logs rocks & steel | Course Description

race details

Frost Centre Course:

Beginning with a 4km paddle on St. Nora Lake, competitors have a chance to size up their competition as they race around St. Margaret Island. After transitioning to mountain bikes and crossing Hwy 35 participants will ride 15 kilometres of moderately technical backcountry trails. The trails contain numerous hills, cross some dilapidated bridges and sidle countless small lakes & streams. The final challenge of the day will be a 5k trail run through a rough & rugged hiking trail network. Again, these trails are moderately technical and contain some sizeable elevation changes. Competitors will traverse scenic shorelines, rocky ridges, low lying marshes and steep valleys before reaching the finish line and toasting a wicked day of adventure on the shore of St. Nora Lake.

Championship Course:

*New Run & Paddle sections for this year's Championship Course. After testing some new routes this past fall, we're excited to report they're every bit as challenging and scenic as past year's routes, but will ease logistics for competitors and organizers alike. This year, no support crews are required; however participants bringing their own boats will be required to drop them off beforehand at a transition area located 4km north of the Frost Centre. The "new" course description is below.

The Championship Course traverses a hard-earned 80 kilometres of wild Haliburton Highlands topography.

The journey begins at the Frost Centre with a 16km singletrack run following rock, root & boulder strewn trails up and down gnarly ridges, along remote shorelines, across scenic valleys and through low lying marshes. The run is capped off by crossing the Black River.

Once across the river, competitors transition to their paddling gear for a 14km semi-wilderness paddle. The paddling navigates it's way through seven classic Ontario backcountry lakes, namely; Raven, Long Pond, Bruin, Little Avery, Sundrew Pond, Sherborne and St Nora. All of the lakes are connected by portages, and depending on water levels, up to 2500m of portaging could be required. The paddle finishes at the Frost Centre Institute, where participants transition to mountain biking.

Once on mountain bikes, participants will head off on what can only be described as an epic, roller-coaster ride through the Haliburton Highlands backcountry. The mountain biking begins with 8 kilometers of twisting multiple line singletrack before it heads deep into the wilderness via a decommissioned logging road. Crossing countless rivers, bypassing remote wilderness lakes and hoofing-it through the occasional flooded area will be the name of the game for the next 40 kilometres. Just because you’re on double-track for most of the ride, don’t be fooled into thinking this will be a leisurely ride through your locally managed pine forest. These trails are very technical with rocks, logs and mud-holes to avoid at every turn.

After more than 6 hours of toughing-it-out in the backcountry, competitors will enjoy a final ripping descent, as they cruise back to The Frost Centre and onto the finish line, capping off one epic day of adventure!

For more information on the trails used for this event, or to help support responsible trail use & maintenance check out the following links: trailsandtours.com & haliburtonatv.com