The White Pine 50 Backcountry Run will take you on an adventurous looped-course through beautiful Upper Logan Canyon in Northern Utah. We’ll start and end at Beaver Mountain Ski Area, and follow some of the legendary Bear 100 course along the way. For those who enjoy fishing while they run we’ll have a special prize for Fish Slapping the WP50!
The White Pine 50 Backcountry Run is owned by Limber Pine Outdoors LC and is a permittee of the Wasatch Cache Uinta National Forest, USDA.
Course Description:
Heading south on the road from Beaver Mountain and crossing US89 we’ll climb a favorite for local mt.bikers and runners alike: the buffed-out single track of Stump Hollow on the Great Western Trail. Topping out you’ll get a peek of the High Bear River Range to the west, and some of the terrain you’ll be tackling later in the day. Next up is Peter Sinks, where the coldest temperature in the lower 48 was recorded in 1985 at -70* F! Shouldn’t be so bad in August. Then down the Rex Reservoir trail and up the Little Bear to the Sinks Road and your first aid station at mile 11. Hopefully the ATV riders will still be asleep and you’ll have a dust-free journey to Temple Peak exit, where we’ll turn right and follow the Spawn Creek Trail on a glorious single-track descent into Temple Fork to our next aid station at the Spawn Creek Trailhead and mile 19! Next up is the Worm Fence and West Hodges. This could be hot and dusty and have some ATV traffic, so be prepared. A buff will come in handy here. Look forward to soaking in the spring just over the top of this nasty, exposed climb. Then down Little Bear and across the Logan River on the Forestry Camp bridge. Carefully cross US89 again. Head NW, cross-country to the Tony Grove road and the next aid station at the Tony Grove Winter Trail Head at mile 26. Grab your drop bag, get some sunscreen and change those socks- we’ve got a bit of a climb up Bunchgrass and Whitepine Canyons for the whole reason you signed up for this run: Stunning White Pine Lake! Be sure and use the bib punch on the NE shore of the lake and top your water bottles off at the drop while you soak in the cathedral-like experience (and try casting for a big Brook trout) at mile 36. Back down Whitepine we go, but watch out for the left turn across the creek and onto Shorty’s Cutoff. But first cool off in the creek a bit, another hot dusty climb awaits between here and Steam Mill Canyon. We’re on the Bear 100 course now, but in daylight! Along Shorty’s and down Steep Hollow to the Logan River Aid Station (final one!) at mile 44. Excellent fishing here, as you cross the river and head up Petersen Hollow, then right toward Long Hollow and your final descent into Beaver Mountain! Yay, you made it! 9,000 feet of vert and FIFTY miles later.
NOTE ABOUT COURSE MARKING: The course will be lightly marked, plan accordingly. Staying on-course is your job, so download the .gpx and carry it on an electronic device of your choice. As you know course markers get moved, vandalized, eaten, soaked, shredded, abducted by aliens, etc. We have no control over that. You signed up for an adventure, right?
NOTE ABOUT HYDRATION: August can be hot and dry in the Bear River Range! But, there is plenty of water along the course to hydrate with and cool off in. We can only have so many aid stations, so please plan on bringing a filter, steri-pen or drops (Aquamira recommended) to treat the water collected along the way.
Rules:
Just the normal stuff. If you miss a turn you need to go back and pick up where you went wrong. You are responsible for staying on course. Download the .gpx and use it on your phone, watch or GPS unit. Absolutely NO littering. We are guests in the forest and we want to be invited back next year. If number #2 can’t wait for one of the pit toilets or porta-potties then it must be buried 8 inches deep and at least 100′ off the trail and away from any water. Speaking of which, well-behaved dogs are welcome but need to be leashed at aid stations, highway crossings, and at White Pine Lake. Doggy do-do must be cleaned up and packed out. Report your name when entering and exiting staffed aid stations. No pacers please, UNLESS this is your first Ultra, or you are over 60 years old, or have a medical condition that requires it. Crew is discouraged but allowed only at the Tony Grove Winter TH (mile 26, Tony Grove turn-off). Drop bags must be smaller than 12″ x 12″ x 30″ and will be collected at the start line and driven to the aid station at Tony Grove Winter TH (mile 26). Any violation of these rules will result in a DNF and possible future sanctions.
CUT OFF TIMES: Be considerate of our volunteers. Since this is our first year we won’t be enforcing it, but please be out of the Tony Grove Aid Station by 3:00pm (9 hours) and Logan River by 8:00pm (14 hours).
Fish Slap:
What is Fish Slapping? Check it out here: https://www.runningrivers.org/fish-slapping.html
In addition to the rules above, running anglers will be allowed to leave the course when in designated fishing zones, and not have to backtrack to pick up where they left it (there really isn’t an advantage here anyway). You must of course have a valid UT fishing or combination license and obey the regulations. All fishing during the event is catch and release with artificial flies only. Carefully take a picture of a fish on top of your race bib, then gently return it to the water. Show your fish pic to the race official at the finish line and be entered into a drawing* for a new Tenkara Rod Co. Beartooth Rod Package ($200 value)! The fastest Fish Slappers (girl and guy) will also get a nice prize: an ultralight fly case filled with local favorite dry flies! Most of the fish will be beautiful (but ecologically fragile) native Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, along with Brook Trout (Char actually) found in White Pine Lake. A few Rainbows/Cuttbows might be caught in the Logan River.
*If we don’t have at least four successful fishslappers, the race directors reserve the right to open up the drawing for the Tenkara Rod to entire field of finishers.
Camping & Lodging:
You’re in luck! Beaver Mountain offers camping at the start/finish line. Dispersed camping is often available along the nearby Beaver Creek and Franklin Basin Roads. Area campgrounds run by the USFS include Sunrise (Bear Lake Overlook), Lewis Turner (just west of the Tony Grove Aid Station), Red Banks (Just north of the Tony Grove Aid Station) and Tony Grove. If camping isn’t your thing, check out Beaver Creek Lodge less than a mile from the start line. Garden City and Logan have many options as well.
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