Skeetawk Scramble

Skyrunnning is back in the USA and the SSS is one of the most technical certified courses in the lineup boasting 37K (~23 miles) and a whopping 3500km (11,500ft) of vert.

This challenging route will start at the beautiful Skeetawk Ski Area and begins up the cat tracks and slopes before heading out the back door on newly developed hiking trails up Frostbite Ridge. From there, the grade don't quit as runners continue their ascent to the summit of Government Peak.

After cresting the peak, they'll be plunged into a mix of chunky rock, large slabs, and slick, silt packed, mud single track as they traverse the ridge over to Hatcher Pass.

At Hatch Peak the legs get to rest while runners blast down the shale loaded April Bowl trail and continue down Summit Lake road before transitioning to asphalt for one final downhill stretch to the Fishhook/Marmot parking lot.

Don't be bashful as another lung busting climb up packed dirt slopes to Marmot awaits. Once at the peak, real focus is needed to traverse the rocky, black moss covered ridge line between Marmot and the descent at Rae Wallace. Here runners will lock on and work their way through a few boulder fields.

Once through the boulders, time to take in the views cruising down the lower Rae Wallace trail and back down to the parking lot at Hatcher Pass Lodge.

Now you can breathe, it's all familiar territory! Just one more quad burning climb back up to Summit Lake and a crawl to Hatch Peak before a little scenic delirious backtrack along the ridge you left many hours before to Halibut Tail Point. Finish line awaits with a final frenzied descent back down to Skeetawk.

For those runners not quite ready to tackle the 37K Skyline race, the 12K is the perfect challenge to include parts of the major course. Runners will start in the same direction from Skeetawk heading up to the steep incline of Frostbite Ridge.

From there, the ascent continues to the summit of Gov Peak before runners drop down behind the peak and make their way through the chunky rocks, large slabs, and silty trail to the Halibut Tail intersection.

Here the course separates from the 37K and runners will start to make their back down to Skeetawk. Don't be fooled, there is more climbing still ahead. This section lacks a defined trail, so runners will follow marked stakes through the soft, squishy tundra until they reach the newly developed trail that will take them to the final quad burning descent to the finish line.