Agenda

How to get to the start?

From Highway #1 in North Vancouver, take the Lynn Valley Road exit heading north toward the mountains. At the lights just past the big mall, turn left onto Mountain Highway. Follow it to where it ends.

Note: This is a residential area that is heavily used by weekend warriors. Permits are required on the streets close to the start and many others nearby have 2-hour parking restrictions, so expect to walk a few blocks to the run start. Plan to get there at least 15 minutes early so you make the official start. Don't park in a permit area unless you really want a ticket as the parking folks are aggressive.

Route

Here's a trail run you really have to try hard to get lost on!

Old Mountain Highway is wide. The surface is a bit rocky, but not in the least technical. There's a constant grade, but the entire course is runable for most runners in decent shape. There's very rarely any vehicular traffic and the mountain bikers are friendly if you don't taunt them as you run by. The air is fresh and and there are lots of grouse (thump! thump! thump!) and woodpeckers (tap! tap! tap!) to keep you company. If you see a bear or coyote, clap your hands. They will either run back into the woods or eat you.

Start at the concrete water tap next to the waterfall, just past where the pavement of Mountain Highway ends and the dirt of Old Mountain Highway begins. You are timing yourself, so be sure to start your watch.

Run up the dirt road until it starts to flatten out and you can look across a wide valley to Grouse Mountain. You will reach a stone quarry on your right. The official 1/2 way point for timing purposes is the big boulder that is partially buried in the dirt opposite the entrance to the quarry. (Someone has sprayed '7 km' on the rock.) If you don't care about the seconds, take your split time at the entrance to the quarry. Be sure to note your split time somewhere if you want to go down in history.

Turn around and run back to the fountain. Take your time when you touch the fountain and be sure to write it down on the timing sheet. Repeat until you can't anymore.

What to Bring?

• Bring your own food. There is a water tap at the start, but be prepared in case it is out of service.
• Bring your own official timing system (a watch will do, even if the second hand doesn't work.) There will be a pen and paper to record your split times.
• Bring a change of clothes for afterward.

Post-Event

For those left standing, a post event celebration will be held at Delaney's Coffee Shop. Delaney's is about 5 minutes away in the Lynn Valley Mall at Mountain Highway and Lynn Valley Road. Next to the library.

Other Notes

A lap is 15 kilometers return (approximately 7.5 km up and the same down unless you inexplicably get lost).

If you want to go down in the records, please record your split times (time to top, time back to start) on the sheet provided at the lunch rocks.

This event is not sponsored, sanctioned, permitted or anything else that would qualify it as an official event.

Expect rain, some mud, snow probable in the spring, some old friends and maybe some new.