Beacon rock 50k/25k course Information
General Description:
The Beacon Rock races are harder than your average trail race courses thanks mostly to the elevation gain and loss for each course, 7500ft for the 50k and 3750ft for the 25k. The route is basically a ~23km "figure eight" with a 0.8 mile out and back from the start/finish area, The Beacon Rock Group Camp Site, to the figure eight. The 50k is two "loops" of the 25k course.
Each loop has a mixture of pavement(0.6mi), single track trail, and wider double track or dirt road. Most of the time the tread is smooth, the grade gradual and you can trust your footing but of course there are exceptions! You're in the forest most of the time but the views(on a clear day) going up and from the top of Hamilton Mountain of the Columbia River Gorge, Mt Hood, and Mt Adams are spectacular.
You'll have 9 hours to finish the 50k, and 7 hours to finish the 25k.
Aid Stations:
Our races strive to use as few disposable products as possible, therefore our aid stations will have just a tiny amount of cups, we highly recommend that runners carry their own cup or bottle or other drinking vessel. We will have Ultra Aspire collapsible cups for sale at the race for $5 or you can buy one in advance online and pick it up at the race.
For the 50k there are 5 aid stations at mile 5.5, 11.8, 15.5, 21.0, and 27.3.
For the 25k there are two aid stations at mile 5.5 and 11.8.
There is a 12:30PM Cutoff at Camp Aid Station which is mile 15.5 for the 50k. There is also a 4:15 PM Cutoff at Hardy Aid Station mile 11.8 for the 25k and mile 27.3 for the 50k. These times are when you must be leaving the aid station by not arriving by. Also please be nice to the aid station volunteers who have to enforce these cutoff times and accept your fate with grace if you're not able to make it out of the aid station on time.
50k runners who would like to have a drop bag at mile 15.5 can do so and leave their bag, labeled with their name and bib number, at check-in.
No drop bags for 25k runners.
Our aid stations always feature plenty of water, potato chips, PB&J, fresh fruit (oranges, bananas, grapes), chocolate/candy, GU gels and GU Brew, tortillas for gluten-free folks, and tasty Trail Butter inside those tortillas. We'll also have soda such as Coke and Ginger Ale.
Turn By Turn Course Instructions:
0.0 Start at Group Camp off of Kueffler Rd
0.2 Right onto Kueffler Rd
0.5 Left onto dirt road to Equestrian Trailhead
0.8 Equestrian Trailhead and the start of the Equestrian Trail
2.6 Left onto Hardy Ridge Trail
4.4 Right to stay on Hardy Ridge Tr
5.5 Aid Station -- continue down Hardy Ridge Tr
6.2 Left onto Equestrian Trail
6.8 Right onto Hardy Creek Trail
7.9 Left onto Hamilton Mountain Trail
9.8 Top of Hamilton Mountain--Continue North on Hamilton Mountain Trail
10.7 At “Saddle” go Left
10.8 Right onto Don’s Cut-Off Trail
11.1 Right onto Upper Hardy Creek Trail
11.3 Left onto Hardy Bridge Trail
11.8 Aid Station--Left onto Hardy Ridge Tr
12.5 Left then immediately right onto Loop Trail
13.0 Left onto Equestrian Tr
14.8 Equestrian Trailhead -- continue down the dirt road to Kueffler Rd
15.1 Right onto Kueffler Rd
15.4 Left into Group Camp
15.5 Aid Station and 25k finish
For the 50k, you'll repeat the directions above one more time. :)
Course Maps and Elevation Profiles:
