across the finish line. You’ve done it! The first kunanyi Mountain Run ultra, and you’ll have some stories to tell about this epic day out.

If you’re going to feel the burn for a full 1,000m of climbing, you should do it on a course as stunning as it is brutal. Presented by La Sportiva, the Vertical Kilometre is the Skyrunning ANZ national team selection race for the 2022 Skyrunning World Championships!

Want to test your fitness? This is the steepest and shortest route up the mountain, run via some famous (and one secret) kunanyi tracks. The Vertical Kilometre course embraces the steepness of kunanyi’s eastern face, taking in the scrambling Breakneck Track, rocky Hunters Track, Organ Pipes and then up straight up to Pinnacle Road to finish. Don’t feel bad if you can’t run this the whole way. Nobody – not even the top elites – will actually run all the way up this one.