Derek Sugden's Staging Area

This course is brilliantly challenging and has a terrific sense of being “out on your own” while never being far from the next aid station. After reaching the high point during the first loop I was significantly humbled especially after realizing I had only travelled about 6 miles with tons of climbing and I knew I’d have to do it all again. Needless to say this one isn’t for the faint of heart! This course also embodies the PNW to the highest degree. You’ll find yourself fully embedded amongst the evergreens and the occasional mountain stream (they were dried up this year due to the lack of rain).

My only ding on the race is that on the second loop the aid station at the high point was fully out of water. Kudos to the volunteers for bringing up more as quickly as they could but it was still a bit of a damper to arrive at the aid station then having to wait ~45 minutes while getting attacked by mosquitos before I could get hydration and continue on to the next leg of the course. Still this didn’t even come close to getting me down though as the race and course was spectacular and I kept telling myself to hold on for the yummy pizza at the end.

Kudos as well to Evergreen Trails for being able to successfully alter the course due to a last minute logging operation taking place. The course was really well marked and the crew’s bushwhacking efforts on the new course did not go unnoticed. Thanks for such a great race!