Agenda - Marathon Shuffle

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 How to get to Powell River?

Traveling from the Lower Mainland (Vancouver or beyond)?  You will need to arrive the night before the start (Saturday night). The trip involves two ferries from Vancouver. Check the ferry schedule for connections. Here is a list of recommended accommodations to suit all budgets.

If you come from Courtenay on Vancouver Island you can take the first ferry of the day and arrive just in time for the Shuffle.

Car pooling - Before 7:45 (Shingle Mill Pub/Bistro parking lot)

From the Powell River - Comox ferry terminal in Westview (Powell River) head north along Marine Avenue (Highway 101) towards Lund. Follow Highway 101 to the Townsite, crossing Ash Street at the first stop sign, and turning right on Arbutus at the second stop sign. Continue north, across the Powell River Bridge and make an immediate right turn. This road leads to the Shingle Mill parking lot, which is both the marshaling place for carpooling and sign-in (7:45 to 8:00 am) as well as the finish line quite a few hours later. There is free parking along the side of the road and pay parking in the Kinsmen Park parking lot. Please be here by 7:45 am to sign in and arrange carpooling to the start.

Start - Marathon Shuffle - 8:30

Get back to the bridge on Highway 101 drive north up the hill toward Wildwood, Sliammon and beyond. From the bridge it is about 16 km to the Malaspina Road turnoff. Just before you reach Malaspina Road, you will see a large sign alerting drivers to the Okeover Arm Provincial Park and a number of other billboards singing the praises of that wonderful area. Turn right onto Malaspina Road and proceed 1.4 km to a sharp right curve. A gravel road branches off to the left. Park here and look for the Shuffle starting point 100m farther along on the highway on the south side of the pavement.

Start - Half Shuffle 10:00

The Half Shuffle starts at the beginning of Sliammon Lakes Trailhead.  You can also make carpooling arrangements at the Shingle Mill parking lot at 9:30 am and then drive to the start together. To get to the Sliammon Lakes trailhead, drive north on Highway 101 to Scuttle Bay, about 12 km of the Westview ferry terminal. At Scuttle Bay turn right, up Wilde Road.  Where Wilde Road branches in the hamlet (1 km), stay to your right (Tomkinson Road). Pass the access road to Big Sliammon Lake (4 km) on your right. After another 2 km you will cross the bridge across Appleton Creek  Just 100 metres beyond it, turn left into a gravel pit, which is a good place to park, or park along the road. The northern end of the Sliammon Lakes Trail is situated across the road from the entrance to the pit, and a few steps below.

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What to Bring?

• Bring your own official timing system (a watch will do, even if the second hand doesn't work).
• Bring some water and some bars or gels to eat.
• Be prepared for the weather and trail conditions. If you are a hiker bring your usual gear and extra clothes to layer and protect from rain.
• A change of clothes and maybe a towel will come in handy. There are no showers, but there is a public washroom at the finish where you can change.

Post-Event

• Come and join us for stories of the trail, some food and beer.
• The official finisher party will be at the Shingle Mill Pub at 6233 Powell Heights (604-483-3545) near the finish. Children can be accommodated as well

Other Notes

The whole trail has been well marked with fluorescent orange metal squares all the way to the finish line at the Shingle Mill. It has also been brushed and groomed in the weeks preceding the Shuffle. Be at the trailhead at least 15 minutes before the start so we can start on time.  Be prepared for the weather. Make sure you did get your participant number on your hand so people can check you off as you pass through the half-dozen checkpoints along the route. Hike back to your car and enjoy the pleasures of hiking on a fabulous trail through the temperate jungles.

It's not a race, but we do keep track of your times so you have something to compare to next year. We hope everyone will take the same course, but won't disqualify folks for getting lost and hiking or running extra distance. Over the course of the last year the course has been upgraded with the installation of a multitude of the square florescent markers every 30 to 100m, and dozens more of the carved wooden directional signs at any of the junctions. If you don't see any of the orange markers any more, retrace your steps to the last junction and take the fork that has the markers. Junctions are signed, but when you are running (or talking) you sometimes don't look up to take note of the proper turn, keeping straight ahead instead. Remember: orange markers, orange markers. Look up every so often, and refer to your route instructions.

This event is not sponsored, sanctioned, permitted or anything else that would qualify it as an official event.

Use this wonderful opportunity check out some of the last surviving groves of BC's old growth temperate rainforest.

Expect rain, trails, hills, some old friends and maybe some new.