Angels Staircase Fun Run

Sunday August 15th I'll be leading a fun run(glorified training run--no entry fee, no awards, no course marking, and no aid stations) on the Angels Staircase Race Courses(races coming in 2011!) outside of Carlton, WA. There are three (approximate) distance options: 50m, 50k, and 25k. The runs are pretty remote (the 50k and 25k don't cross any roads and the 50m is on a road for a couple miles but from there it's more than hour drive to anywhere that could even be considered somewhat civilized) and the 50k and 50m options should only be attempted by experienced ultra/trail runners. The fun run will be limited to no more than 75 runners but I think we'll just have a dozen or two at the most so you'll want to ready be alone and all on your own.

Ok below are some more deatils on logistics and maps and course descriptions and driving directions but first check out some more pictures from the courses....






The Details:

The courses are located in the Okanogan National Forest in the Chelan Sawtooth Mountain Range which seperates Lake Chelan from the Methow and Twisp River Valleys. Carlton, Wa is the closest town but Twisp, Chelan and Pateros are the closest towns of any decent size(like big enough to have a grocery store). The Prince Creek Map #115 made by Greentrails Maps shows each of the courses in their entirety and I highly recommend that each runner carry one and the course description. Like I said above these trails are very remote so participation in this unsupported run should not be taken lightly.

Also Runners need to be prepared to get their water from creeks and or lakes which there are plenty of on the course. I usually just drink the water straight from the creeks but you might want to bring some kinda filter or purifier.

There also won't be and food or first aid. We are all in this together but we also need to be self-sufficent.

As for starting time... we can either try to all start together and stick together as much as possible or start at separate times and do our own thing. Sunrise is at 6am and sunset is at 8pm. Those doing the 50 mile option will probably want to start at sunrise or maybe even earlier to avoid being out on the course after sunset. As we get closer to the day of the run we can figure out this detail. One thing I do ask is if we don't all run together please either check-in with me before and after you finish so i'm not up all night worrying about you.

The night before.... i say we all camp together near the start to get a jump on the day. there's a nice but basic campsite, Foggy Dew Camp, just two miles from the start/finish trailhead. we could do a pot luck bbq style dinner there and go over the maps and i can answer questions and go over any last minute details.

And as for the courses themselves... they are all beautiful and hard. oh and they're probably a little bit longer than advertised. i might have time to gps them before the run but probably not so we'll just have to go on the mileages from the map. All three courses are entirely on really fun single track(except for a couple miles of dirt road in the 50miler). Some of the time you'll be in the trees often, especially for the 50k and 50m you'll be up high and out in the open (so be ready for lots of sun or if we're unlucky with the weather be ready to be exposed to the elements). The 50 mile route is a figure eight with an out and back from the trailhead to the the figure eight. The 50k is just one half of the figure eight and the out and back. and the 25k is just the out and back. All courses go up to the top of angels staircase which is at 8000ft, the 50k goes above 7000ft 2 other times and the 50m goes over 7000ft 4 other times-- and they all start at 3000ft so they all have lots of elevation gain!

To RSVP or for questions or suggestions email me james@rainshadowrunning.com or call 509 846 5019

Below are the maps, elevation profiles, course descriptions and driving directions.

Click on images to enlarge

The 25k(yellow) is just an out and back. The 50k(yellow and red) goes up the same was as the 25k but then loops around to the north before heading back down. The 50 mile (yellow, blue and red) course goes up the same way as the 50k but does the extra loop to the south before doing the loop the north.




50m Elevation Profile-- more than 13,000ft of gain


50k Elevation Profile-- about 9000ft of gain


25k Elevation Profile-- more than 5000ft of gain


25k Course Description:

Start at Foggy Dew Trailhead
follow TR 417 (Foggy Dew) 5.0 mi to intersection with TR 429 and 424
continue on TR 417 1.1 mi to intersection with TR 417B
continue on TR 417 1.1 mi to intersection with TR 1259.32
turn left onto TR 1259.32 and go 0.4 mi
turnaround at the high point and head back to the trailhead the same way you came.
Total Mileage: 15.2*


50k Course Description

follow TR 417 (Foggy Dew) 5.0 mi to intersection with TR 429 and 424
continue on TR 417 1.1 mi to intersection with TR 417B
continue on TR 417 1.1 mi to intersection with TR 1259.32
turn left onto TR 1259.32 and go 1.8 mi to intersection with 1259.3
turn right onto TR 1259.3 and go 2.2 mi to intersection with 1255.1
turn right onto TR 1255.1(?) towards boiling lake and go 0.6 mi
continue 1.0 mi past Boiling Lake to Horsehead Pass
at pass the trail becomes TR 431 follow it 0.7 to intersection with TR 431B
continue on TR 431 0.3 mi to intersection with TR 431A
continue on TR 431 3.3 mi to intersection with TR 429
turn right onto TR 429 and go 4.0 mi to intersection with TR 429A
continue on TR 429 2.2 mi to intersection with TR 434
continue on TR 429 0.7 mi to intersection with TR 438
continue on TR 429 2.0 mi to intersection with TR 417
turn left onto TR 417 and follow 5.0 mi back to Foggy Dew Trailhead
Total Mileage: 31.0*


50m Course Description

follow TR 417 (Foggy Dew) 5.0 mi to intersection with TR 429 and 424
continue on TR 417 1.1 mi to intersection with TR 417B
continue on TR 417 1.1 mi to intersection with TR 1259.32
turn left onto TR 1259.32 and go 1.8 mi to intersection with 1259.3
turn left onto TR 1259.3 and go 0.9 to intersection with TR 1257
continue on 1259.3 1.1 to deadmans pass
just beyond the pass turn left onto TR 1258 and go 2.4 to intersection with TR 424
continue on TR 1258 3.6 mi to intersection with FS Rd 82
turn right onto FS Rd 82 and go 2.8 to intersection with TR 1259.3 (at South Navarre Campground)
turn right onto TR 1259.3 and go 2.4 to intersection with TR 1261
continue on 1259.3 1.8 to intersection with TR 1260
continue on 1259.3 1.8 to deadmans pass and intersection with TR 1258
continue on 1259.3 1.1 to intersection with TR 1257
continue on 1259.3 0.9 to intersection with TR 1259.32
continue on 1259.3 2.2 to intersection with 1255.1
turn right onto TR 1255.1(?) towards boiling lake and go 0.6 mi
continue 1.0 mi past Boiling Lake to Horsehead Pass
at pass the trail becomes TR 431 follow it 0.7 to intersection with TR 431B
continue on TR 431 0.3 mi to intersection with TR 431A
continue on TR 431 3.3 mi to intersection with TR 429
turn right onto TR 429 and go 4.0 mi to intersection with TR 429A
continue on TR 429 2.2 mi to intersection with TR 434
continue on TR 429 0.7 mi to intersection with TR 438
continue on TR 429 2.0 mi to intersection with TR 417
turn left onto TR 417 and follow 5.0 mi back to Foggy Dew Trailhead
Total Mileage: 49.8*

* All mileages are approximate and knowing the way things usually work the courses are probably all a little longer than shown.


Driving Directions:

From Carlton, WA(in the Methow Valley down valley from Twisp and Winthrop):

Head south on WA-153 S/Methow Valley Hwy for 3.5 mi
Turn right at Gold Creek Loop Rd and follow 1.6 mi
Turn right at Gold Creek Rd (FS 4340) and follow 5.0 mi
Left at FS Rd 200 Foggy Dew Camp is here
Follow FS Rd 200 approximately 2.2 mi to Foggy Dew Trailhead

To RSVP or for questions or suggestions email me james@rainshadowrunning.com or call 509 846 5019