In recent years the Whistler stage of the Salomon 5 Peaks trail running series has become one of the most popular, with over 450 runners taking on the high alpine courses.
The course is similar to past years with a 4.9 km Sport course, a 10.6 km Enduro course, and a 1 km children's challenge.
All of the races start and finish outside the Roundhouse Lodge and do a loop down to the Peak Chair base before climbing back up the ridge to head towards Harmony. The Sport course then heads down to Harmony Lake on the Harmony Lake Trail and returns to the Roundhouse on the Harmony Meadows Trail. There is 297 metres of climbing on the course.
The Enduro racers continue on to the Harmony Bumps trail from Harmony Lake, turn onto the Burnt Stew Trail and climb up towards Little Whistler Peak to The Saddle. From there it's a downhill run to Harmony Meadows Trail and on to the finish line outside the Roundhouse Lodge. There is a total elevation gain of 760 metres, and there are two water and first aid stations on the course.
Trail runners are recommended for the rocky terrain and caution is advised on the steeper downhill sections.
Online registration for the event is closed, but in-person registration is available from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21 at the Salomon Store in the Pan Pacific Hotel, as well as from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. on race day. The Children's Challenge takes place at 10:30 a.m., and both the Sport and Enduro races start at 11 a.m.
The Whistler event is the fourth out of five in the B.C. 5 Peaks trail running series, with one event remaining, at Buntzen Lake on Sept. 19. For more information visit www.5peaks.com.
