The trip begins with a stunning flight from Vancouver to Bella Coola, crossing over remote mountain ranges dotted with multi-colored glacial lakes and vast icefields. The entire group will fly in together on a small 19-seater plane and don’t worry - everyone gets a window seat! After landing we’ll get settled into the beautiful lodge that we’ll call home for the next three days for lunch and introductions. After some downtime we will regroup for a wildlife safety orientation, a shakeout run through the surrounding old-growth forest to our first waterfall and a welcome feast!

Running: 3-6 mi / 5-10km shakeout run, singletrack trail
Meals: Lunch (L) and dinner (D) included

Wake up - not too early! - for breakfast before heading out for our first run! This run begins with rolling jeep track through beautiful forest before a winding single track leads you up to Lost Lake and sweeping views from high over the turquoise Bella Coola river - which happens to be our next stop. From there we’ll hike down to the river where rafts await for a relaxed float downriver with local wildlife experts; expect to learn a lot, and to be on the lookout for bald eagles and bears! At the end of the float we’ll take a short guided walk through an ancient grove of giant cedar trees before a short drive back to the lodge. You’ll have the evening to enjoy the hot tub, sit by the fire pit, and dig into another wonderful dinner.

Running: 6-8 miles / 10-13 km; 1000ft/300m elevation gain. Jeep road and technical single track trail with a bit of pavement too.
Meals: BLD

Enjoy another relaxed breakfast before gearing up and driving up a rugged forest road to Odegaard Falls. The run begins with a stunning view of the towering cascade and only gets better from there! Get ready for a steady climb out of the forested slopes, emerging into a valley scattered with alpine lakes and eventually reaching the dramatic Purgatory Glacier viewpoint. Take some time to admire the huge glacier and surrounding mountains before you turn around and cruise back the way you came, finishing with a picnic lunch and a short walk through an enchanted stretch of forest to check out the waterfall from another angle. Once back to the valley we’ll kick back and enjoy our final evening at the lodge!

Running: up to 12 miles / 20 km; 2500ft/800m elevation gain. Double track, forested jeep road.
Meals: BLD

It’s time to unplug and head into the wild! But first, one last morning run in the valley on a pine needle-y trail winding through a veritable cathedral of trees near our lodge. From there we’ll pack up, load up and head for “The Hill,” a spectacular (and steep) stretch of road that connects the Bella Coola valley with the Chilcotin Plateau, where our next destination awaits. Once we arrive at Nimpo Lake we’ll begin the process of transporting everyone out to camp… by way of floatplane! Our camp itself is located deep within Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, set on the shores of an alpine lake where the only sound is that of wind in the trees and loons on the water. Accommodation is a mix of rustic cabins & tents, and our camp manager will have everything ready for us; expect delicious, hearty meals, a crackling campfire, billions of stars and the feeling of having left the rest of the world faaaaaar behind…

Running: 5 miles / 8 km; single track. 1600 ft/ 530m elevation gain
Meals: BLD

Wake up with the sun to a hearty camp breakfast and a relaxed start to the day. We’ll spend the morning with a basic canoe lesson, then a short test of the skills to our trailhead for the day. This out/back run will take us to the next lake in the chain for the chance to enjoy a mid-run plunge with sweeping views of glaciated mountains in the distance, and the paddle back to camp will complete the excursion.

After some downtime and a camp lunch, we’ll get back in the canoes for the real test: paddling nearly 3 miles to the other end of our lake to reach the short trail that will take us to a dizzying viewpoint overlooking the tallest single-drop waterfall in Canada! After that we will - you guessed it! - paddle back to camp and spend the evening around the campfire with a freshly-prepared dinner, cold beverages, stories and, of course, s’mores.

Running: up to 6 miles / 10 km; single track plus an additional 2 mi / 3km hike
Paddling: 7 miles / 12km total for the day
Meals: BLD

Wake up early to catch the sunrise (take out a canoe if you’d like!) and enjoy a leisurely morning of coffee and camp breakfast before beginning to pack up. The plane will arrive to begin transporting us back to Nimpo Lake, where comfy cabins and a beautiful lakefront lodge await. We’ll have an optional late afternoon run around the local trail network, then kick back on the wraparound deck with drinks in hand while we await dinner at the lodge.

Running: up to 8 miles / 13 km; single track; 700 ft / 250m gain
Meals: BLD

This is our final full day, and we will make the most of it! We’ll start with sunrise and breakfast at the lodge before heading back into Tweedsmuir Park for our final run. This flowy single-track trail winds through high alpine terrain unlike anything we’ve seen yet this week, passing numerous pristine lakes along the base of the colorful and aptly-named Rainbow Range mountains. The afternoon will be free for whatever you wish - take a nap, paddle a canoe, read a book on the deck! - and that evening we’ll gather for our final dinner and of course, our infamous awards ceremony.

Running: up to 9 miles / 15 km; forested single track, open high alpine terrain. Up to 1000 ft/ 300 m elevation gain.
Meals: BLD

That’s it! After one last sunrise coffee and home-cooked breakfast we’ll pack up and head back down The Hill to Bella Coola to catch the flight back to Vancouver.

Running: No organized run (optional shakeout depending on flight time)
Meals: B