Treasure Hunt in Roanoke, VA

On Sunday, July 11, at Explore Park in Roanoke, Va., the Gear Junkie’s inaugural “Treasure Hunt: Roanoke” drew more than 300 racers. Gear and prizes were piled in a tent. A Sylvan GO camper trailer — the event’s $6,995 grand prize! — was parked nearby. Music pumped from an amplifier. Race directors shouted from a bullhorn. And the Treasure Hunt participants — a group of all ages and skill levels — ran and hiked off from the start at the shout of “Go!”

What followed was a two-hour backwoods race in search of flags hidden in the ravines and twisting trails of Explore Park. A map and a compass (or a GPS) were the racers’ sole guides. They climbed steep trails and paced steps through thick woods to locate checkpoints scattered along a river and into the hills. Some racers found all the flags. Some found just three or four.

Thanks to the Roanoke community (including our 15+ volunteers!), Pete Eshelman with Roanoke Outside, Ronny Angell and the staff of Odyssey Adventure Racing, to SylvanSport for its amazing grand prize GO camper, and to all the additional sponsoring gear companies who helped make this crazy and improbable “gear treasure hunt” event come to life! —Stephen Regenold

The Gear Junkie’s “Treasure Hunt: Roanoke” event took place on July 11th, 2010. It was an outdoors adventure and gear hunt the likes of which had never before been seen in the world outdoors. All details on the Treasure Hunt are here: http://gearjunkie.com/treasure-hunt-roanoke