Whiteface Mountain Races
Whiteface
With more vertical gain and loss per mile than possibly any other race in the United States, Whiteface is burly. Your legs will be reduced to Jello, your lungs worked, but you'll have completed a pretty incredible feat. Sound fun? Yeah, we agree. Be sure to take a moment to stop, look up toward some of the best mountain runners in the world shuffling forward to the finish, back toward fellow entrants of all ages, shapes, and sizes moving toward the summit, and around at the brilliant Adirondack Peaks enveloping you. You don't get any of those sights often…soak it up.
Date
July 12, 2025
Location
Whiteface Mountain Ski Resort
5021 NY-86, Wilmington, NY
Metrics
MMR:
1 Loop: ~ 6.5 Miles / 10.5k, ~3,800’ G/L
2 Loops: ~ 13.1 Miles / 21k, ~7,700’ G/L
Ascent:
~2.3 miles / 4k, ~ 3,100’ Vert Gain
Weekend Timeline
Friday, July 11
16:00 – 20:00: All – Events Check-In
Permitted Race Morning unless under heat index. In that case race start times Saturday will be earlier (MR) and later (Uphill). In that instance check-in for MR will be mandatory Friday afternoon (friend can pickup bib).
Location:
Whiteface Mountain lodge deck overlooking Gondola
Saturday, July 12
06:00 - 07:25
Raceday check-in at staging area
If under heat index, 06:00 will become start time
07:30: Marshak's Mountain Race
Consists of 1 or 2 lollipop’ish loop on the mountain
Aid Stations (Water, Electrolyte Drink, munchies @ summit)
Mid-Mountain: 1.2, 4.8
Summit: 2.8
11:00 - 12:50
Ascent Check-In / Registration
13:30: Mountain Race Course Cutoff
13:30*: WF Ascent Start
*Timeline will kick back to later afternoon / evening if event is under a heat index.
Finish is at the top of Whiteface’s Summit Lift. Finishers will descend to Little Whiteface for a Gondola ride to the base, or all by foot.
13:40*: Kids Klimber Participants Board Gondola
14:00*: Kids Klimber Start on Little Whiteface
Sunday, July 13
08:00: Locals-Led other trail / ADK peak group
Reg & Event Options
Saturday will open w/ the Marshak Mountain Race. Entrants will have two options. One, bite off a burly single Alpine Circuit of ~10k distance w/ roughly 3,800’ of elevation gain and loss. Or, bite off a rather ridiculous second serving, sending a 21k distance with roughly 7,600’ of elevation gain and loss. Course cutoff time for the 2 Loop 21k will be 6 hours and the requirement to clear loop one in 2 hours 40 minutes.
The afternoon will offer another round in the form of the Ascent race, a fairly direct steep shot from the resort’s base to summit, gaining roughly 3,100’ of elevation over 2.3 miles. Course cutoff will be 2 hours, 40 minutes., and clear Mid-Mountain Aid at 1.2 miles under 1 hour 15 minutes.
Entrants can register for each race, or double up for the combo in the form of the Vert Junky. Vertical gluttons capable of pulling of two loops and setting off for a final Ascent in the uphill race will have put in nearly 11,000’ of gain in the day.
Also in the afternoon will be the Kids Klymber, a 1'ish mile ascent from the top of the Gondola to finish alongside the Ascent line and geared towards kids and their parents.
The Sunday group runs are low key social adventures on area trails or small peaks. No charge. Details later.
The Courses
The lollipop configuration Marshak Mountain Race will make use of mountain utility roads, grassy and/or hummocky slopes, and a blend of ascents and descents of up to 64% grade. All told it’ll cover roughly 3,500’ of gain and loss over 10k. You’ll red line the ascents, your quads will turn to jello on the descents, and you’ll hopefully love having finished one of the toughest courses in North America.
Marshak Mountain Race
The Ascent format takes us back to the original Sky Series VK. It’s about as direct as we can get you up the mountain, covering roughly 3,100’ of elevation gain in 2.3 miles. It’s a direct steep line, combining grassy alpine ski slopes, dirt utility road, and hummocky alpine terra. It forgoes silly North American switchbacks in favor of shorter, steeper, bolder.
Staging Area
Whiteface Ascent