Whiteface Mountain Races
Whiteface
With more vertical gain and loss per mile than possibly any other race in the United States save the Mt. Marathon, Whiteface is burly. It’s not that it’s overly technical. It’s not. It’s just #BeastCoast steep. You’ll cardio-pulmonary red-line on the ascent. Your quads will sear and your toes beg for submission in jamming the front of your shoes on the descent. And then you’ll do it again. Because this is what you came for. For something big, something beautiful, something really hard. In that moment where you find yourself questioning your life decisions, stop. Look around, enveloped by Adirondack High Peaks, in the footsteps of Olympians who also pushed this mountain, of some of the best mountain runners in the world who have come before and who are hammering out there with you. Then get back at it. You got this.
Date
July 4, 2026
Location
Whiteface Mountain Ski Resort
5021 NY-86, Wilmington, NY
Metrics
Mountain Race (1 Loop):
~ 6.2 Miles / 10k, ~3,900’ G/L
SkyRace (2 Loops):
~ 12.5 Miles / 20k, ~7,800’ G/L
Vertical K:
~2.5 miles / 4k, ~ 3,200’ Vert
Weekend Timeline
Friday, July 3
16:00 – 20:00: All – Events Check-In
Permitted Race Morning unless under heat index. In that case race start times Saturday will be earlier (MR) and later (Uphill). In that instance check-in for MR will be mandatory Friday afternoon (friend can pickup bib).
Location:
Whiteface Mountain lodge deck overlooking Gondola
Saturday, July 4
06:45 - 07:20
21k Raceday check-in at staging area
07:30: Start of Combined Mountain and SkyRace
Consists of 1 (Mountain Race) or 2 (SkyRace) mountain loops
Aid Stations (Water, Electrolyte Drink, munchies @ summit)
Mid-Mountain: 1.2, 4.8 (repeats loop 2)
Summit: 2.8 (repeats loop 1)
10:15
1 Loop Cutoff for SkyRace
12:30 - 1:40
Ascent Check-In / Registration
1:30: Mountain Race Course Cutoff
14:00*: Vertical K Start
*Timeline will kick back to later afternoon / evening if event is under a heat index.
Finish is at the top of Whiteface’s Summit Lift. Finishers will descend to Little Whiteface for a Gondola ride to the base, or all by foot.
14:02*: Kids Klimber Participants Board Gondola
14:20*: Kids Klimber Start on Little Whiteface
15:00: Mid Mountain Time Cut @ 1.2 Miles
15:45: Little Whiteface Junction Cut @ 2 Miles
16:30: Course Cutoff at Summit
17:00: Gondola Closes for Descending
Sunday, July 5
08:00: Locals-Led other trail / ADK peak group or Clinic? Stay tuned.
Reg & Event Options
Saturday will open w/ a combined 1-Loop Marshak Mountain Race, and 2 Race ISF Certified SkyRace. Entrants will have two options. One, bite off a burly single Alpine Circuit of ~10k distance w/ roughly 3,900’ of elevation gain and loss. Or, bite off a rather ridiculous second serving, sending a 20k distance with roughly 7,900’ of elevation gain and loss. Course cutoff time for the 2 Loop 21k will be 6 hours and the requirement to clear loop one in 2 hours 45 minutes.
The afternoon will offer another round in the form of an ISF Sanctioned Vertical K, a fairly direct steep shot from the resort’s base to summit, gaining roughly 3,200’ of elevation over 2.5 miles. Course cutoff will be 2.5 hours., with all entrants needing to clear Mid-Mountain Aid at 1.2 miles under 1 hour, and the base of Little Whiteface juncture at 2 miles in 1:45.
Entrants can register for each race, or double up for the combo in the form of the Vert Junky. Vertical gluttons capable of pulling of two loops and setting off for a final Ascent in the uphill race will have put in nearly 11,000’ of gain in the day.
Also in the afternoon will be the Kids Klymber, a 1'ish mile ascent from the top of the Gondola to finish alongside the Ascent line and geared towards kids and their parents.
The Sunday group runs are low key social adventures on area trails or small peaks. No charge. Details later.
The Courses
The Marshak Mountain Race will make use of mountain utility roads, grassy and/or hummocky slopes, and a blend of ascents and descents at roughly 40% grade. All told it’ll cover roughly 3,900’ of gain and loss over 10k. You’ll red line the ascents, your quads will turn to jello on the descents, and you’ll hopefully love having finished one of the toughest courses in North America. Sky Racers? Take another lap will ya?
Marshak Mountain Race
The VK is about as direct as we can get you up the mountain, covering roughly 3,200’ of elevation gain in 2.5 miles. It’s a direct steep line, combining grassy alpine ski slopes, dirt utility road, and hummocky alpine terra. We shifted the upper section from hummocky gnar to loose service road in order to allow those who have gas in the tank to keep pushing, and increased course width to allow passing / racing in the final mile.
Staging Area
Vertical K