Peak to Creek

Those who complete the 33 mile loop within the 11-hour (7pm) Cutoff receive a finisher belt buckle.  

Top 3 finishers receive awards. No gender awards. Top 3 humans.   

This is not a chip timed event due to it being a single 33-mile continuous loop with only 70 participants. However, we will be recording finish times just as diligently as we would with any chip timed event.  Meal is provided for participants and volunteers at the finish area.  

All participants receive a hoodie. 50% cotton, 50% polyester. You’re welcome to order an Additional Hoodie for 39.95 if you would like extra for family, friends, or crew. If you’re not able to attend the event, but would still like to show your support, hoodies are also available in the Store tab. There is an option for $10 shipping on store purchases.  Hoodie orders will be collected through Monday 9/2/2024. If you want a guaranteed hoodie with your run registration, please sign up before then. Shoutout to Travis at M&S Screenprinting for putting together the design for us. If you need shirts or hats, then give Dea, Emma, Tara, and the team a holler. 

This 33 mile adventure follows dirt/gravel roads and four-wheel drive access roads that can often be covered with thick leaves in sections. There is about 4,500' of elevation. Trekking poles are allowed.  There are multiple water crossings. It may be dry creek beds or it may be knee deep depending on rainfall.  Water stations and aid stations will be along the course. Much of this race you will not be able to see people in front or behind you. The course will be marked, but it is your responsibility to know the route. It is highly recommended that you use an app that sends live tracking data back to race staff and your emergency contact person.  Watch our social media pages for more information about this.  Course is not closed to vehicle traffic, but it is rare for vehicles to be in the area, as it is remote and some of it requires 4-wheel drive for passage. The only ATV's allowed on the course are those used by race staff to sweep the course and provide first aid or extraction if necessary.

Most intersections have road signs. There will be event signs telling you which way to go, and current location on the map. The Intersection Distance column is the cumulative distance from the start. Water column is the distance from start. The blue water drops on the map correspond to the Water column on the table. Some of the water stops will have a few calories. Water stops are not supervised and are self serve. To Next Water is the distance from the current water stop to the next water stop. The Aid column is distance from start. Corresponding symbols on the map are the watermelon and cookie. Next Aid is distance from current volunteer supervised aid station to the next aid station. Aid stations will have hydration and calories. We’re talking cookies, candy, fruit, Hammer Nutrition, soda. First aid kits are at each aid station. To Next Aid is the distance from current aid to next aid. With an 11 hour cutoff across 33 miles, you need a 20:00/mi pace.

Early starts will need to evaluate pace independent of this table. For instance, you early start at 7am, and it takes you 2 hrs 40 mins to get to mile 5 by 9:40am, you’re probably not going to make cutoff. 

Mid-September in this area is typically has lows in the 60’s and highs in the upper 80’s. With an 8am start, you can expect the temperature to be warmer than the lows, and the high typically occurs in the afternoon. Experiencing the warmer afternoon temperatures will depend on how early you finish and how much your effort level late in the day. 

Yes, you can early start. You still receive a finisher belt buckle if you finish by the 7pm cutoff. You will not receive ranking, but will be classified as unofficial finish. Just let the race director know before the race start that you will be doing an early start. Keep in mind that some water stations and aid stations may not be set up early at the time you arrive. So plan to be self-supported until later in the race. 

You are required to have an Oklahoma Hunting License, Oklahoma Fishing License, or Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Passport in order to participate as a runner/walker/hiker, volunteer, crew or spectator. You must have a current unexpired document with you at all times while on the grounds, including refuge parking area.  Children under the age of 18 are allowed in Cookson without an Oklahoma Hunting License, Oklahoma Fishing License, or Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Passport.

Annual Oklahoma Resident Fishing License $31

1 Day Oklahoma Resident Fishing License cost $11. It expires at midnight of the date of your choosing.

1 Day Oklahoma Nonresident Fishing License $26. It expires at midnight of the date of your choosing.

Any of these may be purchased online at https://license.gooutdoorsoklahoma.com/Licensing/CustomerLookup.aspx . More information about licenses and fees can be found at https://www.wildlifedepartment.com/licensing/regs/license-fees . You may have heard rumors that if you are Native American or Cherokee that you do not need a hunting or fishing license to be in Cookson. That is not true. Blu and I are both Cherokee tribal members and have our tribal photo ID's, but they do not stand in place of an Oklahoma Hunt/Fish license. We both still carry our Oklahoma Hunt/Fish license with us. You are required to acknowledge that you have one of these documents that will be valid for the day of the event in order to complete registration. Cookson WMA is under the jurisdiction of 4 game wardens.  You will be responsible for any citation fees for not having a valid document while on the grounds, and are subject to removal from the event without refund.

We need volunteers. Outlaw Trail Series has done an excellent job of leading the way and setting the standard for volunteers. We've participated in their events as volunteers, and also as participants. We love how the volunteers increase the quality of the experience. That is why we're taking a leaf out of the Outlaw book, and offering a 25% discount for volunteering a shift of 4-8 hours. Must be signed up as a volunteer before the event.  This includes volunteering at Lake Vian Hilltop Run. If you volunteer at Peak to Creek, you will be eligible to apply that discount to any distance at Hilltop.  Volunteer discounts do not apply to Outlaw events. For more information on Outlaw, check out https://outlaw100.com/ and Hilltop https://runsignup.com/hilltop

You may have to do a search for Cookson Hills Sate Game Refuge or Cookson Wildlife Management Area, depending on which app you use. The physical address is

30979 S 584 Rd, Bunch, OK 74931

Google Maps https://maps.app.goo.gl/5xEfZbg6TiqHK6T18?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

Apple Maps https://maps.apple.com/?auid=10586760467211114098&ll=35.681240,-94.844228&lsp=7618&q=Dropped%20Pin&t=h

This is what you will see from Blue Top Road. This is the main entrance, and where we will have overflow parking. It’s a .16 mile walk to packet pickup and start line. Proceed past the archway to the pavilion for packet pickup and start. 

Proceed past the archway .15 mile to the pavilion for packet pickup and start. 

We ask that crew and spectators not drive on the course. This is to protect our participants, but also to protect you the driver from getting your vehicle stuck. You are responsible for your own vehicle and it is not covered by Peak to Creek in any way it if it gets damaged, stuck, rolls off the road, or cannot climb out of sections of Cookson Refuge. Some sections are 4-Wheel Drive Only, some do not permit vehicles, some are ambulatory only. Even all wheel drive vehicles can get stuck on the drivable roads because of unforeseen washouts or terrain being too steep or rocky. Just stay off the roads. 

If you would like to cheer on your runner, walker, hiker, follow the yellow route south to Marble City School. Take a left at the school and stay on the blacktop road for 4.4 miles until you see a small dirt parking lot on the top of a hill to the left. Be careful when pulling in/out due to this being a blind spot on the top of a hill. Walk through the gate about 100 yards to the 12.3 mile aid station at the intersection of Fletcher and Round Mountain Roads. 

Google Maps 12.3 Mile Aid Station Parking 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Awo9mZw13cxLLmV77?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

Apple Maps 12.3 Mile Aid Station Parking 

https://maps.apple.com/?ll=35.673880,-94.786579&q=Dropped%20Pin&t=h