Volcanic 50

Event overview

Volcanic is a mountain trail race on Mt. St. Helens in Washington with two distances:

• 50K (32 miles, roughly 7,400 ft of gain and 7,400 ft of loss)
• 25K (about 3,300 ft of gain and loss)

The 50K follows the single-track Loowit Trail around the mountain and includes boulder fields, river crossings, blast-zone terrain, steep drainages (some with rope assists), and dense forest. The 25K shares many of the same features and views but does not circumnavigate the mountain. Both races start and finish at Marble Mountain Sno Park. The event acknowledges that it takes place on the traditional homelands of the Cowlitz Tribe.

Registration opens February 1 and closes July 24. The 50K has a prior-race requirement: entrants must have completed at least a 50K trail race or the Volcanic 25K and must provide a link to their previous race result during registration. There are no transfers and no refunds; cancellations more than 30 days before the race receive a 50% credit toward a future Go Beyond Racing event, and cancellations 30 days or less before the race receive no credit.

Course, logistics, and support

The race is remote and rugged. Bibs are picked up at the start/finish on race morning and photo ID is required; required gear must be shown prior to bib issuance. Camping is allowed at the start/finish the night before the race with car-camping on pavement in front of or behind vehicles; there is no running water at the sno park and no space for motor homes or trailers. Parking is available in upper and lower lots.

Travel time to Marble Mountain Sno Park is about 2 hours from Portland and 4 hours from Seattle. Post-race provisions include BBQ items, beverages, a Volcanic pint glass for all finishers, podium awards for the top three men, women, and non-binary finishers, age-group awards three-deep, and various sponsor raffle prizes. A Trail Mix Fund can cover registration for eligible runners with financial need. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.