Cascadian Wilderness Endurance Series - Big Jim and the Chiwaukum

The Cascadian Wilderness Endurance Series events present an exciting opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts to participate in a multimedia adventure blogging contest. These self-supported/unsupported events are open to trail runners, backpackers, fastpackers, and hikers, and each event features a unique and defined route which participants must complete on foot and in one push. Unlike traditional endurance races, there are no course markings or aid stations along the way, providing participants with the freedom to create their own adventure. It’s all up to you! Participants can choose to tackle the route solo or with a couple friends. There are no cutoffs, so participants can take as much time as they need to complete the route without pressure. This unique event is not just about the physical challenge or exploring wild and beautiful places, but also about the opportunity to capture and share the beauty of the wilderness through captivating multimedia content.

After finishing your route, share your trip report about your experience. You can do this by posting in the Facebook group, tagging us in an Instagram post, making a YouTube video, creating a photo album, or any other artistic endeavor you can imagine. Submit your time via the event page on Ultrasignup. If you have a GPS track, please include it. If you happened to get the FKT for the year, you must provide GPS proof. Each year a meetup will be held in Seattle to wrap up the previous year, kick off the next year, make any big announcements about new routes or changes, and hand out patches, awards, and prizes for the previous year’s participants. If you are unable to attend the event, arrangements can be made to mail your patches to you. We strongly encourage all entrants to join the CWES Facebook Group and/or follow the @CascadianWildernessEndurance Instagram to ask questions about the routes, gather and share trail beta, connect with other participants, scope out the competition, and keep up to date on the most recent news, information, and general goings on.

Big Jim and the Chiwaukum Bring up trails in the Leavenworth area and most will immediately think of the crowded paths leading through the ever increasingly popular Enchantments. But just to the north lays another range of mountains, the Chiwaukum Range. The area offers rugged peaks, alpine lakes nestled in hidden basins, deep valleys surrounded by cascading waterfalls, and lush green meadows. They also offer something that the Enchantments doesn’t; solitude. In my four trips into this mountain range, I have encountered deer, mountain goats, and marmots, but not another human. In my creation of this route I wanted to satisfy a few key requirements. First, it had to be very accessible. Second, I wanted a route that wouldn’t require a long shuttle. So while this is a point-to-point, the beginning and ending trailhead are within three miles of each other. Third, I wanted to create a route that would be challenging for most, but at the same time possible to complete even for those who don’t have extensive trail running experience. In fact, quite a bit of this route is not very runnable, with five or six miles of unmaintained trail that will require the traveler to have a background in navigation. I also believe that one will find that views and solitude are worth the “extra work”.

Why should you pay $20 to complete one of the endurance challenges? A small part of the fee will go to cover website maintenance and domain registration, as well as getting patches made and other small goodies/swag. The majority of this fee will be donated to trail maintenance organizations. The goal is to empower people to get out into these wilderness areas and hopefully to protect them into the future.