Terrain/Route
Keeping to preferred SkyRunning style, and given the nature of running on an alpine resort, the course will be fairly direct and over ski trails and service roads. We will flag a fairly direct and efficient line/course, however entrants are welcome to cut tangents on both ascents and descents on the Alpine Loop if they feel quicker or more advantageous. Entrants should remain on the trail line for the Flume Loop portion which is more traditional non-Sky style trail. The ascents will be mostly service road, the descents mixed terrain from service road to peat-moss alpine tundra feeling hummock-hopping.
- VK Entrants will start at the base of the mountain adjacent to the gondola house and finish at the top of the Summit Chair for a gain of roughly 3,300 feet in 2.4 miles. Leave a shell in a bin that will be transported to the top and relax, cheer people in, and take in some VK awards. From there the options are unwinding with a nice jog back to the base, or cruising a bit under a mile to the top of the Cloudsplitter Gondola for a ride back down.
- Sky Race entrants will cover 15.2 miles with 8,000 vertical feet of gain with an Alpine, Flume, Alpine figure loops. The Alpine section is where the vast majority of the ascent will be. Of the 3,300 feet per five-mile Alpine loop, nearly all of it comes in the first 2.3 miles. True to Sky, it's either all up, or all down and as direct as you want it to be. Use the central flume loop (mostly rolling w/ one 1k'ish climb) to unwind and recover so your quads have at least a little bit left for the crushing but fun descent they'll absorb to the finish.
- Marshak's Mountain Race entrants will hammer the opening Alpine loop of the Sky course.
- 3-Person Relays will divvy up the Sky Race
Aid Stations
Vertical K: The VK will have one water stop at 1.25 at Mid-Mountain
Marshak's Mountain Race will use the alpine loop aid stations at miles 1.25 and 2.4.
Sky Race:
- Base Aid: Start, 5.0, 10.2, 15.2 (Tailwind Nutrition, bananas, pretzels, PBJ, etc…)
- Mid Face Fluid: 1.25, 11.5 (possible "unmanned" Tailwind and Water Only)
- Summit Aid: 2.4, 12.6 (Tailwind Nutrition, bananas, pretzels, PBJ, etc…)
- Mid Flume Fluids: 6.5 (Tailwind and Water only)
- AS Distance Split Sequence: 1.25, 2.4, 5.0, 6.5, 10.2, 11.5, 12.6, 15.2
- Drop Bags: Only as left at the Base Aid (staging area) accessed at 5.0 and 10.2
Maps
