Pack Trail Race

🏞️ Race Overview

The original "Pack Trail" was a trail from the Port of Valdez to Eagle, Alaska built in 1898 by the US Army to provide an "All-American" route to the Klondike Goldfields. When the gold rush ended, the Army kept the trail open to connect its posts, Fort Liscum in Valdez and Fort Egbert in Eagle. By 1910, it had grown into one of the most important access routes to interior Alaska and at that time it was upgraded into a wagon road. These upgrades were overseen by US Army General Wilds P. Richardson, for whom the final "Highway" was named.

🛤️ Trail History

• Historic Background: The pack trail was abandoned as the wagon road and Richardson Highway followed the Lowe River.
• Rediscovery: The trail remained forgotten for nearly 90 years until it was relocated and cleared in 1997 and 1998.
• Restoration Efforts: The clearing was done with hand tools in order to retain something of the original spirit of 1899.
• Legacy: Glimpses of the original telegraph line (installed in 1900) can still be seen along the trail.

🌊 Trail Condition

In the fall of 2006, severe floods damaged the trail and washed out several important bridges, as well as portions of the Richardson Highway through Keystone Canyon. Join us on August 23rd to run an out and back on this amazing piece of Valdez history.

🚦 Race Limitations

• Entrant Limit: THERE WILL BE A 40 ENTRANT LIMIT TO THIS RACE.
• Date: August 23, 2025
• Location: Old Richardson Highway Trailhead, Valdez, AK
• Registration: For more details and to register, visit Pack Trail Race.