Welcome to a majestic backcountry rising from the ashes of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. With its sapphire lakes, rugged, toothy peaks and wildflower-blanketed slopes, the Mt. Margaret Backcountry on the northern blast zone side of the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument provides an unforgettably unique, remote and beautiful trail race experience. The power and resilience of Mother Nature is truly on full display here in the backcountry.

Backcountry Rise includes three different challenging and remote trail loop courses: a 50K and Half Marathon on Saturday, a 20 miler on Sunday! The 50K and 20 miler offer big climbs, sweeping descents and stunning ridgeline views of the surrounding Cascade Volcanoes. The Half Marathon is the classic loop around Coldwater Lake. High mountain lakes, rushing creeks and abundant wildlife dot the landscape, including resident mountain goats, elk, deer, bear, cougar, soaring raptors and many more.

Our venue is the spectacular Mt. St. Helens Science & Learning Center, built as the original volcano observatory on the Monument. Perched on the slopes above Coldwater Lake and oriented toward the Mount St. Helens caldera and blast zone, the venue offers a strikingly beautiful base camp location.

Land Acknowledgement: We recognize that we gather for this event on the traditional, unceded lands of the Cowlitz people who have occupied and stewarded these lands for countless generations. We respect their right to self-determination and their sacred connection to these lands and waters.