Tarc Wapack and Back

Event overview

The TARC Wapack and Back is a trail race on the Wapack Trail in Ashburnham, Massachusetts, with runs that traverse toward North Pack Mountain in New Hampshire. Distances offered:

• 21.5 mile
• 43 mile
• 50 mile

The event is organized by the Trail Animals Running Club and is held in May. Online registration closes before race week, the race typically sells out, and the organizer maintains a no-refund policy with limited deferral options for specific circumstances.

Course, support and rules

The trail is technical and rocky, with boulder fields, granite slabs, single track with rocks and roots, some fire road sections, and substantial elevation (about 4,600 feet each direction; the 50 mile is about 10,800 feet total). The trail is blazed with yellow triangles and generally has few additional markings. There are multiple aid stations stocked with water and Hyle Hydration and basic food items; water stations are spaced up to about 7.5 miles apart. 43 mile and 50 mile runners must carry headlamps at the start. Drop bags are allowed for the longer races and are returned to the start area after the race; uncollected bags may be forfeited. Portable toilets are provided at both ends of the trail and at the 21.5 mile check-in location. The event is manually timed and results are posted after the race. The organizer enforces course cutoffs at several points and requires backtracking if a runner leaves the marked trail. A Leave No Trace policy and a land acknowledgement are part of the event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.