Banff-Jasper Relay Course Description March 17, 2005

Transcription

1 Banff-Jasper Relay Course Description March 17, 2005 The course description is general, although the distances are reasonably precise. The object is to give teams a sense of the conditions they will meet at each stage of the Banff-Jasper Relay, to help them choose the most appropriate stage for each runner. And, of course, each runner will want to know what to expect in his/her stage. All distances are in kilometres. Southern Phase: Stage S1: Banff Start 16.9 km (10.5 MI) The race start will take place on Vermilion Lakes Road just off of Bow Avenue across and down from the Banff Recreation Centre. Support vehicles are not allowed on the Bow Valley Parkway from the southern entrance to the Castle Mountain Junction (see Stage S1 and S2 Bus Procedures). This stage, as well as stage S2 will each have 1 water station near the midway point. It is strongly recommended runners consider carrying water themselves. The IA tagged support vehicles (see Race Rules: Traffic and Safety rule #3 and #5) proceed to Castle Mountain Junction (end of Stage S2) to pick up their stage S1 and S2 runners. The race starts on and heads west on Vermilion Lakes Road for 4.5 km where you will take a short trail to get onto the Trans Canada Highway for another 1.5 km. You will stay on the left shoulder facing traffic and will be directed down an entrance ramp to enter the Bow Valley Parkway 1A. The next 2.8 km is a winding rolling road with great views all around. The road splits here and you enjoy a downhill grade for 0.5 km at which time the road becomes two-way once again at the 9.8 km point. Page 1 of 8

2 You finally get to do some climbing for 1.1 km where you will pass the Muleshoe picnic area and then you go downhill for another 1.1 km. It flattens out for a short while and then continues to drop to the 9 km mark. You can stretch out your legs for the final 7 km over a winding and undulating road. Stage S2: Sawback km (7.9 MI) The stage starts at the Sawback picnic area. Stage S2 runners will be bused to the start of this stage and stage 1 runners will use those same buses to be moved up the course (see Stage S1 and S2 Bus Procedures). Remember, there are no support vehicles allowed on this stage;runners are to be selfsupporting. One water station will be supplied near the midway point. At the Y you will go left (the road is one-way here) and climb to the 2.7 km mark. There is a noticeable drop to where the road becomes two-way again at 5.2 km. The road is relatively flat, with gentle undulations from this point on. At the Johnston s Canyon Resort you will begin a 1 km decline to the Johnston Creek Trail at 7.5 km. The Bow Valley Parkway frequently has wildlife along the route. As you pass Moose Meadow at 8 km you may see one of these critters grazing. Stage S2 finish is at the Castle Mountain Junction. Parking is very limited in this area. Only the 1A tagged support vehicles are to proceed to this stage exchange area (see Race Rules: Traffic and Safety rule #3 and #5). Stage S3: Protection Mountain km (9.2 MI) The start of stage S3 rolls gently down. At 5.6 km you get to test your hill work for 2.2 km. The highway divides once again at 7.5 km for 1.7 km where you will be reaping the rewards of your climb until the 9.8 km mark. This stage is marked with twists and turns. At 11.5 km you will pass the Protection Mountain Campgrounds running through a beautifully treed area. Stage S3 finish is at Baker Creek cabins. Once again parking is extremely limited. Note: Only the 1A tagged support vehicles are allowed to proceed along the balance of the Bow Valley section of the race course from this point (see Race Rules: Traffic and Safety rule #3 and #5). Stage S4: Storm Mountain km (11 MI) Note: All runners must wear a reflective vest on this stage. This stage starts off fairly flat for 6.7 km followed by a gradual drop for 1.3 km. Page 2 of 8

3 At the 8.3 km point you will pass the Corral Creek picnic grounds and cross a bridge at 9.3 km. You arrive at a T intersection at 11 km where you will turn left and, at the direction of a course marshal, cross over, maintaining the right side of the road. As you come down the hill you will keep right along the entrance ramp to the Trans Canada Highway 1. You are to stay on the shoulder going with the traffic. Note for support vehicles: Please do not assist your runner on this portion of the highway. Wait until he/she gets onto the Icefield Parkway Highway 93. Through this section you will have the Wapituk Range in sight. You may also be treated to views of mountains Victoria, Lefroy, Fairview and Temple. You will exit Highway 1 at the 14.3 km mark turning right up the entrance ramp for Highway 93. As you gain some elevation you will be directed to cross the highway by race officials and the balance of the southern portion of the race will be on the left side of the highway facing traffic. As you maintain a steady incline you will come to be above Herbert Lake where your stage ends at 17.7 km. Stage S5: Herbert Lake km (12.6 MI) This is the longest stage in the race, and is virtually all uphill. The first half of your stage will see you gaining elevation and then at the 10.5 km mark the road undulates for next 3.5 km. At the Hector Lake Viewpoint, Km 13.3, you get to ascend for another 2.7 km and then get back to undulating. At 16.8 km you get a short reprieve and can stretch your legs out before you start your last climb. With 1.1 km the road levels out and you finish off strongly, aided by a final decline to the end of your leg at the Mosquito Creek Campground. Stage S6: Mosquito Creek km (10.0 MI) Leaving the Mosquito Creek Campground behind, you will warm up on 4.2 km of generally level road with gentle undulations. At that point you will cross a bridge and climb for 3.4 km. Now at the 7.6 km mark you will descend to the Crowfoot Glacier Viewpoint at 8.7 km and pass Helen Lake on your way to the Bow Lake Viewpoint at 10.1 km. Are you taking in the natural wonders all about? You begin your last ascent up to the Peyto Lake turnoff where you achieve level ground to the end of the stage at Bow Summit. This is the highest point of the race at 2069m. Good job! Page 3 of 8

4 Stage S7: Bow Summit - 17 km (10.5 MI) One will be awe-inspired by the surroundings, so be careful not to head off too strongly. You will be dropping rapidly for 5.9 km, after which you will encounter a slight rise for the next kilometre and then drop for yet another 3.5 km to the Silverhorn Campground. You will climb again after passing the campground and the road levels off until the 12.9 km point, where you drop over the next 2 km to the Mt. Chepren/Howse Peak Viewpoint. From here to the end of your stage just 0.6 km past Waterfowl Lake Campground you will cruise in on a basically flat road with a 0.5 km drop midway. Stage S8: Waterfowl Lake km (11.4 MI) As you roll away from the Waterfowl Lake Viewpoint you begin a slight climb for 1.4 km where you can cruise on a long slow decline for 4.8 km. There is a small incline at the 6.2 km mark. You will continue on your long steady decline for the next 7 km of this stage. As you pass the viewpoint at 11 km you have Mt. Murchison to the right, Sarbach and Kaufman to the left, and a quick glance back to Chephren. At 13.1 km you level out as you pass the Mistaya Canyon/Howse Pass Viewpoint. There s smooth sailing as you pass the Warden Station at 16.3 km and a bridge at 16.7 km. With any luck you will see the resident herd of mountain sheep as you pass the intersection for the David Thompson Highway. This also tells you there is only 1.1 km to go to the finish of the southern phase of the race. It is a bit of an incline to get there though.. Page 4 of 8

5 Northern Phase: Stage N9: Saskatchewan River Crossing km (10.2 MI) We will gather at the Saskatchewan River Crossing for 7:00 a.m. for the first wave. There will be waves of 10 runners, assigned by bib numbers, going off on one-minute intervals. The lucky runner gets to head out on a 3.5 km steady decline. For the next 8.3 km you cruise over gentle to moderate undulations along the Saskatchewan River Valley to the Rampart Creek Hostel. Mt. Erasmus and Survey Peak are to the left, Mt. Wilson to the right, and Mt. Murchison is behind you. You finish off the remaining 4.6 km on a downhill of different degrees as you cruise by Mt. Colman (a sign at 13.9 km) to the finish of this stage. Stage N10: Cirrus Mountain km (10.8 MI) Stage N10 follows the gently rolling valley between the North Saskatchewan River, here little more than a creek, and Cirrus and Coleman mountains. You start off flat and have your first downhill to the river flats at 0.4 km. You gain a slight hill, getting you to 2.0 km, after which you drop soon again. You gain hilltops at 4.5 km and 9.2 km After passing the Cirrus Mountain Campground at 10 km you will cruise along some flats by the Weeping Wall on your right at 12.4 km after which you will start to gain again going by the Nigel Creek Bridge at 15.7 km and then onto the finish over one more rise. Stage N11: Big Bend km (9.9 MI) This stage is one of the most beautiful and challenging stages in the Banff-Jasper Relay as it climbs relentlessly and takes you to the Columbia Icefields. The first 6 km take you up the most serious part of the climb, passing the Nigel Creek trail head at 3.3 km. You will next pass the Hilda Creek Hostel backed by Parker Ridge at the halfway point and there s a short flat stretch until the 8.6 km mark. You pass from Banff National Park into Jasper National Park at 10.9 km, with Nigel Peak on your right. At 12.8 km you pass the Wilcox Creek trail head. Page 5 of 8

6 We know you have been climbing and are looking for the finish but on your left you will be passing the Columbia Icefield. Do have a look, it is quite impressive. After passing the Columbia Icefields Campground at 14.1 km and the Chalet at 15.4 km you are rewarded with a slight downhill to the finish.. Stage N12: Columbia Icefields km (10.4 MI) Get ready to pick up speed as you are about to drop a lot of elevation. Your knees need to be strong and ready. Right from the start you head downhill but at 4.2 km you find yourself at the bottom of a rather steep incline for 1.3 km. After cresting the top of the Sunwapta Pass you start to decline rapidly. Don t miss the magnificent view of the Tangle Falls at 6.7 km with some severity of the drop easing off at the Stuttfield Glacier Viewpoint, 8.5 km done. After just another kilometre the road actually flattens out. The final 7.3 km are relatively flat. Along the way you will see another waterfall at the 13 km point. You finish off at the Beauty Creek Hostel. Stage N13: Beauty Creek - 17 km (10.5 MI) Starting off from the hostel you pass the Mushroom Peak and Tangle Ridge Viewpoint at 1.6 km and then go along the Sunwapta Valley flats until the 2.6 km mark. There you begin a steady ascent, with some undulations thrown in, until the 7.9 where you get a 1 km downhill ending at the Jonas Creek turnoff. Your climb is done at 10.6 km and levels off. Rest your legs to take advantage of the decline you start at 11.7 km. Halfway down this hill you pass the Poboktan Creek Campground and the Warden Station at 13.9 km and continue downhill to the finish at the Endless Chain Ridge Viewpoint. Stage N14: Endless Chain km (9.9 MI) Stage N14 follows along the Endless Chain Ridge. The road rolls gently to moderately, generally losing altitude and at points seeming somewhat endless itself. The first 12 km are gentle undulations or flat, rather exposed road passing the Bubbling Springs picnic site at 7.8 km. At the 12 km mark you start a gentle drop to 13.6 km at the Sunwapta Falls turn off. To finish off you climb until the 1 km out point where you have flat road to the Buck Lake/Osprey Lake turnoff and the stage end. Page 6 of 8

7 Stage N15: Osprey km (9.1 MI) Stage N15 starts with a nontrivial decline quickly and ends on a slight incline, with gentle to moderate undulations in between, plus splendid views of mountains Brussels, Fryatt, and Christie to the left and the Endless Chain Ridge on the right Start off with a fairly flat 1.9 km cruise. There is a significant drop at the 3.8 km point with only a short incline just after the Ranger Creek Campground. At 4.4 you cruise by the Ranger Creek trail head where you may want to give a quick glance back over your shoulder to see what you just came down. There are gentle undulations along the Athabasca River valley floor and for the next 9.5 km. You will pass the Athabasca River Viewpoint at 6.1 km and the Mt. Christie picnic site at 10.9 km. The last 0.7 km takes you on a gentle incline to the finish at the Mt. Kerkeslin viewpoint. Stage N16: Kerkeslin km (11.4 MI) Leaving the Mt. Kerkeslin Viewpoint you drop for the first kilometre and then ascend to the 1.6 km point and then drop fairly steeply to the 2.5 km mark while passing the Kerkeslin Campground. The road flattens out while it passes the Warden Station at 5 km, the Athabasca Falls Youth Hostel at 5.4 km, and the Athabasca Falls picnic site (as well as the Highway 93A junction) at 6.2 km. The road is now undulating and will do so until the Horseshoe Lake trail head at 9.5 km where the road does a couple of inclines up to the Athabasca Pass Viewpoint at 11.4 km. The next 3 kilometres are gently rolling to bring you to a fairly steep 0.8 km drop. The final 3.1 kilometres are along a curving road with mild undulations finishing off with a gentle drop to the stage exchange. Stage N17: Jasper Finish km (12.0 MI) Note: All runners must wear a reflective vest on this stage. Starting off from the Athabasca River raft landing you head around a sharp right turn. The stage is long, open, and flat, with broad shoulders. The beginning of this stage is flat, following the Athabasca River valley and offering splendid views of the mountains: Edith Cavell, Hardisty, Kerkeslin, Fryatt, Brussels and Christie. At the 3.3 km mark you climb for 200 meters topping at the Wabasso Lakes Trail sign and then drop for almost 1 km to the 4.2 km mark. At the 12.6 km point you will pass Becker s Chalets and start a short climb and descent (read, a hill). The balance of this stage is considered flat. Page 7 of 8

8 Other landmarks along the way are: Athabasca River bridge, 10.7 km (about I km past halfway); junction with Highway 93A, 11 km; Jasper House at 14.9 km; and the Whistler Campground at 15.8 km. The Highway 16 junction is at 17.5 km. This intersection will be controlled to allow runners the right away until 7:30pm. After 7:30pm runners MUST obey the traffic lights. There will be marshals stationed here to assist runners and make note of anybody proceeding through this intersection in un unsafe manner. You are now entering the town of Jasper. You will leave Connaught Drive and run onto Fine Road with 1 km to go. With just 0.5 km to go you will go right onto Pyramid Lake Road. Stage N17, and the race, ends on Pyramid Lake Road outside the Jasper Activity Centre. Page 8 of 8