Bad Beard Events
← RIVER GORGE SERIES
Past race
Saturday, March 18, 2023

RIVER GORGE 2023

6.5 & 10.2 mi · Prentice-Cooper WMA, TN
View results ↗About this race
20 mi course19 mi · 1,750 ft gain · 1,383–1,884 ft

About River Gorge

A Southeastern classic that runs the Mullens Cove and Pot Point Loops in the Prentice-Cooper Wildlife Management Area just outside Chattanooga, Tennessee. The highly technical single-track loop trail boasts magnificent bluff views of the Tennessee River and cascading streams lined with rhododendrons and towering hemlock. One of the most beautiful trails in the Chattanooga area, this is a bucket list race for both leisure and competitive trail runners. Elevation gain for the 10 Miler is 2,000 ft, the 6.5 Miler is around 1,500 ft, and the 20 Miler is around 3,000 ft.

Results

THE FINISHERS

Women — Top 3
  1. 1Lea Mulligan· 231:23:46
  2. 2Betsy Fowler· 301:17:12
  3. 3Kate Rolen· 431:22:34
Men — Top 3
  1. 1Jobie Scarborough· 261:15:26
  2. 2John Gilpin· 3052:05
  3. 3Bryson Harper· 341:16:31
Age-group winners · 10.2 MILER
AgeFemaleMale
<20Camille Tollett2:00:40Mathis Young2:00:00
20-29Lea Mulligan1:23:46Jobie Scarborough1:15:26
30-39Christina Williams1:48:30Bryson Harper1:16:31
40-49Ehrin Irvin1:39:06Sean Stewart1:23:27
50-59Jennifer Bartholomew2:31:25Bruce Catanzarite1:51:14
60-69Leslie Cain2:56:15Bryon Blankenbecler1:56:31
70+—Carson Kelly2:54:35
Age-group winners · 6.5 MILER
AgeFemaleMale
<20—Crawford Rash1:23:01
20-29Jessica Murphy1:29:33William Sickenberger52:45
30-39Betsy Fowler1:17:12John Gilpin52:05
40-49Kate Rolen1:22:34Kevin Kostka1:14:10
50-59Teresa Christian1:50:14Dave Leap1:16:00
60-69—Bill Webb1:31:18

10.2 MILER · 90 men finishers

  1. 1Jobie Scarborough1:15:26
    Overall #1Age 26Pine Mountain, GA
  2. 2Bryson Harper1:16:31
    Overall #2Age 34Chattanooga, TN
  3. 3Mac Dean1:17:56
    Overall #3Age 31Chattanooga, TN
  4. 4Coree Woltering1:20:01
    Age 33Chattanooga, TN
  5. 5Zach Buffington1:21:41
    Age 35Chattanooga, TN
  6. 6Zac Thompson1:22:26
    Age 26Beavercreek, OH
  7. 7Sean Blanton1:22:57
    Age 36The Bluff, GA
  8. 8Sean Stewart1:23:27
    Age 42Whitwell, TN
  9. 10Adam Veron1:24:11
    Age 39Chattanooga, TN
  10. 11Ben Johnson1:28:24
    Age 33Chattanooga, TN
  11. 12John Dooley1:28:41
    Age 38Chattanooga, TN
  12. 13Brion Voges1:30:06
    Age 34Signal Mountain, TN
  13. 14Wilson Meads1:30:19
    Age 40Chattanooga, TN
  14. 15Lucas Sagraves1:32:05
    Age 27Mason, OH
  15. 16Les Warnock1:32:17
    Age 36Chattanooga, TN
  16. 17Pearson Ezell1:33:07
    Age 21Clarksville, TN
  17. 18Adam Davenport1:34:20
    Age 41Tunnel Hill, GA
  18. 19Todd Clark1:34:58
    Age 40Chattanooga, TN
  19. 20Skyler Baker1:37:22
    Age 28Knoxville, TN
  20. 21Shannon Coley1:37:45
    Age 47Rocky Face, GA
+ 70 more men finishers — full results on UltraSignup below

6.5 MILER · 45 men finishers

  1. 1John Gilpin52:05
    Overall #1Age 30Chattanooga, TN
  2. 2William Sickenberger52:45
    Overall #2Age 29Chattanooga, TN
  3. 3Josh Cornelius55:51
    Overall #3Age 34Chattanooga, TN
  4. 4Adam Smith1:08:12
    Age 39Franklin, TN
  5. 5Hunter Ferguson1:13:27
    Age 29Chattanooga, TN
  6. 6Davis Wade1:13:50
    Age 39Signal Mountain, TN
  7. 7Kevin Kostka1:14:10
    Age 44Chattanooga, TN
  8. 8Dave Leap1:16:00
    Age 51Cottleville, MO
  9. 9Roberto Singer1:17:10
    Age 51Chattanooga, TN
  10. 11Bryan Hay1:18:04
    Age 49Crestview, FL
  11. 12Jason Fitzpatrick1:20:22
    Age 48Ooltewah, TN
  12. 13Joe Klein1:20:47
    Age 41Chattanooga, TN
  13. 14Dewey Esquinance1:22:01
    Age 46Cleveland, TN
  14. 15Brandon Boyd1:22:16
    Age 36Hixson, TN
  15. 17Crawford Rash1:23:01
    Age 16Russellville, AR
  16. 19Jamie White1:24:04
    Age 41Chickamauga, GA
  17. 20David Straka1:24:31
    Age 37Columbus, OH
  18. 21Brennan Nielsen1:25:15
    Age 42Cleveland, TN
  19. 22Will Hawkins1:25:42
    Age 28Signal Mountain, TN
  20. 23Clark French1:26:12
    Age 34Signal Mountain, TN
+ 25 more men finishers — full results on UltraSignup below
Full results on UltraSignup ↗
Race day photos ↗Photos by Sarah Buckner
All editions

RIVER GORGE ARCHIVE

  1. 2026
    RIVER GORGE 2026→
  2. 2025
    RIVER GORGE 2025→
  3. 2024
    RIVER GORGE 2024→
  4. 2023
    RIVER GORGE 2023●
  5. 2022
    RIVER GORGE 2022→
  6. 2021
    RIVER GORGE 2021→
  7. 2020
    RIVER GORGE 2020→
Know the course

THE GROUND RIVER GORGE RUNS ON

Get to know the trail before the gun goes off. Our guide covers the trailhead, the terrain, and the route for your watch, so a training run out here means fewer surprises on race day.

GuideMullens Cove Loop
Volunteers staffing a Bad Beard aid station
Crew passing nutrition to runners mid-course
Crew up

Volunteer with Bad Beard Events

Our races run on volunteer power — course marshals, aid stations, packet pickup, finish-line cheer squads.

You don't need experience. Bring a thermos, decent layers, and a willingness to clap loudly. We'll plug you in.

Interested in being a volunteer?