This was sent out to all the entrants’ email addresses used when registering. In case you didn’t get it for some reason, here it is.
Hello runners,
First off, thanks for signing up for the Wallace Falls Trail Run. It should be a great PNW day of trail running.
We’re very happy to have the Snohomish County Volunteer Search and Rescue Tracker Team out supporting the race. And race proceeds will go to help fund their operations.
In this email, you’ll find:
• Race Day Schedule
• Directions and Parking info
• Link to the course description
• Aid station information
• Restroom information
• Info about the shirts
• Race rules and safety info
• And weather forecast with an update about snow on the course
*Schedule
6:30 am – Check in opens
6:45 – 50 km early start briefing
7:00 – early start for 50 km runners expecting to take over 8 hours
7:45 – 50 km briefing
8:00 – 50 km race start
8:15 – 22.4 mi briefing
8:30 – 22.4 mi race start
8:45 – half marathon briefing
9:00 – half marathon race start
11:00 – 50 km cut off to start 2nd loop
12:30 pm – 22.4 mi cut off to start 2nd loop
1:30 – 50 km cut off to start final loop
4:00 – course closes
*Directions/Parking
You’ll need a Discover Pass to park at Wallace Falls State Park. You can buy a daily or annual pass at the park from a kiosk or at the park office.
From US highway 2 in Gold Bar, turn onto 1st St (left if heading east, right if heading west). At the 2nd stop sign, turn right on May Creek rd. Stay to the left at the Y going onto Ley rd. Turn left into the park at the end of Ley Road. Drive up the hill to the parking lot.
Google maps sometimes points out into the park when you just put Wallace Falls State Park in. So the address for the Ranger Office is
14503 Wallace Lake Road, Gold Bar, WA 98251.
Or the Google maps link is below.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/14503+Wallace+Lake+Rd,+Gold+Bar,+WA+98251/@47.8674874,-121.6813573,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x549abc4e8ebbf96d:0xd1b047885d64ac3!8m2!3d47.8674838!4d-121.6791686
We’d like to encourage you to carpool if possible. You’re welcome to post to the Facebook event page (https://www.facebook.com/events/365012777281363/) or race page (https://www.facebook.com/WanderBigger/) looking for ride sharing.
The parking lot holds a little over 100 vehicles. But the park will be open for regular visitors, and the lot can easily fill up. There is limited street parking on the south side of the bridge on Ley Rd. Be sure to pull all the way onto the shoulder. You may be ticketed or towed if you park in a no parking zone or block any of the roadway. If the parking lot starts to fill, we have permission to use property on the east side of Ley Rd just down from the park entrance. If necessary, we’ll open the gate for race parking, and someone will be there to let cars in. Once full or when the half marathon starts, the lot will be unmanned. The gate will be closed, but not locked. If you park there, please close the gate after yourselves when you leave.
Don’t leave valuables in plain sight in your vehicles. Your stuff is your responsibility.
*Course
Course description and maps are on the race website at http://wanderbigger.com/wallacefallstrailrun/
*Aid stations
There will be an aid station with food, water and beverages at Wallace Lake. All runners will pass this twice on the first loop, before and after the out and back to Jay Lake. The 22.4 mile and 50 km runners will pass it again once each subsequent loop. There will also be an aid station at the trailhead by the finish line for 22.4 mile and 50 km runners at the end of each loop. Drop bags are also allowed at the trailhead aid station for 22.4 mile and 50 km runners.
Aid station food and beverages include fruit, pb&j sandwiches, cookies, potato chips, pickles, candy, raisins, Clif bars, Gatorade, Coca Cola, 7 Up, gingerale and water.
*Restrooms
Park restrooms are available by the trailhead. There will also be 4 portable toilets available for runners. There’s a backwoods toilet at the Wallace Lake campsites, which is a little bit off course. There’s another backwoods toilet past the Jay Lake campsites, out past the turn around point. And there is a restroom at the junction of the Greg Ball trail and RR Grade trail.
*Shirts
If you purchased a shirt when you registered, please pick it up when you check in. There may be a limited number of shirts available for purchase on race day. Race day price is $20, cash only, sales tax already included.
*Rules
• The trails are open to other users. Please be courteous when passing. Most of other users will likely be on the Woody trail.
• While the course will be well marked, navigation and safety are the runners’ own responsibilities.
• Please allow faster runners to pass. But it is the passing runner’s responsibility to let others know they wish to pass.
• If you choose to use headphones, keep the volume low or one ear free so you can hear other people, race volunteers and officials.
• No dogs on the course with runners, spectators, crew or volunteers. Our insurance and permits don’t allow pets.
• Be aware that other park users may have dogs. They are required to be leashed, but not everyone does.
• Let aid station staff or park staff know if you have trouble with any other park users or animals.
• No cutting the course, including switchbacks.
• Obey all posted park signs.
• Please follow instructions of park staff, race staff, volunteers and first aid personnel.
• Runners must check in and out at each aid station.
• No crew on course. Crew is only allowed at the start/finish aid station at the trailhead.
• Drop bags are allowed at the start/finish trailhead aid station for the 22.4 mi and 50 km. Please write your name and bib number on your drop bag.
• 7:00 am early start is available only for 50 km runners who expect to take longer than 8 hours. Early start runners are not eligible for finishing awards. Official finish times will be at least 8 hours, even if you finish more quickly. If you expect to take longer than 9 hours to finish the 50 km, please consider entering one of the shorter distances. Our permits will only allow the course to stay open until 4:00 pm. No early start for 22.4 mi or half marathon.
• Loop cut off times will be strictly enforced. You must leave the start area on the next loop before the cut off time, or you will be dropped to a shorter distance. 50 km runners missing the first loop cut off time can choose to drop to either the 22.4 mi or half marathon. 22.4 mi runners missing the first loop cut off time will drop to the half marathon. Runners dropping to a shorter distance during the race are not eligible for finishing awards and will receive an official finish time of at least the max allowed time for that distance. Runners who start their final loop before the cut off, but fail to finish before the course closes will receive a DNF.
• Runners dropping out anywhere other than the trailhead start/finish area may have to make their own way out. There may not be a ride down from the Wallace Lake aid station except for emergencies. Please let aid station or finish line crew know if you decide to drop, so we don’t have to send Search and Rescue out looking for you.
• Runners may change to a shorter distance before the race starts and remain eligible for finishing awards. There will be no refunds for the price difference.
• Race day registration will be available up until 20 minutes before the applicable start time. Cash only. Prices are $50 for half marathon, $60 for 22.4 mile, $70 for 50 km.
• All participants (or parent/legal guardian if under 18 years old) must sign the waiver during registration. Runners registering on race day must also sign the waiver.
• No refund for failing to start or finish the race.
*Weather
The forecast for Saturday is looking like partly cloudy to a chance of showers, depending on what service you look at.
NOAA forecast for Gold Bar: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.67899249942452&lat=47.867351578048414
NOAA pinpoint forecast by Wallace Lake: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.6738501586914&lat=47.90216629239575
There’s a chance of snow showers up there on Saturday.
*Trail Conditions and Snow
I put up a blog post on the website about trail conditions on Sunday. It can be read here: https://wanderbigger.com/wallace-falls-trail-run-course-conditions-snow-update/
I ran most of the course again on Wednesday. A lot of the snow on the lower trails has melted out. There are some slick patches starting around the Middle Falls, with less and less bare ground as you go up towards the Upper Falls. It might be different in the morning, but in the afternoon, it was more like compact slush than ice. I made it up without using my microspikes.
It’s snowed more up higher since Sunday. It’s also melted some since then. There’s probably a net gain of about 2-4 inches. The snow was sloppy, soft and wet. The path from foot traffic that was there Sunday is still visible, but only a few new tracks in it since then. About 3 inches of newer snow in the path. In the areas without tree cover, there’s about 12-18 inches of snow if you don’t stay in the path. Under tree cover, it’s more like 3-8 inches. The 2-3 main water crossing are low enough to just step over, or have no water, just snow.
There’s also a pair of trees down across the Upper Grade about .4 miles from where the trail from the Upper Falls comes out. They’re not hard to go around. If the Ranger has time and can get up there with all the snow, he may cut them out.
I did not go out to Jay Lake, but heard on Sunday that the snow was comparable to that around Wallace Lake.
The Greg Ball trail was mostly compact snow for the first mile of the descent, with a little newer snow over top. The snow was also wet and sloppy. I slid around a little bit. I managed without putting on my microspikes. If I were going for time or racing for place, I probably would have put them on.
The weather is supposed to stay mostly above freezing, with some rain over the next couple days. It might dip below freezing up higher, and it also might snow a few more inches up there too.
Currently, it’s doable in trail shoes with decently aggressive tread, but I’d recommend bringing poles and/or traction just in case. I’d also recommend against wearing road running shoes.
I’ll be back out there again on Friday when I mark the course and will include another update at the pre-race briefings on race day.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
See you all on Saturday.
Happy Running,
Brian Nelson
Director, Wallace Falls Trail Run
Wander Bigger Running