Greater Bellingham Running Club

17th Annual Chuckanut Mountain 50 Km. Trail Run

Saturday March 21, 2009 - 8:00 am

2009 Race T-Shirts
Plans are under way for this year's Chuckanut 50K T-Shirt. We are planning on offering a Patagonia technical long sleeve shirt in both men's and women's styles and sizes. These will cost $25, and you will be able to order one when you register for the race. Shirts may also be available at the race depending on the availability.

History of the Chuckanut Mountain 50 Km. Fun Run

In 1993, Doug McKeever and Richard West invited their ultrarunning friends to join them on a favorite training run around Chuckanut Mountain, south of Bellingham. Twenty or so people participated that first year and the feedback was sufficiently positive that the run has continued and grown into an annual 'fun run.' The original course was about 33 miles and had sections of highway and some private property. They settled on the current 50 km. (31.1 mile) route in 1995. A year later the Greater Bellingham Running Club became involved and the run is now officially club sponsored.

In 2002 Doug and Richard decided that they would like to pass on the race directing responsibilities after putting on 10 very successful Chuckanut Mountain 50 km trail runs. Later that year after a small scale race directing experience in Montrose, Colorado at the Black Canyon 50 km Krissy decided she'd like to make sure the Chuckanut 50 km continued.

The 17th Annual Chuckanut Mountain 50 Kilometer Trail Run will be held on Saturday March 21, 2009, at 8:00 am. Chuckanut Mountain is just south of Bellingham, Washington, where the foothills of the Cascades meet the salt water. The race starts and finishes in Fairhaven Park in Fairhaven, a community in south Bellingham.

Course Overview

The course is a loop, with the first and last 6 miles mostly on easy packed gravel trail, but the middle 30 km. is quite interesting, with lots of uphill, downhill, mud, and fun for trail runners. (maps) An out and back loop on the Interurban Trail, plus a climb up the Fragrance Lake Trail, a descent to Cleator Road on Trail, then climb Cleator Road (dirt, occasional traffic), the beautiful Ridge Trail, Lost Lake Trail (muddy), Cyrus Gates Overlook, and back down to the Interuban Trail via Cleator Rd. and Fragrance Lake Rd.
Detailed Course Description.

Pacers

Please only run in this race if you have an assigned Chuckanut 50km bib number. Our permits allow us to have 350 runners on the trail and we therefore can not allow additional pacers, runners or self supported runners on the course. Thank you for honoring this.

Aid Stations

There are five aid stations minimally stocked with the basics at miles 6.3, 10.7, 13.6, 21.2, and 24.8. Your own drop bag that you will leave at the start/finish line before 7:30 am will be taken to aid station 3/4. It is mandatory that you carry at least one water bottle. In an effort to make this race more environmentally sound we are minimizing trash. There will not be cups available at aid stations, instead we will provide water pitchers to easily fill your bottles. It is suggested that you also carry food, because aid stations, as in the past, will be minimally stocked. (see maps)

Time Limit

There is an 8 HOUR time limit. Anyone arriving at aid station #4 (21.1miles) after 2:30 PM will be offered a ride to the finish. Aid station #5 (mile 24.8) will close down at 3 PM.

Directions to the start of the Chuckanut Mountain 50 Km. Trail Run

Take Exit 250 from I-5. Drive West on Old Fairhaven Parkway for about 1 mile and turn left at the light on 12th street. Cross a bridge and follow 12th onto Chuckanut Drive (soft left) at a light, Fairhaven Park entrance and the race

Start of the 2002 Chuckanut Mt 50K.

Parking

Parking is very limited at Fairhaven Park. We strongly urge you to carpool and get to the park early. Available parking usually fills by 7:15. Read the last minutes details at the top of this page for the lastest on parking options. Do NOT park on Chuckanut drive and please obey all posted parking regulations!

Registration and Fees:

Race Fees for this years race are $25 for gbrc members, and $35 for non-members.
Online registration for this race is available using the link in the menu on this page. We will only be accepting credit card payment for the race registration this year. (We use Pay-Pal, but you don't need to have a pay pal account to pay through their site.)
Important note: This race fills long before the race date. Our permit and logistics allow only for 350 runners, and we cannot admit anyone after the first come, first served limit is reached, unfortunately even GBRC members.

Krissy Moehl
kmoehl2000@yahoo.com
(541) 728-8511

Additional Information:

Detailed Course Description

Medium resolution map of the race course (137Kb)

Detail map of the middle 30 kilometers of the course (205Kb)

Directions to the Aid Stations for Friends and Support Crews

After the race: After the race: We would like to encourage a pot luck post race event. We will provide a build-your-own-burrito-bar prepared by the Moehl family with the tortillas, chips and salsa provided by our great sponsor Mission Foods. Beans, cheese, lettuce and a variety of toppings will be available. Please bring your favorite food item to share.

Prizes: To keep with the low-key, early season, ultra feel, all prizes will be awarded randomly. We have a great list of sponsors that support this event with fabulous gear. Please stick around to claim your prize. There will be a board posted shortly after noon listing bib numbers alongside the prize. You must claim your prize or it will be awarded to another finisher.