The James Stampede Ultra

Description:

Please note – this is a full on “adventure mountain-run” with multiple river crossings, an average altitude of 850m (highest point just over 1300m) and several short sections with no physical track on the ground e.g. across “the racecourse” and down “the bums rush”. Runners will start the 50 km run with an immediate gradual climb all the way to the top of Fowlers Pass. From the top of Fowlers (4.5km) there is a sharp drop following a zigzag track down into a tributary of the Stanley River. Following the creek down runners will soon cross the Stanley for the first of 11 times! At around the 12 km mark runners start the new loop to Lake Guyon and back to the first major aid station (16km) prior to passing by the historic Stanley Vale hut.

Continuing down the Stanley River for another 12 – 15km runners will experience several more river crossings and a couple of minor climbs/descents before a big climb out of the Stanley up onto “The Racecourse”, traversing “The Racecourse” runners will complete another climb up onto the tops above Scotties Camp and the Edwards River. From here they will have a significant descent (the bums rush) – following a steep tussock spur with no track, down onto the Edwards 4×4 track and the 2nd major aid station – just below Charlie’s Saddle at about the 34km mark.

From here runners will follow the 4×4 track up the Edwards valley (crossing the river 3 times) where (at around the 44km mark) they will have one last short-sharp climb up into Peter’s Valley from where they will have an overall descent via Peters Valley, into the finish at the St James Homestead.

When we say Come run with the wild things we mean it – there is every chance of seeing Chamois, red deer, wild pigs and many different bird species including if you’re really lucky Kea and falcons.