Wandering Moose trail race (formerly Autumn Rush) is a challenging running race that takes place in Myra Bellevue Provincial Park. The course is designed for trail runners, by trail runners, so you can so you can expect priority to be placed on a challenging and fun course, filled with all the aspects that make a race memorable. The race starts at Myra Canyon Adventure Park.
The Wandering Moose trail race is where it all began for P.A.C.E. Trail Series…
In 2012 I was coaching athletes in our fall trail running clinic for a race down on the coast. A few weeks before the race, the organizers changed the race date and the majority of my athletes could no longer attend the event. Everyone had been working really hard on their goals and were so excited for the race, so I decided I would organize a pretend race on our local trails, despite not having the slightest clue how to do it. Let along organize in a few weeks.
The week leading into things, I started to receive phone calls from people who had heard about it, asking if they could participate and register. Unfortunately that wasn’t possible as it wasn’t a sanctioned event and we actually turned it into a run for local charity.
My husband and I created courses that best matched the profiles of the original race and we went out the morning before to mark it with ribbon and flour that we put in water bottles. We made a little finish area and a few of our friends volunteered at the start and at an aid station. I made personalized “bat bibs”, as it was a Halloween event and everyone raced in costume.
The feedback was so positive that I decided to give this whole “race directing” thing a go and build off of this event the following year. We had 85 people registered for 13.5k, 27k & 42k events. I recruited my friends to help make finishers mugs where we painted individual mugs and baked them in my oven, along with finishers medals made of flour, salt and water.
Then in April 2014, I added Spring Rush in Rose Valley and in 2015 I brought on the giant, “Broken Goat” in Rossland, BC. This event prompted the animal theme to our series and we changed Spring Rush to Nimble Bear and Autumn Rush to Wandering Moose. Finally in 2017 we added the 4th event to our series called “Wild Horse Traverse” and this kicked off the “Quadzilla”… a title you earn if you can finish all four of the races in our series. (any distances)
All of this came from finding the positive when our original race plans fell through… solidifying that a “positive attitude changes everything!” (p.a.c.e.) And the rest, as they say, is history…
11km / 1650 ft ascent
The course quickly heads uphill and climbs steady for the first kilometre to the aid station. From here, the climbing continues through a beautiful forest before turning left on Angel Springs trail.
From here the trail starts descending and runners can expect more technical terrain, with lots of roots and rocks before hitting the first of four creek crossings. This time of year, the creek flows gently, allowing easy passage.
The landscapes will continue to change from shadowed moss and fern filled forest, to open, bright loamy bits of single track. The final stretch to the finish is less of a push and definitely more of a punch 😉
21km / 3300 ft ascent
Runners exit Myra Canyon Park and run down June Springs road for approx. 900m until they reach the turn off on a short logging road that will take them into beautiful Myra Bellevue Provincial Park! A favorite on this side of the park, runners will flow along Pipers and over to Lost Lake before taking grassy trail and then turning left on outhouse trail which is fun and flowy single track.
Runners will hit a short piece of FSR (Hromek) down to Bailout trail, which requires a sharp right hand turn! Bailout trail will be filled with beautiful fall colours and rolling terrain all the way to June Springs parking lot. After accessing your first aid station, you’ll push on up to the top of Angel Springs trail where you will be in for a treat. A rocky, rooty, technical and super fun descent! There is an out and back to your 2nd aid station where you’ll get one more chance to fuel up or smash some coke before the final set of steep climbs that lead you up to the finish line. A memorable and rewarding 20k course!
42km / 5300 ft ascent
This is a challenging 42km course & runners should arrive physically prepared. ???
Runners will exit the park and run down June Springs road for approx. 900m until they reach the turn off on a short logging road that will take them into beautiful Myra Bellevue Provincial Park. They will gradually climb up to Pipers and over to Lost Lake. From here runners will hit grassy trail and continue to climb on a variety of sweet single track all the way up to the KVR. (grassy trail, outhouse trail, Swamp Thing, Captain Nemo)
After a short flat section on the historic KVR, runners are in for a treat as they descend all the way down Crawford trail to look-out trail, hillbilly trail, and over to flamingo flats before back turning left on race classic and taking earring trail until they hit lower bench / Crawford parking lot and you’re 2nd aid station.
From here you will push through the rolling and loamy fairlane trails as you climb all the way to June Springs parking lot and your 3rd aid station. You will still have a bit of climbing to do before you can enjoy one of Kelowna’s most unique and technical trails… Angel Springs. It’s filled with roots and rocks and crosses over Mission Creek several times. There is an out and back to the last aid station before you wrap up with a series of punchy climbs that will pop you into the finish line!
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