The Hero Hill Climb
About this race
Welcome to the 4th annual Hero Hill Climb! - Saturday, May 23rd, 2026 Memorial Weekend
This is a great event to honor our fallen veterans and bring awareness to the good men & women serving in our military of all branches.
Walk, run or mountain bike...all ages...
THE MISSION: Starting next to Camp Merrill Army Ranger Base, you will be given a half-sheet card with the name and bio of a fallen service member (Hero). Your mission is to carry your Hero up the gravel road to the top of the hill to honor their sacrifice. When you get to the top, there will be a large Hero board, an American flag, and a cast iron Freedom bell. You will pin your Hero Card onto the Hero Board, ring the bell in their honor, and we give you a 12-inch flag to return back down the gravel road with. The scenery is gorgeous, the camaraderie is inspirational, and you get to walk side by side with some amazing people, including the 5th Ranger Training Battalion! Each participant will also receive a special event Challenge Coin that you can pay forward or keep.
Afterwards, join the after-party at "The Overhang", Camp Merrill's on-base bar & grille for great food & beverages, raffle giveaways, and live music. Comfy event t-shirts and challenge coins are available on-site and online.
If you are unsure of your physical fitness to walk up the gravel road, no problem! We'll have UTV/SxS vehicles to transport you up and down the mountain, so you can complete your mission safely. We even have a "virtual category" for those who want to participate from home.
WHY DO WE DO THIS?
Your contribution raises money to deploy critical support to our Heroes, by fostering community, financial assistance, and long-term wellness programs to combat PTSD and prevent veteran suicide. It is a troubling fact that 22 Veterans a day take their own life. But we can all make a difference to support our Heroes. Partnering with the US Mountain Ranger Association (USMRA), the proceeds from this event will create resources for both Mission22 and the USMRA to provide the support needed. You make an impact!
Help us spread the word by sharing with your friends, participating in the event, and gathering a team. Our Heroes deserve our best!
** We also need sponsors and volunteers! If you have a business or an organization that we can promote, your sponsorship will be accepted as a 501(c)3 contribution. Let's find creative ways to benefit our heroes, and promote you at the same time. Please contact Stephen at the "Race Contact" below.
HERO HILL CLIMB VIDEO (click here)
PHOTOS GALLERY Link (credit to Justin Arndt at www.ourlocalheroes.com)
Pick your distance
Running
Walk
Bike
Virtual Hero Hill Climb
This is a virtual event you can do in your area. We'll email you a Hero Card to print out, and you can do a Hill Climb in your town. Email us a picture of your effort and we'll include you in the group photos. We'll also mail your Challenge Coin to you after the event.
Typical race-day weather
Based on 3 years of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Dahlonega, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 6:25 AM and sets at 8:41 PM local time (EDT) in Dahlonega on May 29, 2027 — 14h 16m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
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Other races near Dahlonega
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
Gold Rush 5K
Run For Rangers
ConnectAbility's Noon Year's Eve 5k
Reindeer Dash 5K and Fun Run
🏃 Plan Your Next Race in Dahlonega
Find upcoming events by distance:
- Dahlonega 5K Races 13 races
- 10K Run Events in Dahlonega 2 races
- Dahlonega Running Calendar 2026 14 races
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 15 Dahlonega events
Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.