2013 UltraPedestrian Wilderness Challenge

2013 UltraPedestrian Wilderness Challenge

Registration is now closed.

    The 2013 UltraPedestrian Wilderness Challenge is a Multi-faceted multi-media contest open to Trailrunners, Fastpackers, and Backpackers. This year's course is a classic and rugged 45 mile loop set in the heart of Washington's North Cascades. There are no aid stations, no course markings, no start/finish, no lemming lines, no cut offs, no set date, in fact, it's all up to you. 

     The course is the Devil's Dome Loop, a 45 mile loop linking the Jackita Ridge Trail, Devil's Dome Trail, and Eastbank Trail, which offers runners and hikers a small taste of the Paseyton Wilderness, some of the wildest country left in the continental United States. By our reckoning, it's about 10,000 feet of climbing. But be forwarned, the 12 miles along the East Bank Trail and the 3 miles along Ruby Creek have very little elevation gain. So the vast majority of that 10,000 feet of climbing takes place over only 30 miles of the route. 

     The Devil's Dome Loop is accessed from the North Cascades Highway (Washington State Route 20) via the East Bank Trailhead (milepost 138.2) or the Canyon Creek Trailhead (milepost 141.2). Choice of clockwise or counterclockwise is up to participants. Trips may started at any point on the loop, as long as that same point is returned to in order to complete an entire loop. 

     All participants must at all times comport themselves in accordance with Federal, State, and Local laws, as well as Leave No Trace backcountry ethics.

     Entrants may participate solo or as part of a team. Teams can be independent, self-supported runners than just run together, or team members can mule for one another. But teams will not be allowed to receive any outside support from non-running personnel.

     All participants must submit proof of having completed the route via Spot Transponder, GPS/Garmin/Suunto data, photographic evidence, and/or a convincingly detailed trip report/blog. If you are submitting your entry for speed based awards you MUST provide SPOT/GPS/GARMIN/SUUNTO data as proof. 

     Each entrant or team must submit a detailed blog, photo blog, video, or podcast segment detailing their trip. The more details the better, everything from technical nuts & bolts (gear list, food/fuel list, pacing, strategy), to wildlife spottings & encounters, to personal/physcological/spiritual experiences, and beyond. There are no limits to what you may include in your trip report. How you experience the trail and how you present that experience are up to you. The goal of this event is for all the participants to share and compare one another's unique experiences and perspectives.

     Everyone who completes the 2013 Ultrapedestrian Wilderness Challenge will be awarded a unique finishers' patch only available through UltraPedestrian.com, in addition to other prizes and awards based on a variety of criteria, including speed, good style, best photograph, best blog, gnarliest SNAFU, most diverse team, and numerous other aspects of backcountry wilderness adventure. 

     Sign up will be open through the end of July. All trips must be begun no earlier than August 1st, 2013, and completed no later than September 30th. Results will be announced on UltraPedestrian.com on October 15th. Prizes and awards will be mailed out (unless we will be seeing you in person soon).

     The entry fee for the 2013 UltraPedestrian Wilderness Challenge is $20.00 per person. All proceeds beyond the cost of prizes and awards will go the support UltraPedestrian.com and the UltraPedestrian Podcast.

Registration is now closed.

How to participate in the 2013 UPWC:

1. Sign up on Ultrasignup.com

2. Between the dates of Thursday, August 1, 2013 and Monday, September 30th, 2013 complete the Devil's Dome Loop

3. Email your proof and documentation to UltraPedestrian@gmail.com with the subject line, "2013 UPWC PROOF & DOCUMENTATION"

4. Visit UltraPedestrian.com and Ultrasignup.com on Tuesday, October 15th for complete results & awards

5. Watch your mailbox for your UPWC swag envelope
     
     Complete results will be posted on UltraPedestrian.com on Tuesday, October 15th, 2013.

     Please post any questions below in the 'comments' section.