The name says it all — challenge! If you’re looking for a race to make your legs come alive, this is the one for you. Our Tiger Peak Challenge will have you climbing two of Tiger Mountain’s peaks, and if that doesn’t satisfy your need for elevation, you can always …
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The name says it all — challenge! If you’re looking for a race to make your legs come alive, this is the one for you. Our Tiger Peak Challenge will have you climbing two of Tiger Mountain’s peaks, and if that doesn’t satisfy your need for elevation, you can always run them again!
Located near Issaquah, WA, Tiger Mountain State Forest is a 13,745-acre working forest that includes the West Tiger Mountain Natural Resources Conservation Area. Tiger Mountain offers many recreational opportunities, including hiking; mountain biking; equestrian trails; hang gliding; paragliding; and, of course, some of the best trail running in the area.
This year the race will start and finish from the Issaquah Community Center. The course will follow the Rainier Trail for .5 miles before crossing 2nd Ave. SE and heading up the steep Tiger Mountain Trails.
After flying by West Tiger, the 50k and half-marathon courses will split from each other. The 50k will continue on the Bootleg Trail, while the half will take a left and start heading down the Preston Trail.
The trails will be open to other users during the event. There will be aid stations throughout the course with volunteers to help, food to eat and hydration to refuel. And of course, there will be an assortment of yummy food and treats waiting for you at the finish line.
This is a cupless race. All runners should carry with them a refillable container that they can run with. There will be a limited number of cups for emergency situations.
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Hardest Course I Have Ever Run
I have raced 31 marathons and ultras and this one was by far the hardest. The 9,000 feet of vertical gain is no joke. The course was two 14 mile … MORE
I have raced 31 marathons and ultras and this one was by far the hardest. The 9,000 feet of vertical gain is no joke. The course was two 14 mile loops in 2025. The first 7 miles of the loop are crazy difficult. Plan on hiking almost all of it. You summit four high peaks with the first one being the toughest. The second seven miles of the loop are mostly flat or downhill and you can actually run most of it. Plan on an overall time that is significantly slower than an average course. For reference, my typical 50K times are in the 5 hour to 5:30 range. My time for this course (which was 3 miles shorter than a 50K) was almost 8 hours. And that was with perfect weather too.
The race itself is beautiful! You’re in shade for most of it with tons of trees as far as you can see. There is a wildflower section after you summit the first peak which is so pretty it doesn’t look real. Some of the trail was so overgrown with foliage that you can’t see where you’re stepping. That added to the experience though. There are a few creek crossings, though one could do them without getting your feet wet.
There are aid stations throughout the course, but keep in mind the first 7 miles will be MUCH slower than a typical race. I ran out of water before the first two aid stations on the first lap because I was going much slower than usual. There is a 7 mile gap between aid station 1 and 2 so be mindful of that. The second time through I drank two 16 ounce water bottles (bring your own) then filled up before I left. Even doing that I was still out of water before getting to the next aid station. The food selection is what I’ve seen at other races, lots of fruit, candy, salty snacks. One of the aid stations made quesadillas and they were amazing!
The course is really well marked. You’d have to really not be paying attention to go off course. Any time there is a turn on the trail there are so many marker indicators. Even when the trail has no turns for a while, they still have orange ribbons in the trees to let you know you’re still on the right path.
The race director did an excellent job making the race environmentally friendly. Instead of a t-shirt that I wear once and donate, you instead pick which cause to donate a portion of your entry fee (I chose to plant trees). It’s cupless so there is less waste. There wasn’t SWAG that just goes in the trash or recycle bin. I also appreciated the acknowledgement that we were running on ancestral lands.
If you are considering running the race, I recommend having the right mindset. Don’t even think about a PR. Don’t plan on running hardly any of the first 7 miles of each lap. Know you are going to scale one steep peak after another. If you think of the race as half hiking, half running, you can avoid the frustration I felt midway through lap 1 when the peaks felt interminable.
A proper
Out of the many trail races that feature the west summits of Tiger Mountain, this is the only one that makes you climb the Section Line trail proper; a direct … MORE
Out of the many trail races that feature the west summits of Tiger Mountain, this is the only one that makes you climb the Section Line trail proper; a direct ascent from Issaquah to the top of West Tiger 3. Then you complete the ridge to Tiger Mountain 1 before earning your downhills. There should never be any other option for a Tiger Mountain trail race other than a direct ascent of Cable Line trail or Section line trail at some point in the race hahaha. This course nails it! Well done Evergreen 🙂
Mad praise for the aid station at the start of the Tiger 1 climb; strategically placed so the aid station volunteers can see you come over the hill at Tiger 2! Once you come over the hill, unhinged and vivacious cheering, with questionable electro-pop music blasting through a bluetooth speaker echoes through the hills just for you until you reach the station. The aid station nicknamed me “bottles” for my propensity of carrying two 20oz plastic bottles in my hand during a race. I really appreciated their overall energy and the delicious Tailwind electrolytes they filled my bottles with. Thank you.
Lastly, it was my first 50k trail race completed since I tore tendons in my foot and had to have that foot reconstructed. I did have a good cry around the 22nd mile of the course when I could feel it in my bones that I knew I was going to finish this race. The complexity of my foot surgery 3 years ago was such that I was told by my surgeon I would likely never approach being able to run an ultra again. It has been a very long road of peaks and valleys back to this point. Next up…Mad Meadows 50.
That Climb!
This one is a doozy!! What a blast climbing 4k feet, once you break free of the forest you get a killer view as you fly down the mountain. Thanks … MORE
This one is a doozy!! What a blast climbing 4k feet, once you break free of the forest you get a killer view as you fly down the mountain. Thanks @ Evergreen Trails for another epic race!!
Best Race Production Team!
I have been competing in various races (marathon, triathlon, XC skiing, cycling, ultras) for about 50 years and the team at Evergreen Trail Runs consistently put on the best show. … MORE
I have been competing in various races (marathon, triathlon, XC skiing, cycling, ultras) for about 50 years and the team at Evergreen Trail Runs consistently put on the best show. It’s the details that matter, such as even giving some visual appeal to the start/finish chute. They are timely and precise in all they do. They could be Swiss… in a good way. This was the third time I ran this event and the course change made it by far the most challenging, living up to the race name. I’ll be back!
Challenge is no kidding
Train on hills and lots of them! Don’t neglect your strength training and feel good about finishing no matter what your time. The course was clearly marked and needed it … MORE
Train on hills and lots of them! Don’t neglect your strength training and feel good about finishing no matter what your time. The course was clearly marked and needed it because no sane person would try to run straight up a mountain, just when you think this must be wrong, there’s a confidence streamer and all the turns were clear. The aid stations were well stocked and the volunteers helpful.
Hard and beautiful
Felt much harder than last year’s temporary course. Logging at the top has opened up some beautiful views while the rest of the race is in beautiful temperate forest with … MORE
Felt much harder than last year’s temporary course. Logging at the top has opened up some beautiful views while the rest of the race is in beautiful temperate forest with an interesting section on the north side without any understory growth. It must be a little rain shadow from the peaks. Trails are mostly single track in good condition. Be ready to go up without any frivolous switchbacks. Race production great, so kind to slow pokes like me.
Legendary trail running experience!
This is a challenging trail run with a total elevation gain of about 3,500 ft, most of which occurs in the first 4 miles. I travelled from San Diego to … MORE
This is a challenging trail run with a total elevation gain of about 3,500 ft, most of which occurs in the first 4 miles. I travelled from San Diego to Issaquah because I had heard of this challenging race and the steep, technical aspects of the trail. It did not disappoint! It was steep. And it was hot. The scenery was beautiful, having trained in an arid environment it was lovely to experience something different and run through a lush green forest. Really glad I did this and I would definitely recommend to anyone who has some experience with trail running, who wants to push themselves and who wants an amazing trail running experience without worrying too much about your time.
Holy elevation
Day 3 after tiger peak and I am starting to feel my quads again! Tiger peak has some insane climbs the first 3 miles is all uphill for a nice … MORE
Day 3 after tiger peak and I am starting to feel my quads again! Tiger peak has some insane climbs the first 3 miles is all uphill for a nice bit of elevation gain! The trails were gorgeous and well kept. Aid stations had ice for the heat wave and any kind of snack and drink you could ever want. This course was brutal but evergreen puts on such a spectacular event. I would recommend!
Challenge! Evergreen Trails Yay!
Heat wave; but shady with ice for hydration vest at the aid stations. Being new this year to trail running the trekking poles came in handy in the steep ups … MORE
Heat wave; but shady with ice for hydration vest at the aid stations. Being new this year to trail running the trekking poles came in handy in the steep ups and downs. I wish more people would realize that you don’t need to be fast to have a great run and get out there while you can. They will support you no matter your pace.
Another 5-star production!
Katie and her crew consistently put together the best organized trail races. From the scenery, the challenges (Squak Mtn, Tiger Peak...) to the volunteers and post-race pizza by the bucket, … MORE
Katie and her crew consistently put together the best organized trail races. From the scenery, the challenges (Squak Mtn, Tiger Peak…) to the volunteers and post-race pizza by the bucket, they deserve my 5-star review at every event.
Great PNW trail within 30 mins of Seattl
The first 3/4 mile contains probably 80% of the total elevation gain for this race. Luckily that section is 2-3 people wide so passing and getting passed aren't an issue. … MORE
The first 3/4 mile contains probably 80% of the total elevation gain for this race. Luckily that section is 2-3 people wide so passing and getting passed aren’t an issue. In the 5 mile race the participants got well spaced out after the opening hill.
Miles 2 and 3 meander through rolling hills in the forest, but mostly flat. Aid station was at about 2 miles in and had gels, water for portable containers, etc. Great placement given you just summited the hill.
Mile 4 and 5 get a little technical with single track rocks, roots, and a steep descent towards the end.
My only minor complaint is that my Garmin only said 4.24 and others who finished around me had other numbers all between 4.24 and 4.75. I don’t feel like I ran ~8 minute miles especially with the hill at the beginning, but I’m sure they measured the distance manually and it’s just a case of bad GPS coverage.
Overall fantastic race. I’ve lived in Galveston, TX for the last 4 years so it felt great to run a trail in the PNW again even if there was a huge hill involved.
Hard AF
Very challenging - big elevation. The course was very clearly marked and easy to follow. Beautiful forest, kinda wish there was a view for all that elevation! MORE
Very challenging – big elevation. The course was very clearly marked and easy to follow. Beautiful forest, kinda wish there was a view for all that elevation!
Challenge...it's in the name.
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 … MORE
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!
BEST way to explore Tiger Mtn!
This course is gloriously marked, easy to navigate, an amazing challenge and a super accomplishment for all finishers. Throw time expectations out the window if you are used to road … MORE
This course is gloriously marked, easy to navigate, an amazing challenge and a super accomplishment for all finishers. Throw time expectations out the window if you are used to road 1/2s, and just enjoy the amazing scenery and the fun course.