Race Report

Mountain Madness Spring Survival 2025

First off, a huge thank you to everyone who came out for our most recent Mountain Madness event. Your participation, energy, and feedback were nothing short of incredible—and essential. I’ve read your messages, reviewed your input, and I’m already hard at work making changes that reflect your voices and improve the experience for all.

What’s Next? Two New Races at Golden Gate Canyon

Our next event will be hosted at the stunning Golden Gate Canyon State Park in early November (exact date to be announced soon). We’re evolving and expanding to offer two distinct race experiences:

  • Gentle Grizzly – 5 Checkpoints | 3 Hours | Close Distance
    • This is the perfect entry-level orienteering experience for hikers, joggers, or newer navigators looking to sharpen their skills. Less about covering huge ground, and more about smart, intentional movement. If you’ve been curious about orienteering but haven’t taken the plunge—this one’s for you.
  • Savage Grizzly – 10 Checkpoints | 5 Hours | Stretched Distance
    • This one’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a true endurance challenge built for seasoned trail runners and strategic minds. Expect long distances, big elevation changes, and a heavy dose of decision-making under pressure.
Improvements Underway

Smoother Registration – I’m working closely with RunSignUp to streamline the registration process. Everyone registering for Mountain Madness must be part of a team. This last go-around was not great, but moving forward, my aim is for a much cleaner and more intuitive experience.

Website Overhaul – The Mountain Madness website is getting a facelift. Expect:

  • A clear Events section
  • A detailed About page to explain who we are and what we do
  • A Results page to celebrate our racers
  • And a Race Director’s Report (like this one!) after every event

Stronger Social Media Presence – It’s time to step up our online game. I’ll be polishing the Facebook Page, and I’m launching a dedicated Instagram account just for Mountain Madness. Follow along for race previews, training tips, behind-the-scenes updates, and more bear-worthy content.

Final Thoughts

This is just the beginning. Mountain Madness is more than a race—it’s a community. I’m committed to building something authentic, challenging, and welcoming for all experience levels. Your feedback fuels everything we do.

Stay tuned for date announcements, early registration links, and sneak peeks of the new course.

Let the madness continue!

— Daniel Taylor, MM Race Director