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time
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Capilano Night Run - Mardi Gras - Long Course Description
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km
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~6:00
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meet at the soccer
field behind Griffin
Recreation Center
– 851 West Queens Road,
North Vancouver
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to 6:20
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registration
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6:25
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photo
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6:30
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Reference Point (RP)
#0. Start/Finish – 3 metal posts at
north entrance to soccer field
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00.0
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This
first section gets you to Capilano
Canyon via the scenic
route
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- cross to the
riverbank then follow fence on left around river. Suffer through the sneers as you cut through
the skateboard park. On the far side
of the skateboard park, go uphill and left on trail that cuts along side of ravine
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- where trail meets
the street (Colwood Drive), go right to next intersection (Thorncliffe
Drive) then left to where street ends at Dudley Place Park. Go right
onto Newmarket Drive
then almost immediately left onto Crescentview Drive. About 50m after the bend in Crescentview,
find unmarked park entrance to left. (If you reach Highland Blvd,
you’ve gone 25m too far!)
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01.1
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- descend concrete
stairway. At bottom of ravine, turn right
at first trail and go over little bridge. Pass duck pond and cool log
cabin. Stay right and up Mackay Creek. After crossing
bridge, go straight then follow path right and uphill thru tennis
courts.
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RP #1. There’s a
fountain on your RHS near the last tennis court. Assume it doesn't work.
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01.5
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- go right
onto Elizabeth Way.
Pass playground. Go right at first street (Paisley Road) up short hill and keep
straight toward ‘no exit’ sign at intersection (St. Annes Drive.)
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- Street curves left
and ends at trail. At clearing, cross Ridgewood Street carefully and
head left for intersection with Capilano Road. At blue ‘Capilano Suspension Bridge’ sign, turn right
onto Capilano Road
and continue uphill on sidewalk.
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02.3
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- pass Suspension
Bridge parking area. Climb hill. Pass Edgemont Blvd. Pass entrance to Capilano River
Park. At
stoplights at top of hill, carefully cross Capilano Road onto Eldon Road and run toward the canyon
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03.2
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- Take path marked with a Trans-Canada Trail sign on left
at bend in street. You will drop down to
a road crossing. Immediately opposite is a yellow gate. At
gate, go left onto marked with a Trans-Canada Trail sign.
(Chinook Trail.)
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This section through
the Capilano Canyon is mostly on narrow, rooty
trails.
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6:45
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- Begin a gnarly bit
of steep climbs and descents in the deep woods with the river always to your
left. Stay left on smaller trail at first 2 intersections.
Follow Chinook/Trans-Canada Trail markings
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- after a nasty
descent through rocks and roots, you will pass thru a bike gate and come to a
major intersection (Pipeline Trail). Go straight (Coho Loop Trail).
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04.5
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- stay straight past
the Cable Pool lookout and bridge. 5m past the picnic shelter, cross the
paved road below the traffic island and rejoin trail immediately
opposite. (Small bridge over creek that ends in concrete culvert.)
Take the trail about 15m, then turn left and head uphill
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05.1
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- this steep uphill
takes you to the fountain at Cleveland Dam. Hug a Doug Fir as you gasp
for breath. At the dirt road, continue straight (to parking lot) and up
the stairs. At the top of the stairs, turn left.
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7:00
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RP #2 – Cleveland Dam
washrooms and water fountains. Assume the washrooms will be closed and
no water in the fountain.
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05.9
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- cross the dam and take the dirt road downhill to your left. You will now be descending the canyon with the river to your left. At the second intersection after about 100m, stay on the dirt road leading downhill and away from the dam. In about 200m, you will come to Trans Canada Trail / Giant Fir Trail to your left. Take steep stairs down.
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06.8
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Say "Hi" to the Grandpa Capilano. Go right and down a
10m of rooty singletrack, then right again onto a wide, very straight
gravel trail. Veer left at first intersection and take trail entrance
to your right marked Cap Pacific Trail. |
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- at the clearing with 2 rustic seats, stay left. Follow Capilano Pacific trail along canyon wall, over little bridges and over roots about 1500m until you reach a green fence marked ‘private’ on your left (Capilano Suspension Bridge park) and a bike gate.
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- after bike gate, Cap Pacific Trail will become wider and more open. Go left and downhill. The trail will eventually turn to pavement (Keith Road) and go under the Upper Levels Highway. After about 700m (at intersection of Keith and 3rd Street) take the trail with a bike gate to your left.
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- where trail hits the Capilano River, turn left. Follow the riverbank trail about 100m then turn left immediately before bridge. Cross bridge on sidewalk (RHS). At far bank, cross road and take tiny trail at the edge of the bridge onto riverbank trail heading up river.
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- just after the last house, turn right on a small gravel trail through a piney woods. At the clearing, stay left. You will reach Capilano Road. Bowser Trail is opposite and about 10m to the right of where you stand. CROSS CAREFULLY |
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This final section is net uphill. Expect to get your shoes muddy if they’re not already. Be sure to take care when crossing streets
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| 7:30 |
- you will now contour the bottom of the cliff on Bowser Trail for about 750m to Pemberton Street. Pass a few dead-end streets and a playground. |
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- at Pemberton, take the steep rabbit trail through the blackberry bushes and up the side of the cliff. (It starts at about the 6th step of the big staircase.)
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- when you reach the top, turn right onto the paved street (17th Avenue) and go to the end. Turn left on Mackay Street and go one block up the hill to the trail entrance at the white fence on your right opposite Keith Road. When you get to the concrete bridge, turn left! (This is called Liar's Corner, as it is a shortcut around the scenic route.)
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- you will now stay on the left side of Mackay Creek for about 750m until you reach a concrete bridge. You want to be on the trail closest to the creek. Beware of mud, wobbly little bridges, poor trail marking and lousy footing. (If you get to the Upper Levels Highway, you’ve gone too far!) Pray the batteries in your flashlight and cell are still good
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- cross the river at the concrete bridge. Take the path to your right as you climb out of the canyon. At the top, cross the soccer field diagonally and right to the corner of the school and 21st Avenue. |
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- turn left on 21st and go to the end. Cross Fell Avenue and regain the trail about 10m to your right. (Mosquito Creek.) Stay left at the confusing intersection at the bottom. There should be fences on either side of the trail. |
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- you will now follow the left bank of Mosquito Creek to the finish. Go under the Upper Levels Highway. At the junction with the paved trail follow the Trans Canada Trail sign.
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- Hopefully, you will meet
up with the competitive runners along this section. Go under the Upper Levels Highway.
At the junction with the paved trail, go straight and follow the Trans Canada
Trail sign. When you reach the skateboard
park, go right |
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- cross the drive
when it is safe to do so. |
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8:00
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RP #0. Finish!
The 3 posts at the soccer field. |
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Freshen-up
at the Harry Jerome Recreation
Center at Lonsdale and 23rd Avenue. Pool.
Hot tub. Sauna |
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to ?
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Potluck
party at 3515 Fairmont Road. |
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