Note a landslide on the far western end of the Wilson River trail is not going to be repaired in time for the race so we will modify the route with a start at Footbridge instead of Keenig Creek. It’ll be a 50K still and will just go further east on the Wilson River Trail (past Elk Creek campground) before turning back to get to the finish at Smith Homestead.
The Wilson River trail is spectacular, and you get to run (almost) the whole length of it in the 50K race. Because of a landslide on the far western end, you’ll start at the Footbridge trailhead instead of Keening Creek campground trailhead. You’ll run east all the way to the other end of the trail, past the usual turnaround at the Elk Creek campground, continuing up after crossing Elk Creek, to the new turnaround at the current terminus of the trail. You return the way you came, but peel off to the finish at Smith Homestead. The trail is fairly technical with rocks and roots but has a lot of very runnable sections. There’s 6400′ of gain and loss. The 50K does not go up Elk or Kings mountains; it stays on the Wilson River trail.
The 50K starts at Footbridge trailhead and finishes at the Smith Homestead – just east of the Tillamook Forest Center – on Highway 6. Runners will park at the finish, at the Jones Creek parking area and pick up their bib at Smith Homestead. They’ll ride a shuttle to the start at Footbridge.
Here is an interactive Caltopo map you can play with. Note that Strava map understates the distance.
And for COROS watch users, you can download the route directly to your COROS app and then sync to your watch.
The cut-off time for the 50K is 2:00 pm at the 5th aid station (Wilson, mile 23.6). You must leave this aid station by this time, or the volunteers will have to pull you from the race.
| Aid Station | Segment Distance |
Cumlative Distance |
Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Mill | 5.3 | 5.3 | |
| Wilson | 4.7 | 10.0 | |
| Elk Creek | 3.6 | 13.6 | |
| Turnaround (no aid) | 3.2 | 16.8 | |
| Elk Creek | 3.2 | 20.0 | |
| Wilson | 3.6 | 23.6 | 2:00 p.m. |
| Diamond Mill | 4.7 | 28.3 | |
| Finish | 2.3 | 30.6 |
Go Beyond Racing is cupless. You’ll need to bring your own cup for liquid aid at all aid stations. You can refill bladders and bottles too. Read more about what it means to be cupless.
Aid stations are stocked with Precision Fuel gels, Precision Hydration electrolyte drink, water, soft drinks, PB&Js, potato chips, pickles, Fritos, gummy bears, Oreos, fruit, M&Ms, and other ultra fare.
Bees can be an issue during the month of October in the forest. If you are allergic to bees, you are required to carry an EPI-PEN during the race.
