Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB
Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB – 50K
Creekside Plaza at Whistler Blackcomb
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Ultra Trail Whistler by UTMB 50K is a genuine mountain race set on the Whistler Blackcomb terrain in British Columbia. Over 50 km it climbs 3,126 m to a high point of 2,163 m, starting and finishing in the valley at Creekside Plaza. That climb-per-kilometre ratio, more than 60 m of ascent for every kilometre, puts it firmly among the tougher 50 km races in the UTMB series. Unlike the low, rolling coastal events elsewhere in the calendar, Whistler asks for real alpine climbing: a brutal ascent to the Whistler Summit early, a plunge back to the valley floor, then a second big climb before the descent home. With cut-offs positioned at the key high points, this is a race where the mountain, not the distance, defines your day. This guide breaks down the course, the decisive climbs and descents, and how to pace and fuel between the aid stations.
The course and terrain
The Whistler 50K starts at Creekside Plaza at 657 m and immediately heads uphill, passing Middle Of Nowhere (986 m at 2.9 km) on its way to the Whistler Summit at 2,157 m by 11.7 km. From that early high the course descends to Roundhouse (1,834 m at 21.7 km) and drops hard to Big Burn (770 m at 29.7 km), before climbing again through Mid Station 1 (1,192 m at 31.7 km) to Rendezvous (1,863 m at 35.3 km), then descending via Mid Station 2 (1,201 m at 43.6 km) to the Spruce Grove Park finish at 649 m by 50 km. This is high-mountain trail on a ski-resort massif: alpine terrain up near the 2,163 m high point, forested and steeper trail on the descents, and long sustained gradients in both directions. With 3,126 m of climbing over 50 km the course is relentlessly vertical, and because it tops out above 2,100 m twice, you spend meaningful time in genuine mountain terrain where weather and footing change with elevation.
Where the race is won and lost
The race has two decisive climbs. The first is immediate and enormous: from the 657 m start line to the Whistler Summit at 2,157 m over just 11.7 km, a 1,500 m ascent that comes before your legs are warm. Go too hard here and you will pay for it all day; hike it with discipline and you preserve the reserves you need later. The long descent that follows, from Roundhouse (1,834 m at 21.7 km) down to Big Burn at 770 m by 29.7 km, hands back nearly everything you climbed and hammers the quads. The second crux is the climb back up from Big Burn (770 m) through Mid Station 1 to Rendezvous at 1,863 m by 35.3 km, roughly 1,100 m of ascent on already-tired legs. This is where the 50K is truly decided: runners who over-committed to the opening summit climb or braked poorly on the descent to Big Burn will struggle to keep moving here. From Rendezvous the course descends via Mid Station 2 to the finish, a long drop of over 1,200 m that rewards anyone who saved their descending legs.
Pacing and fuelling to the cut-offs
Three cut-offs govern the race: Roundhouse (21.7 km) by 10:30, Big Burn (29.7 km) by 12:30, and Rendezvous (35.3 km) by 13:30, with the finish (50 km) closing at 17:30. The Roundhouse gate comes after the massive opening climb and the traverse from the summit, so climbing the first 1,500 m efficiently is essential to banking time. The window from Big Burn to Rendezvous covers the second major ascent in a single hour of allowance, making that back-half climb the tightest section to manage. Aid spacing is dictated by the mountain: from the start it is 11.7 km up to the summit region and 21.7 km to the first major checkpoint at Roundhouse, then legs of roughly 8 km to Big Burn, and on through the Mid Stations to the finish. Carry enough fluid and calories to cover the long, high opening climb self-sufficiently, since much of it is above the treeline with sustained effort. Crew can meet you at the Creekside start and again at the Spruce Grove finish, so plan to be largely self-reliant through the high-mountain middle. Fuel steadily on the descents and any runnable ground, and hike-fuel on the climbs where eating is easier than on technical downhill.
Conditions to expect
Twice crossing above 2,100 m to a 2,163 m high point, the Whistler 50K exposes you to real mountain weather. Conditions at the Whistler Summit and Rendezvous can differ sharply from the valley floor at Creekside and Spruce Grove: colder, windier and more exposed up high, warmer and more sheltered in the forest below. Carry layers for the alpine sections even if the valley start is mild, because the long time spent near the high point leaves you vulnerable to a change in the weather. Underfoot, expect a mix of alpine trail up high and steeper forested descents lower down, with two enormous drops (Roundhouse to Big Burn, and Rendezvous to the finish) that put sustained load on the quads. With 3,126 m of climbing packed into 50 km and a 17:30 finish cut-off, this is a demanding mountain ultra that rewards conservative early pacing, strong hiking on the two big climbs, and durable descending legs. Respect the opening 1,500 m ascent, protect your quads for the long drops, and the second climb to Rendezvous becomes a challenge you can meet rather than one that ends your race.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 657 m · —
2.9 km · 986 m · —
11.7 km · 2157 m · —
21.7 km · 1834 m · Sat 10:30
29.7 km · 770 m · Sat 12:30
31.7 km · 1192 m · —
35.3 km · 1863 m · Sat 13:30
43.6 km · 1201 m · —
50 km · 649 m · Sat 17:30
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