With a new route officially decided upon, the 13th Banded Peak Challenge for Easter Seals Camp Horizon is ready to run July 20.
The brand new track will start at the West Bragg Creek Provincial Recreation Area, with participants heading down Moose Road, a wide logging road, towards Moose Packers trail.
Traditionally, the event starts at the Little Elbow Provincial Recreation Area in Kananaskis Country and sees participants battling an all-day, return 27-km bike and 10-km hike to the summit of Banded Peak Mountain.
But with last month’s flooding rendering the recreation area closed, event organizers found themselves searching for a new route for the Challenge.
But this Saturday (July 20) challengers will travel — by foot and bicycle — Moose Road to Moose Mountain Trail and back.
“The trails at West Bragg are still quite wet, but are in good enough condition to accommodate the challenge,” said Heather McCormick, event manager at Easter Seals Alberta.
She warned that since the flooding there is more gravel and ruts on the trails, along with some debris altering the roads, but that the damage should be easy to avoid.
The new track covers about 28 km — about 10 km less than the usual route.
“It’s a little shorter than the old trail, but we’ve packed in some good hills,” said Anna Garcia, director of operations at Easter Seals Camp Horizon. “Competitors will not be getting off easy.”
McCormick said there are about 100 participants registered for the event. She said registration caps at 200.
Registrants can check in at the West Bragg Creek Provincial Recreation Area between 6:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. the day of the challenge. Participants should be on the trail no later than 10 a.m.
There is a registration fee of $100, which could be waived by collecting pledges. The proceeds from the event will go towards the operation and programs at Camp Horizon.
Easter Seals Camp Horizon is a unique camp opportunity for kids with disabilities and a leading outdoor recreation venue for all abilities. Each year, 7,500 individual visit the facility, 1,600 of which are children or adults with special needs.
For details, visit bandedpeakchallenge.com.
