Historic layout for high school competition will be extended to 3-mile course, eliminating Poop-Out Hill and concluding inside Hilmer Lodge Stadium, with expectations of being featured at Mt. SAC Invitational and CIF-Southern Section postseason events

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEO

WALNUT, Calif. – For the first time in 48 years, the historic Mt. San Antonio College cross country course will undergo a significant change that will showcase a new look entering the 2024 fall season.

The prestigious cross country layout at the college has been faced with adjustments and adaptations in recent years as a result of construction on the Walnut campus to renovate Hilmer Lodge Stadium, in addition to changes caused by inclement weather.

But at a press conference Saturday at the Mounties’ multi-purpose gymnasium, the school’s Director of Athletic Special Events Brian Yokoyama announced that the traditional Mt. SAC course would be expanded to a full 3-mile distance, would no longer include Poop-Out Hill and would conclude inside Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

The previous layout, which had measured 2.93 miles, was used for the final time at the CIF-Southern Section prelims in November after also being showcased at the 75th Mt. SAC Invitational in October.

The plan was for the 2.93-mile course to also be used in November for the CIF-Southern Section final, until a forecast for rain resulted in Mt. SAC and section officials making the decision to adjust the layout to a full 3-mile distance, with the championship races also finishing inside Hilmer Lodge Stadium, instead of the traditional conclusion at the end of Goff’s Gauntlet.

The new 3-mile Mt. SAC layout will still begin on the airstrip adjacent to the school’s warmup track and at the conclusion of the Champions Parking Structure. It will include a pair of trips around the Valley Loop, an ascent on the Switchbacks, followed by a path behind Hilmer Lodge Stadium and through National Guard Alley.

Instead of athletes making a left turn in their pursuit of conquering Poop-Out Hill, they will instead proceed straight through the Saddle area until they reach the back side of Reservoir Hill. From there, competitors will turn right and continue their path toward the Gateway Parking Structure, before making a U-turn that leads them to the summit of Reservoir Hill, followed by a steep decline and return to the airstrip where they began.

A final right turn from the airstrip to Goff’s Gauntlet will now challenge the athletes with an extended straightaway and brief uphill climb, before they make a left turn underneath the Daktronics scoreboard and emerge on the track, before completing the final 300 meters inside Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

The first opportunity to see races unfold at Mt. SAC during the cross country season will be Aug. 31 at the Mountie Express Invitational, which will showcase a shorter version of the layout measuring around 2 miles, but will still conclude inside Hilmer Lodge Stadium.

The Mt. SAC Community College Invitational, scheduled for Oct. 18, will still include Poop-Out Hill as part of the men’s 4-mile race.

The 76th Mt. SAC Invitational for high school programs and competitors is scheduled for Oct. 25-26, with the CIF-Southern Section prelims and finals in November also expected to use the updated 3-mile layout, creating several opportunities for a new chapter of records to be established and broken.

The annual Foot Locker West Regional Championships are also expected to be held again Dec. 7 at Mt. SAC, although the specific 5-kilometer layout for the event has yet to be finalized.