Dumb Ass start is at 7:00am sharp from the Tradition Plateau Trailhead (upper lot). Check-in and briefing will be a 6:30am at the lower lot and then we'll walk the 0.25m to the start at 6:45am.

Half-Ass start is at 9:00am sharp from the Tradition Plateau Trailhead. This start is only for runners intending to DNF (running less than 4 loops). Any Half-Ass starter who does more than 3 loops will be automatically given a 7:00am start time (2 hour penalty). Check-in for the Half-Ass start is any time after 8:00am and the briefing will be just before 9:00am.

If you are doing the Dumb Ass start then you'll need to find someone to move your car to the upper lot after the gate opens (sometime between 7:15am and 8:00am) or you'll have to run down the road to fetch it yourself at the end of loop one. You could also simply live out of a drop bag left with the aid station volunteers at 6:30am.

N-K3 Loop

The course is a 6.5m+ loop that goes through the upper lot at the regular Tradition Plateau Trailhead:

up Nook
over T3
left on TMT between T3 and T2
shortcut down K3 ridge to meet TMT near bridges
back to trailhead TMT
rinse and repeat

The format is similar to the regular Fat Ass except that there are no trail markings except a few flour “wrong way” crosses (or Gatorade red crosses on snow) across incorrect trails at key intersections.

Note: In the interests of safety, we are insisting on counterclockwise loops only. We don't want people tearing down Nook facing oncoming runners, especially if it is frosty. The same goes for salmon swimming upstream on K3: not a good idea.

Turn-by-turn

Turn-by-turn directions with intersection elevations. We recommend an altimeter watch and this sheet on the day. Each turn is shown as a purple spot on the map below. Distances are approximate. Elevations are accurate. Even though 12 decisions in 6+ miles looks like a lot, there really are only a handful of spots where you need to pay attention.

head out on West Tiger 3 trail (520')
after .1m, RIGHT on Bus Trail (530')
after .1m, LEFT on Nook Trail (550')
after 1.5m, RIGHT on Connector Trail (not left/straight to Talus Rocks) (945')
after .1m, LEFT on Section Line Trail (990')
after .5m, CROSS on West Tiger Railroad Grade (1880')
after .4m, RIGHT up to Tiger 3 summit and straight over toward Tiger 2 (2500')
after .2m, LEFT on Tiger Mountain Trail (TMT) (2490') - easy to miss
after .3m, STRAIGHT/LEFT on Tiger Mountain Trail (TMT) (2560')
after .3m, LEFT on K3 Trail (2190') - tricky: easy to miss
after .2m, CROSS West Tiger Railroad Grade (1950')
after .3m, LEFT on Tiger Mountain Trail (TMT) (1430') - tricky: easy to go right/straight by mistake
after 1.0m, CROSS Cable Drop (don't go down it) (930')
after 0.9m, RIGHT on West Tiger 3 Trail back to trailhead (535')

N-K3 Map (modified Green Trails)

N-K3 Loop Map
~2400ft climb and 6.5+ miles per loop

Note: the above map has been modified and is not identical to the current Green Trails version:

the area near Talus Rocks on Nook is incorrect on Green Trails
the lower part of K3 is not shown on Green Trails