Totem to Totem Marathon

The Totem to Totem marathon course is a certified Boston Marathon Qualifier. It is a clock-timed event and the course is an out and back route. It starts at the Kaay Haida Heritage Centre at Second Beach in Skidegate. The route goes north along the highway through the village of Skidegate, about 2 Km from the start. Going through the village you pass the first modern totem pole raised in 1978, carved by Haida artist Bill Reid. The course continues through the village, past the cemetery and out onto Highway 16.

The route continues along the highway past Balance Rock, Miller Creek, Dead Tree Point, past the small community of Lawnhill, up a small hill to the halfway point at St. Mary’s Spring. (It is said that if you drink the water at the spring, you will return to Haida Gwaii). This is the marathon turn around point. The course returns the same way. By the time you get back to the village, people will be out getting ready for Skidegate Days. You may have to make your way through the crowd.

The finish line is where you started at the Kaay Centre. Water stations are every 5 km. Runners are to stay on the right hand side of the highway, to the right of the orange bags which line the route.