Where's Waldo 100K Ultramarathon Course and Aid Stations

Where's Waldo 100K Ultramarathon

Course and Aid Stations

Smokin single-track, baby, take me away! - cosmicjeff 10/23/2002

The race begins and ends at Willamette Pass Ski Area, 70 miles southeast of Eugene, Oregon on Highway 58 at an elevation of 5120'. The course is on 97% single-track trail with more than 11,000' of elevation gain and equal amount of loss. There are 3 major climbs of more than 2000' each and 2 minor climbs of more than 1000' each. High point is 7818' at the top of Maiden Peak. Low point is at Gold Lake, about 4900'.

Second half of the course is remote. From the Rd. 4290 (A6) aid station at 37 miles to the finish the course does not cross a road. Dropping out in that section will not make your life much easier. The last 3 aid stations have 1.5, 3.0, and 2.5 mile hikes out on trail, respectively.

The course is not easy. We attribute this to the amount of single track, the length of the climbs, the altitude, and the length of the course.
The original course used for the first 5 years of the race was wheeled at 66.36 miles. In 2007, two changes were made to get the course down to 62.5 miles. The first is a new start. We now go straight up the ski area from the start. We follow the dirt ski area access road for a little less than 2 miles before hopping onto single track trail. The new trail is called the Skyline Trail, which was the original PCT, and follows Skyline Creek down to the Maiden Peak Trail. This is about 3 miles shorter than the old start. We reach the Gold Lake Aid Station in 7.4 miles instead of 10.4.

The second change takes off about 1 mile and occurs in the second half of the course between the Rd 4290 and Twins aid stations. When we get to the Twins Trail, instead of going right and summitting the Twins, we now go left and straight down to the Twins Aid Station.

2010 Trail conditions (suggested training runs)

How to avoid getting lost

Crew Driving Instructions

The Run Scout's Flyover of the course

Course Map
Higher detailed topo:
Full course - level 4 (302K)
Highest detailed topo maps:
South part of course(443K))
West part of course(295K)
Central part of course(394K)
North part of course(483K)
Printable 8.5"x11" jpegs:
Color Map no shading (best for black & white printing)
Color Map with shading

If you have National Geographic TOPO software, here is the .tpo file with the course.
For numbers people, here is an excel file with wheel measurements of entire course.
And here is a Google Map thanks to Bobby Gill who collected the GPS coordinates during the 2009 race.

Elevation Profile

Aid Stations

Num Name Split Mileage Total Mileage Cutoff Time Drop Bags Crew Access Parking Toilets Captain

A1 Gold Lake 7.4 miles 7.4 no no, but can meet runners just past AS on Waldo Lake Rd campground Doug Williams (CORK)

A2 Fuji Mtn. 5.0 12.4 yes discouraged, FS road & 1/4 mile hike adequate no Steve Northrop (WPSP)

A2 Fuji Mtn. 2.5 14.9

A3 Mt. Ray 5.6 20.5 yes yes, road just N of Trailhead on Rd. 5897 on W side of road porta pottie Cyndy Meno (WPSP)

A4 The Twins 6.6 27.1 no yes, 1.5 mi. hike approx .3 mile N of trailhead @ jct. of Rd. 5897 & Rd. 5896, the road to Shadow Bay no Melissa Berman and
Bob Alexander (WPSP)

A5 Charlton Lake 4.9 32.0 1:00pm yes yes, road 4290 lots porta pottie Scott Leonard (Mac Forest 50K)

A6 Rd. 4290 5.2 37.2 2:15pm yes yes, washboard FS road side of road no Steve John (WPSP)

A7 The Twins 7.5 44.7 4:30pm no yes, 1.5 mi. hike same as first time no Melissa Berman and
Bob Alexander (WPSP)

A8 Maiden Peak 5.2 49.9 none no difficult, 3.0 mi. hike Trailhead on Gold Lake Rd. no Don Elting (Backcountry Ski Patrol)

A9 Maiden Lake 5.1 55.0 none no no no Barbara Ringstad

Finish 7.5 62.5 9:00pm yes ski area lodge Laurie Thornley

Course Description

Start to A1 From ski area go up the road just southeast of the base of the Gondola. Follow this a few hundred yards where the road turns to the right. Continue up this road (the ski run Perseverence) for about 25 minutes of brisk walking when the road flattens and bends to the northwest. The road then heads straight north for few hundred yards. Take a right back into the woods and continue on this (Taits ski trail) for about 1/2 mile. Take a right onto single track at the Taits Trail sign. Go a few hundred yards downhill and make a left at the next trail junction. Follow this single track to Skyline Trail and take a left (the PCT is to the right). Follow this upper part of Skyline Trail to the bottom of the chair lift. The trail continues as single track after crossing under the chair near the bottom of the lift. Do not take the road - look for trail to right of the road. Continue on the trail which follows Skyline Creek until you reach the Maiden Peak Trail (#3681). Take a left and go downhill to Rd. 500. Take a right and follow road to aid station near campground.

A1 to A2 Exit campground on Gold Lake Trail (#3677) at end of Rd 500. After less than 1/4 mile take a left on Fuji Mtn Trail (#3674). Cross the paved Waldo Lake Rd and continue on Fuji Mtn Trail to last junction before summit.

A2 to A3 Run to summit of Fuji Mtn. and see Waldo Lake for the first time. Run back down to South Waldo Trail (#3586) and go north. Continue north until you hit the Ray Trail (#3682). Take a right and go down to Waldo Lake Rd.

A3 to A4 Continue on trail across Waldo Lake Rd. to Gold Lake Trail (#3677). Go north on trail to Bobby Lake Trail (#3663). Take a right on Bobby Lake Trail and follow it to the PCT. Follow PCT north to junction of Twins Trail (#3595). [Note that there are two left turns from Bobby Lake Trail to stay on PCT north.]

A4 to A5 Continue north on PCT to Charlton Lake.

A5 to A6 Take Lemish Lake Trail (#19) north past Rd. 4290 to Clover Meadow Trail (#21.1). Take a right and follow that trail back to Rd. 4290.

A6 to A7 Go south on Round Meadow Trail (Metolius Windigo #99) which becomes Trail 19 as it continues south to the Twins Trail (#3595). Take a left and go southwest down the Twins Trail (#3595) to the junction with the PCT.

A7 to A8 Go south on the PCT to Maiden Peak Trail (#3681).

A8 to A9 Take Maiden Peak Trail (#3681) east to the summit. Can you identify all the lakes and peaks you can see from the summit? Where's Waldo? From the summit go back down the trail you came up for only a couple of minutes until you see a big cairn and a Maiden Peak sign on a tree. Take a left on this faint trail and follow the cairns, trail blazes, and pink ribbons down to the junction with the Maiden Lake Trail (#41).

A9 to Finish Go west on Maiden Lake Trail (#41) to the PCT. Take PCT south back to ski area. This is an awesome downhill finish.

Num	Name	Split Mileage	Total Mileage	Cutoff Time	Drop Bags	Crew Access	Parking	Toilets	Captain
A1	Gold Lake	7.4 miles	7.4		no	no, but can meet runners just past AS on Waldo Lake Rd		campground	Doug Williams (CORK)
A2	Fuji Mtn.	5.0	12.4		yes	discouraged, FS road & 1/4 mile hike	adequate	no	Steve Northrop (WPSP)
A2	Fuji Mtn.	2.5	14.9
A3	Mt. Ray	5.6	20.5		yes	yes, road	just N of Trailhead on Rd. 5897 on W side of road	porta pottie	Cyndy Meno (WPSP)
A4	The Twins	6.6	27.1		no	yes, 1.5 mi. hike	approx .3 mile N of trailhead @ jct. of Rd. 5897 & Rd. 5896, the road to Shadow Bay	no	Melissa Berman and Bob Alexander (WPSP)
A5	Charlton Lake	4.9	32.0	1:00pm	yes	yes, road 4290	lots	porta pottie	Scott Leonard (Mac Forest 50K)
A6	Rd. 4290	5.2	37.2	2:15pm	yes	yes, washboard FS road	side of road	no	Steve John (WPSP)
A7	The Twins	7.5	44.7	4:30pm	no	yes, 1.5 mi. hike	same as first time	no	Melissa Berman and Bob Alexander (WPSP)
A8	Maiden Peak	5.2	49.9	none	no	difficult, 3.0 mi. hike	Trailhead on Gold Lake Rd.	no	Don Elting (Backcountry Ski Patrol)
A9	Maiden Lake	5.1	55.0	none	no	no		no	Barbara Ringstad
	Finish	7.5	62.5	9:00pm		yes	ski area	lodge	Laurie Thornley

Start to A1	From ski area go up the road just southeast of the base of the Gondola. Follow this a few hundred yards where the road turns to the right. Continue up this road (the ski run Perseverence) for about 25 minutes of brisk walking when the road flattens and bends to the northwest. The road then heads straight north for few hundred yards. Take a right back into the woods and continue on this (Taits ski trail) for about 1/2 mile. Take a right onto single track at the Taits Trail sign. Go a few hundred yards downhill and make a left at the next trail junction. Follow this single track to Skyline Trail and take a left (the PCT is to the right). Follow this upper part of Skyline Trail to the bottom of the chair lift. The trail continues as single track after crossing under the chair near the bottom of the lift. Do not take the road - look for trail to right of the road. Continue on the trail which follows Skyline Creek until you reach the Maiden Peak Trail (#3681). Take a left and go downhill to Rd. 500. Take a right and follow road to aid station near campground.
A1 to A2	Exit campground on Gold Lake Trail (#3677) at end of Rd 500. After less than 1/4 mile take a left on Fuji Mtn Trail (#3674). Cross the paved Waldo Lake Rd and continue on Fuji Mtn Trail to last junction before summit.
A2 to A3	Run to summit of Fuji Mtn. and see Waldo Lake for the first time. Run back down to South Waldo Trail (#3586) and go north. Continue north until you hit the Ray Trail (#3682). Take a right and go down to Waldo Lake Rd.
A3 to A4	Continue on trail across Waldo Lake Rd. to Gold Lake Trail (#3677). Go north on trail to Bobby Lake Trail (#3663). Take a right on Bobby Lake Trail and follow it to the PCT. Follow PCT north to junction of Twins Trail (#3595). [Note that there are two left turns from Bobby Lake Trail to stay on PCT north.]
A4 to A5	Continue north on PCT to Charlton Lake.
A5 to A6	Take Lemish Lake Trail (#19) north past Rd. 4290 to Clover Meadow Trail (#21.1). Take a right and follow that trail back to Rd. 4290.
A6 to A7	Go south on Round Meadow Trail (Metolius Windigo #99) which becomes Trail 19 as it continues south to the Twins Trail (#3595). Take a left and go southwest down the Twins Trail (#3595) to the junction with the PCT.
A7 to A8	Go south on the PCT to Maiden Peak Trail (#3681).
A8 to A9	Take Maiden Peak Trail (#3681) east to the summit. Can you identify all the lakes and peaks you can see from the summit? Where's Waldo? From the summit go back down the trail you came up for only a couple of minutes until you see a big cairn and a Maiden Peak sign on a tree. Take a left on this faint trail and follow the cairns, trail blazes, and pink ribbons down to the junction with the Maiden Lake Trail (#41).
A9 to Finish	Go west on Maiden Lake Trail (#41) to the PCT. Take PCT south back to ski area. This is an awesome downhill finish.