Sooke Hills 50km and 25km

Sooke Hills 50km and 25kmA tour of the finest trails in the Sooke Hills
25km Route Description: Check out the map here: 25km RouteThe 25km route starts just below parking lot 2 of the Potholes Regional Park. It climbs the Peden Lake Trail, then follows the Lakes Connector Trail to the first aid station at the Shields Lake Viewpoint. It continues on the Lakes Connector until it reaches the Sooke Mountain Park Road trail, and it follows that until the turnoff for the Charters Connector where there will be an aid station. It follows the Charter Connector until it reaches the Grassy Lake Trail. From the Grassy Lake Trail, runners have a steep climb up the Monument Trail. Runners will follow the Monument Trail to the Grassy Lake Aid Station. From the Grassy Lake Aid, they will then turn onto the Harrison Trail and descend toward the Galloping Goose. When they reach the Goose, they cross over the Todd Creek Trestle and continue back to the start/finish line. 50km Route Description: Check out the map here: 50km RouteThe 50km course includes summiting Mt. Empress, Monument Mountain, and Mt. Quimper. The route is around 2000m of ascent but has long runnable sections. The route starts just below parking lot 2 of the Potholes Regional Park. Runners will head out on the Goose toward the campground and then return toward the start finish area along the Riverside Trail. From there they climb the Peden Lake Trail until the turnoff for Empress Mountain. Runners head towards and will be directed to summit Empress mountain and then turn back and continue on the Empress Mountain Trail until they reach the Lakes Connector/Shields Lake Trail. They will continue toward the Shields Lake Aid Station. From the Shields lake Aid Station, they continue on toward Grassy Lake and the Harrison Trail. Runners descend the Harrison Trail toward the Goose, then turn toward the Charter Creek Trestle and drop down onto the Grassy Lake Trail where there will be an Aid Station below the trestle. Runners climb the Grassy Lake Trail go over Monument Mountain and onto Grassy Lake and return to the Shields Lake Aid Station. From the Shields Lake Aid station, runners continue on the Lakes Connector toward the Sooke Mountain Road trail. They follow this trail until the Quimper Bike Push-up trail. They climb the Bike Push-up, descend the summit trail toward the Harbourview parking lot, where there will be another aid station. From the aid station, they climb the Sooke Mountain Park Road toward the Charter Creek Connector. They follow the Charter Creek Connector to the Grassy Lake Trail, and they descend the Grassy Lake Trail and climb back up to the Goose below the Charter Creek Trestle, then return along the Goose toward the start/finish.