Course Map: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/6088462701
Park along the road at 834 Goldfinch Rd (preferably on either side of the driveway at address 834). Please consider taking a mobile phone with you ZIPPED inside a pocket possibly with a hand warmer to keep the battery from quitting so that you can contact someone if you get lost or run into trouble. The course will not be swept, so it is your responsibility to get back to your vehicle safely. Also, please make sure your car keys are inside a ZIPPED pocket.
You will recognize the trail head by a pie plate on survey stake directly across the road from the driveway at 834 Goldfinch Rd.
The trail will be sparsely marked with pie plates on stakes and at all intersections. There is also some flagging (blue, orange, and lime green).
It’s hard to describe the actual flow of the trail as it winds around the area from Goldfinch Rd down into the Goldstream Valley. As mentioned previously, the start is directly across Goldfinch Rd from the 834 address sign. About 100 feet after starting at the road, you will make a right turn at the intersection. From then on just follow the pie plate signs. The course is an approximately 2.1 mile loop. You will return to that first intersection where there is a sign to make a left turn to continue on to lap(s) 2 or 3 or go straight ahead to finish at the road. If you are competing in the snowshoe series, you must complete 3 loops of the course. Otherwise, you may opt to do just one or two loops.
The course is mainly a snowshoe trail but there are two different sections (the first about 100 yards and the second about ⅛ of a mile) that are multi-use. For those who have run this race in the past, it is the same course with the start/finish slightly adjusted.. The first ¾ of a mile is generally downhill but there is a little uphill. Then a stretch of mostly level (some slight uphill) and the last ½ mile mostly gradual uphill. The trail should be obvious but in general, if there isn’t a sign telling you to turn, keep going straight.
A course map can be found at this link — https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/6088462701
Further course questions can be directed to Keith Pollock at KPollockAK@gmail.com or 378-4607.
Race motto: “If you get lost on this course, you probably shouldn’t drive a car.”