Favourite Trail Races in the Pacific Northwest!

It’s still early in the year, and many of us are likely starting to think about running and races now that the snow’s starting to melt up high. Ultrasignup says I’ve done 52 races, so I thought it would be fun to compile a list of some of my favourite experiences…

My favourite 50km races

50k is a really fun distance to race. Unless the race is a sky race, you’re probably not going to be out there all day and night. You can give’r a little bit, and be done in time for dinner (or even afternoon snack, or lunch, for fast runners on fast courses)! Here are my favourites in this category:

Elk Valley Ultra: I’m deeply in love with the town of Fernie, and so it’s no surprise that its locally-owned Elk Valley Ultra is one of the most incredible 50k’s I’ve ever done. If you like mountain running, getting up to a peak, and have a longer mountain race to train for, Elk Valley Ultra would be a great race for you to consider! Like the Squamish 50k, this event is super family-friendly, as the town of Fernie has a ton of local businesses and amenities for the whole family. I did the Elk Valley Ultra in 2017 and ran the new course with the Race Director during COVID, and I cannot wait to get back out there and try the new (even tougher!) course! (Fernie isn’t really the Pacific Northwest, but it’s not too far away.)

Chuckanut 50k: this was my first 50k in 2012, and I’d recommend it to anyone as a great first ultra. It’s a fun course with a bit of everything from flat gravel to technical ridge running, and it’s so well-organized (by one of my favourite trail runners, Krissy Moehl). Chuckanut somehow strikes a balance between attracting a lot of the fastest runners, while still feeling down-to-earth and very low-key. Bellingham, Washington is a super-underrated city in my opinion, with both mountains and ocean access, and in close proximity to Mount Baker!

Squamish 50k: this is my local race, and I have to give it a big shoutout here. I’m slightly biased, but Squamish is incredible for anyone into the outdoors, with incredible trail/mountain running, climbing, skiing, and water sports right out the backdoor. Our town is full of lots of small, independent businesses and we even have our own hiking-specific gondola, so it’s fun and family-friendly as a destination race. The course is brutal as Gary Robbins designed it, but it’s a fun and tough tour of some of our beloved singletrack through our coastal rainforest. My favourite part is how well-run it is, and the community support, with one of the best finish line feels out there! They also have a 50 miler that has solid prize money, but I haven’t done that distance at the event yet!

My favourite 50 Mile and 100km races:

White River 50: this race is a total classic in the Pacific Northwest, dating back to the OG days of ultra running. I’ve done this race twice, and absolutely love the community, the course, and the stellar views of Mount Rainier. One cool thing about this race, is that you can camp for free at the start/finish area, and it gives the event a really fun community party atmosphere, as a lot of people stick around to camp after the race. Plus, Rainshadow Running took over the event recently, and they put on the most fun events around!

Gorge Waterfalls 100k: I did this way back in 2014 and 2015, and got so hooked on the area and the event. I love this one for many reasons. First of all, the location is awesome. It’s close to Portland, which is such a fun town to visit, and as a Canadian, it’s fun to head south to slightly-warmer weather in early spring, which feels about a month or two ahead for us here in Squamish. Most of all, it’s the course. You get to run some really fun, rolling singletrack, and over and under some incredible waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge. They also offer a 50k distance which I’ve done, and also love.

So apparently I haven’t actually done that many 50 milers or 100km races in the Pacific Northwest, as that’s all I’ve got! Funny. I’d like to try Tillamook Burn 50 Miler, and Wy’east Wonder!

My favourite 100 Mile races:

Cascade Crest 100: this race really feels like a party. Volunteer-led and organized, Cascade Crest takes you on a giant loop through the mountains around Snoqualmie Pass, Washington. The race has been around for a long time, and it shows. Many volunteers return every year to run their same aid station, or make their same pirogies that runners have come to count on. It’s tough, with a lot of climbing, but it has some amazing views, especially in the final 50 kilometers.

HURT100: it’s not really Pacific Northwest anymore, but Oahu is a very short flight away! This race treats runners like family, and is truly something special you have to experience. The aid stations have the best food of any race I’ve done, and the technical trails through Oahu’s tropical rainforest are incredible (and really challenging)! HURT’s 5 loop format isn’t for everyone, but I find that aspect fun and oddly enjoyable. (I also like how it makes it very family friendly, and that you don’t need crew.) I’ve been lucky enough to go and pace a friend there in 2014, and run it myself in 2015 and 2023. I will definitely be back as soon as I can!

Other races that pique my interest in the 100 mile-ish category are FatDog 120, which I’ve paced before, and the Oregon Cascades 100, which is a new race from Bend to Sisters.

Other races on my bucket list:

There are so many races I want to try. There’s the grassroots and community-oriented Marathon Shuffle on BC’s beautiful Sunshine Coast, a fun mountain run on Vancouver Island called the Kusam Klimb, and a new ultra series in the Olympic Mountains by some friends I’ve shared the trails with.

What races are you looking forward to trying?

Happy trails!