Klondike Ultra

The Klondike Ultra is a weekend race event that was created to appeal to all trail runners with multiple distances to choose from. The race courses are situated within the Fort Assiniboine Sandhills Wildland Provincial Park near Edmonton, Alberta and on private property within the middle of the park. From the start line you’ll get the feeling your in unique terrain with the flow of the mighty Athabasca nearby you’ll start in the valley bottom on a wide open field for only a few hundred meters before you start climbing up from the valley floor onto an old wagon trail here you’ll run beside swaying old growth cottonwoods and birch trees. Once you start the leg burning climb off of the wagon trail your shoes will get a taste of the ancient sand dunes as every steep section of single track is sand. This slows your accent as your treads spin to find traction, but to even things out the descents can be leg spinning fast. Above the river valley the sand dunes are now covered in moss and large boreal forest the single track is smooth extremely hilly with the odd tree root that keeps those toes alert, and rocks are pretty much nonexistent so if you do have a tumble you just dust yourself off and keep going. The packed down single track makes you create your own wind as it’s fast flowing and curvy amongst the old growth. When you leave Klondike Staging area you are on the original Klondike trail. This is where hardships were had and lives lost. Running past a grave site will humble you and if time permits, check out a trappers cabin that has seen its good use come and go. As you drop back down into the valley you’ll meet up with the clear water creek and perhaps jump over a beaver or two as you run beside the rippling water. Once the trail meets the Athabasca, massive cottonwoods and thick undergrowth surrounds you as you make your way back to the finish line, this is the description of the 50k and 100k course. The other courses have it all as well, from loose and packed sand, double and single track all on rolling ancient sand dunes, running beside the Clearwater Creek and the Athabasca