TAKE IN THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS OF CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN
TAKE IN THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS OF CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN
Weather/Conditions
Closest Airport
Basecamp Location
Difficulty
Course Locations
Terrain
Mount Rainier
DISTANCES
Take in the peaks and valleys of Crystal Mountain, where you’ll start at the summit with epic views of Mount Rainier and run downhill, enjoying the incredible scenery with every step. This is more than just a race; it’s a journey through Washington’s most awe-inspiring wilderness. Register now and claim your place in one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier running events!
10K
JULY 17, 2026
September 18th, 2026
Start: 7:00 am (MT)
Cutoff: 4.5hrs
Elevation: +1,267 ft / -1,263 ft
Cruise from the top of Crystal Mountain to the finish line and experience scenery you’ll be talking about forever. Less distance, just as much adventure as the half marathon. Registration includes an all-day gondola pass.
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5K
July 17, 2026
September 18th, 2026
Start: 7:00 am (MT)
Cutoff: 4.5hrs
Elevation: +1,267 ft / -1,263 ft
The steepest 5K you’ll ever run. Climb the mountain and earn your views, then ride the gondola back down like a champ. Registration includes an all-day gondola pass.
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13.1mi.
JULY 18, 2026
September 18th, 2026
Start: 7:00 am (MT)
Cutoff: 4.5hrs
Elevation: +1,267 ft / -1,263 ft
Start at the summit and fly down miles of forested trails, ridge lines, and meadows. This course overlays the downhill 10K and adds on challenging mileage through even more beautiful mountainous terrain before taking you towards the base of the mountain and over the finish line. Registration includes an all-day gondola pass.
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Reasons to run
MOUNT RAINIER
Crystal Mountain carries that classic Pacific Northwest tension — mist gathering at the edges, light slipping between ridgelines, forest scent rising warm from the ground. The gondola glides quietly overhead, lifting riders toward the summit. You’re wrapped in the atmosphere until the clouds part just enough to expose Mount Rainier, floating above the valley like a world unto itself. Your stride moves through shifting light, soft forest, alpine silence, and pockets of summer wildflowers, with each turn offering a new angle and a new reminder of the mountain watching over it all.
Epic Mount
Rainier Views
Scenic Gondola
Access
Multi Distance Challenge Options
Victory snacks
Iconic landscape
medal art
Reasons to run
RAINIER
Crystal Mountain carries that classic Pacific Northwest tension — mist gathering at the edges, light slipping between ridgelines, forest scent rising warm from the ground. The gondola glides quietly overhead, lifting riders toward the summit. You’re wrapped in the atmosphere until the clouds part just enough to expose Mount Rainier, floating above the valley like a world unto itself. Your stride moves through shifting light, soft forest, alpine silence, and pockets of summer wildflowers, with each turn offering a new angle and a new reminder of the mountain watching over it all.
Choose your
CHALLENGE
SASQUATCH DOUBLE
Races:
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Hill Climb 5K
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Half Marathon
Step it up a notch by tackling a both an uphill 5K and a challenging half marathon in one weekend.
Check in before the 5K and use this bib for both races.
With a Sasquatch Double registration, you'll earn:
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One standard race shirt for the Mount Rainier events
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ONE special Sasquatch Double swag item - during registration, you’ll choose between a hat, challenge t-shirt, or beach hoodie and you’ll pick it up at the race expo. Additional items can be purchased at the end of the second race.
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Two finisher medals - one for each race
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One Sasquatch Double medal
What to
EXPECT
Race Weekend Schedule
Day 1 — Friday, July 17
12:00 PM – 5:00 PM — Race Expo & Bib Pickup open to all runners
1:00 PM — Hill 5K Climb race opens
4:30 PM — Hill 5K Climb race start closes
5:30 PM — Hill 5K Climb course closes
6:00 PM — 10K race starts
7:00 PM — Gondola closes
7:45 PM — 10K award ceremony
8:30 PM — 10K race closes
Day 2 — Saturday, July 18
4:00 AM — Parking lot opens
4:15 AM — Bib pickup opens
6:00 AM — Gondola opens to runners
6:30 AM — Half Marathon race starts
9:00 AM — Gondola opens to the public
9:00 AM — Awards ceremony
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MOUNT RAINIER
13.1 Miles
JULY 18, 2026
GONDOLA ACCESS
6:00 AM PT
DIRT TRAIL
4 HRS (18MIN/MILE)
2,400 FEET
Start at the summit and fly down miles of forested trails, ridge lines, and meadows. This course overlays the downhill 10K and adds on challenging mileage through even more beautiful mountainous terrain before taking you towards the base of the mountain and over the finish line.
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Hear it from our
VACATION RACERS
Stories from runners at past Half Marathon events
"The unique aspects of this race are the gondola ride to the top and the most amazing view of Mount Rainier. It was a great and unforgettable start to the race."
– Marc
"This was my first race where half of the course was on trails (rocks, grass, unpaved roads, etc.) and naturally I was intimidated since I am inexperienced in trail running. However the race turned out to be better than expected."
— Uijikuat
"Vacation Races knows how to do it Right – Mt Rainier is a Beautiful National Park. Weather was gorgeous, it is a tough race with some steep hills but WE Did It!!"
– Pam
Hear it from our
VACATION RACERS
Stories from runners at past Half events
Event
INFO
Half Marathon
No spectators at the start of the half marathon. The gondola will open at 6:00am for runners. Spectators can wait for runners at the finish line.
10K
No spectators allowed at the start of the 10K race. Spectators can cheer on runners at the finish line.
5K Hill Climb
Spectators are welcome to cheer on runners at both the start and finish lines. The race begins at the base of the mountain, just south of the
resort, and finishes at the top. If you’d like to support participants at the summit finish, you can purchase a gondola ticket to ride up.As nature lovers, we are committed to keeping our events sustainable and managing negative impacts on the environment. Here's how you can help us:
CUP-FREE RACINGSingle-use plastic is a huge source of waste at any public event. We have reduced that impact by making our events "cup-free".
What does that mean for you?
Coolers of water and electrolyte drink are available at all aid stations, but cups will not be provided on course or at the finish line. In order to stay hydrated, we ask you to bring one of the following:
1. Reusable water bottle
2. Nathan reusable cup - These light-weight cups fold into a pocket or waistband. Request one when you sign up to run!
3. Hydration pack - These are refillable backpacks meant for running that allow you to access fluid via a built-in straw.
ZERO WASTE CONTAINERS
You can help us reduce trash by sorting disposable items into the appropriate container.
You’ll notice three containers at our events:
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Compostables: Organic goods like banana peels and most food items (without the wrapper please!)
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Recyclables: Paper, aluminum, cardboard, steel, and glass. Please dump out any liquids into the compost bin BEFORE recycling the container.
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Everything Else: Non-recyclable food wrappers like from used gel packets and styrofoam. Please dump out any food matter BEFORE throwing away the container.
Please avoid putting organic waste and compostable items in the wrong bin. It gets gross to sort through.-
Any participants hoping to compete for overall awards will need to start in the BLUE wave at the very beginning of the race. While the Overall Male, Female, Non-Binary and Masters Male and Female will be based on chip time for this event, the competitors for these awards will need to begin in the first wave, within the first 15 minutes of the starting gun time. Any athletes crossing the start line after the first wave begins will be considered for Age Group awards.
Awards
Place medals will be given to the top 5 male, female, and non-binary runners overall as well as the Masters 40+ group.Additionally, the top 5 in each of the following age groups will also receive a place medal:
11 and younger, 12-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75 and older.
As of yet, we do not offer non-binary age group awards.
There will be finisher medals for everyone who finishes the race.
The official Race Shirt is picked up at expo upon check-in, and the official race medal is awarded upon crossing the finish line.
Exclusive Race merchandise will be available both at the race expo and near the finish line! When possible, we'll have race merch for sale in our online store after the race is over.
Please allow time for us to add items online.Make Your Medal Even More Meaningful with iTAB
Now, you can make it last forever with an iTAB, a custom engraved plate with your name and finishing time that clips right onto your medal ribbon.
Pre-order before race day, and it’ll be sent to you automatically after you finish. If you missed out on pre-order, no worries. You can order yours today for just $15, including postage & packaging here.
Results
Live results will be hosted online by Laurel. Visit the results button below for final finisher times after the event is completed. Keep in mind, the results are not official until all runners have crossed the finish line, and have been reviewed by the event director. Got questions about your placement? Please email timing@brooksee.com.
Ship My Medal
Top Finisher but missed the awards ceremony? You can request to have your place medal shipped to you! Visit this link to have your place medal shipped to you.
Photos
New for 2026, FinisherPix will be at each event to capture your race memories. Within 24-48 hours post-event, your photos will be available at the link below. You can purchase your race photos ahead of race day during registration or directly through FinisherPix. The FinisherPix Photo Pack includes ALL photos we identify of you in all digital formats (Basic digital image, Digital images with Finish Time, Digital images in certificate format). A link to download all images will automatically be emailed to you when photos are available online. Click the button below to view race weekend photos once available. Search for your individual photos by last name or bib number.
Explore
MOUNT RAINIER
Crystal Mountain carries that classic Pacific Northwest tension — mist gathering at the edges, light slipping between ridgelines, forest scent rising warm from the ground. The gondola glides quietly overhead, lifting riders toward the summit. You’re wrapped in the atmosphere until the clouds part just enough to expose Mount Rainier, floating above the valley like a world unto itself.
Northway Trail
Difficulty - hard
Elevation - 2972 ft
11.2 miles
Short but steep! From the parking area, you'll cross the bridge and head to the left onto a paved trail to Weeping Rock. Along the way, look for small trailside exhibits and watch for minor drop-offs. The trail ends at a set of steps leading you to a rock alcove with dripping springs.
2026
MEDAL & TEE
Sign up to our mailing list to be the first to get a sneak peak!
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Coming Soon
If camping under the desert stars isn’t quite your thing, you can still make MOUNT RAINIER your home base for the weekend.
Race weekend is more than just a start line — it’s a full-on adventure, and we want your experience to feel smooth from the moment you arrive. Whether you’re running, crewing, or cheering, HotelPlanner makes it easy to find the right place to stay with exclusive discounted rates for Mount Rainier participants, friends, and family — plus a seamless booking experience and 24/7 customer support. The Mount Rainier HotelPlanner page is already set up with official race weekend dates and lodging options near key event areas like the Expo, Start Line, and Finish Line — so you can stay close to the action and wake up ready for an unforgettable race morning.
Book early to secure the best rates and make the most of your Mount Rainier adventure.
Book Your Stay with HotelPlanner Now
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