A brand new all-day, all-night run around scenic Salt Creek Recreation Area in Port Angeles, Washington.
Our events brought to you in partnership with North Olympic Healthcare Network.
Promoting the benefits of healthy outdoor activities and supporting a healthy, thriving and inclusive community.
The Port of Port Angeles, our community partner, supports endurance racing and outdoor recreation on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Our events brought to you in partnership with North Olympic Healthcare Network.
Promoting the benefits of healthy outdoor activities and supporting a healthy, thriving and inclusive community.
Sponsors
When
October 28-October 29, 2023
24-Hour Race: Start 8:30 a.m. (Oct 28) / Finish 8:30 a.m. (Oct 29)
Last Runner Standing: Start 9:00 a.m. (Oct 28) / Finish 9:00 a.m. (Oct 29)
Where
Salt Creek Recreation Area, 3506 Camp Hayden Rd, Port Angeles, WA 98363
What
Salt Creek 24 is the first of its kind on the Olympic Peninsula! With three event options, this all-day, all-night event has so much opportunity to get you on your feet, challenge you and provide you with scenery you won’t find anywhere else!
Located at the Salt Creek Recreation Area in Port Angeles, Washington, runners and/or walkers will circle the park on a 1.3 mile route for 24 hours either solo or as part of a relay team. Or they can summit neighboring Striped Peak in the Last Runner Standing event. While racing, individuals will be treated to expansive views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, towering evergreens, vivid green moss and ferns, along with a bit of World War II history!
Salt Creek 24 as a fundraising event *optional
Participants will have the choice during the registration process to become a fundraiser – either for one of our chosen Charity Partners, or a charity of your choice – in the “relay-for-life” style where individual participants or relay teams can collect pledges per lap for their chosen charity, or in the case of the Last Runner Standing, pledges per summit. More details on this below!
Registration
Price
Single entry = $85 / Relay team = $65 per team member / Last Runner Standing = $85
What’s included?
In addition to an epic outdoor experience in the far northwest corner, all runners will receive the following:
1. A fully stocked aid station (enclosed with a fireplace!) including special featured treats during the toughest night hours! Food to fill your belly and volunteers to cheer you on and fill your soul!
2. A first come, first serve area for runners who plan to circle the park continuously to set up their own aide station/canopy. (This area will be intended only for those racers planning to take breaks of less than 1 hour. Please see the camping section below if you plan to bring your family or take longer breaks.)
3. What is a race without SWAG?! We’ve got that part in the bag. Let us surprise you!
Camping
You will need to reserve a campsite if:
- Your non-racing friends and family will be joining you for the event
- Members of your relay team plan to sleep or your team wants a full campsite to spread out, or
- If you are solo but plan to take your time and embrace the 24 hour experience as you feel fit with space to stretch out and rest of often and as comfortably as you’d like with plenty of area for personal aide/crew set-up
Lodging Suggestions
If your family wants to stay in nearby non-camping lodging, check out the options and more fun things to do at Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau and at Visit Port Angeles website.
Refund Policy
There are no refunds allowed and no deferrals to future years race
Transfers are allowed until 3 days before the race. Follow these instructions to transfer.
The Salt Creek 24 Experience
You will have an unforgettable 24 hours to run or walk as many loops as you like around scenic Salt Creek Recreation Area. Participants circle the park in a 1.3-mile loop on a combination of paved and unpaved surfaces, while enjoying expansive views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, towering evergreens and vivid green moss and ferns, and a bit of World War II history.
While the clock will be running for 24 hours, this event is designed to allow athletes to challenge themselves by their own design – they can lap the course when they want, as many times as they like. Run or walk the whole 24 hours? That’s fine. Any other number of hours is fine too, in any configuration. You can go on and off the course as you please. Have a certain mileage goal? Just do that! You may stop at any time if you decide you have had enough fun. Training for another race? Awesome!
Choose your own challenge, with the ultimate goal to have FUN! Round-the-clock activities like Mashed Potato Hour and Bacon Hour (trust us, you will be craving these when the time comes!), door prizes, and poker run hour add to the festivities. Warm up and refuel in the park’s indoor picnic pavilion, complete with a toasty brick fireplace. Big trees and even bigger views keep you company as you lap the park. Make sure to stay for breakfast after the race is over.
Salt Creek 24 is Family-Friendly!
Salt Creek Recreation Area is family friendly! There’s plenty to entertain your non-racing friends and family during Salt Creek 24. The park is 196 acres featuring camping, hiking trails, tide pool exploration at Tongue Point Marine Sanctuary, great birding, playgrounds, surfing, a bit of WWII history, and panoramic views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Crescent Bay, and Vancouver Island.
There is even more to do adjacent to the park. Giant sandy Crescent Beach is located next door (to the west) on private property which can be accessed for a small fee. Next door to the east is Striped Peak, a state forest property than includes a hiking / mountain biking trail up to a high vista point near the Striped Peak summit.
THE COURSES
24-HOUR RACE: SOLO AND RELAY
This course is a combination of hard and soft surfaces . Runners and walkers start on a hard surface campground road, then follow the dirt bluff trail – this is where you gain most of the 100 feet of elevation that is on this course (via steps – ouch!). After that you pass through a historic World War II bunker and nice downhill cruise on hard surface again. You finish up back on a soft surface trail (slight downhill still) and move onto grass as you head for the timing corral. Then do it all over again!
While all participants must start at 8:30 a.m., you can walk or run as little or as much as you like in the 24 hour time frame. You determine your goal! This is the perfect opportunity to test yourself, or try to reach a personal time or mileage objective.
During the day and early evening, the park roads are open to vehicles – avoid them! At 10:00 p.m. the gate is closed and locked to vehicles other than campers.
Can I run the course in reverse or alternate directions? No. Don’t confuse us or the other runners. The only people running in reverse should be race volunteers.
Course map (note the elevation profile in not accurate – elevation gain per loop is 100 feet):
LAST RUNNER STANDING
For the Last Runner Standing event, racers will summit Striped Peak (1,000 feet elevation gain!) each hour, on the hour, until all racers have dropped out – the one that sticks it out the longest is our winner! If you finish before the hour is up, that is how long you get to rest (and graze in the aid station!) If there is more than one runner left at hour 24, one last lap will be completed and the fastest runner will win. The main course is an out-and-back on single-track trail, switching to a trail/road loop after dark, and back to the out-and-back at sunrise.
Course map (note the elevation profile is incorrect – the elevation gain is around 1,000 feet)
EVENT GUIDE
CHECK IN
Camping check in will start at 3pm on Friday. Participant check in will be Friday 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. and Saturday 7:00 – 8:00 a.m. at Salt Creek Recreation Area.
PARK FACILITIES
There are flush toilets and there will be additional portable toilets during the event. Some campsites have utility hookups. Race Central is an enclosed picnic area including a cozy fireplace and plenty of picnic tables inside for all. This is where all race food will be provided and race staff will be on hand for any questions or concerns you may have.
LAP COUNTING
This event will be electronically timed. All participants will be issued a bib/chip which must be worn at all times to guarantee that all completed laps are recorded. There will be a chute for runners only and if you will be taking a break, you will be asked to steer clear of the lap counting area. Only full laps are counted. Relay team members will share a bib/chip and will need to hand it off when they swap. Bib numbers must be visible on your front at all times. If you leave the premises, please leave your number with the race directors in race central and pick it up when you return.
SAFETY & RULES
● Trails will be open to other users during the race – please give them the right of way.
● Communicate when passing other trail users – walkers give the right of way to runners.
● Remain attentive and curious at all times.
● Headphones, iPods, MP3 players etc. are strongly discouraged. If you insist, keep the volume low so you can hear park visitors, course marshals and passing participants. If you can’t hear your own footsteps, the volume is too high.
● No pets allowed on the course.
● During dark hours, all participants are required to carry/wear a light source.
● During the day and early evening, the park roads are open to vehicles – avoid them! The park gate is closed and locked at 10:00 p.m. so no vehicles during that time, unless they are campers already in the park.
WHAT TO BRING
REQUIRED ITEMS
Headlamp or flashlight. Plate, bowl, fork, spoon, knife and cups. To reduce waste, we require that you bring and clean your own dishware.
OPTIONAL ITEMS
Extra clothes and shoes. Anything else you want in your personal staging area. This could include ground tarp, chair, blanket, your teddy bear, any special nutrition you prefer (in case you don’t like what we pick), battery pack to charge your phone, needed medicines and anti-inflamatory, first aid supplies (especially for blisters!)
PARKING
Please park in the designated parking or in your campsite.
FOOD AND DRINKS
Snacks, water, and sports drink will be available during the entire race. There will be special hot food times during the event, and a full-on breakfast of champions after the race ends. You will surely enjoy mashed potato hour, and some other fun specialties! Food and drinks are for racers only, and not for friends, family, or pacers that may be with you. While we will do what we can to accommodate vegetarian racers, you should bring some of your own food if you have dietary restrictions.
In order to reduce waste and our race footprint, we require all racers to bring their own dishes and cups. You are also responsible for cleaning them. A sink is available in Race Central.
RELAY TEAM SPECIFICS
Relay team members will share a bib/chip and will need to hand it off when they change out on and off the course. The order and number of legs per team member is up to you. Only one runner/walker can be on the course at a time, with the exception of midnight to 6:00 a.m. Members of the same relay team may run together during this “pacer” time frame, but only one team member may accumulate laps. All exchanges will occur immediately after the start/finish area, and not mid-loop.
Racers under age 18
We encourage youth participation in Salt Creek 24! For youth teams and youth individual runners, we do require one adult be present for the duration of the event.
PACERS
Pacers (which is anyone who is a non racer who is on the course with you), will be allowed between the hours of midnight and 6:00 a.m. Having a pacer with you outside of these times will result in a DNF for you. One pacer per individual runner is allowed. Members of the same relay team may run together between these hours, but only one team member will accumulate laps. Pacers cannot access aid station food/water/supplies (except members of your paid team who might run with you).
MINDING OUR MANNERS
Special thanks to Clallam County Parks for hosting the Salt Creek 24. Remember we are guests of the park and that the public will be enjoying the park during the race. Please be aware and adhere to all park rules. We want to leave the park just as we found it. Littering will be an immediate DQ.
MILEAGE CLUB
All solo participants will be entered into our Mileage Club. When you accumulate 100 miles – whether it takes you one year or multiple years – you will receive a Salt Creek 24 sweatshirt and a 100-mile patch. You will receive an additional mileage patch for each 100 miles after that.
AWARDS
The male, female, and non-binary registered racer with the most mileage will receive an award, as well as the team with the most mileage.
WEATHER & SUNRISE/SUNSET
Weather on the peninsula can change by the minute and the microclimate. Be prepared for sun, rain, flurries, drizzle, rainbows, mist, clouds, and wind. Typical October temperatures are 54° high / 39° low. Wind is common along the shoreline. Sunset on October 28 is at 6:03 p.m. and sunrise on October 29 is at 7:24 a.m.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this event, contact the race director at saltcreek24rd@gmail.com
VOLUNTEER
Salt Creek 24 needs plenty of volunteers – if you are interested in helping out, please contact us at saltcreek24rd@gmail.com
SPONSOR
Peninsula Adventure Sports could not host these events without the support and partnership of the local business community. Monetary donations as well as in-kind product or service donations serve as the backbone of these races. If you want to find out more about sponsorship, please contact us at saltcreek24rd@gmail.com
GIVING BACK
As a way of giving back, a portion of events proceeds is donated to local non-profit organizations, with a focus on groups that construct and maintain recreational assets or encourage youth to be active in the outdoors.
Follow Salt Creek 24 on Social Media
Sponsors
Air Flo Heating, CrossFit ThunderRidge, Peninsula Trails Coalition, Heart & Passion Films, Norpoint Medical, Finnriver Cidery, Port Townsend Brewing Company, Olympic Springs Water, Port Angeles Senior Center, Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau, and Visit Port Angeles
Door Prize Sponsors
Sound Bikes & Kayaks, Peninsula Trails Coalition, Moss, Visit Port Angeles, Browns Outdoor, Harbinger Winery, and barbecue