The 2013 Wasatch Front 100 mile Endurance Run, Inc. starts at 5:00 AM sharp on Friday September 6, 2013. The race begins just past the entrance to the East Mountain Wilderness Park (650 North 1600 East) about 1/2 mile east of Highway 89 east of the Davis County Animal Shelter (about 17 miles north of Salt Lake City).  The 2013 online application period will begin 12/1/12 and will end 1/6/13.  The lottery will be the first Saturday in February 2013.

The Race: The Wasatch Front 100 is one of the most uniquely challenging ultrarunning events in the world. It is a study in contrasts: peaks and valleys; trail and scree; heat and cold; wet and dry; summer and winter; day and night; Desolation Lake and Point Supreme; "I can't" and "I will!" Dickens had the Wasatch in mind when he wrote, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." The primitive and isolated nature of the course is both its beauty and its challenge, for it requires the individual runner to rely primarily on himself or herself rather than the Race's support systems. Wasatch is not just distance and speed; it is adversity, adaptation and perseverance.

The Course: The Wasatch 100 is a point-to-point race that traverses the heart of the central Wasatch Mountains, one of the most beautiful ranges of the Rocky Mountains. The course begins in Kaysville, Utah, at East Mountain Wilderness Park running north to the Bonnevile Shoreline Trail to Fernwood Picnic Grounds, the foot of Francis Peak, and ascends nearly 5,000 feet in 9 miles to the ridge line. The trail then turns south and follows the crest of the Wasatch along Francis Peak Ridge, through Farmington Flats and Arthur's Fork, along Sessions Ridge, over City Creek Pass, Big Mountain Pass and Bald Mountain, through Parley's, Lamb's, and Millcreek Canyons, by Desolation Lake and along the Wasatch Crest trail, through Big Cottonwood and American Fork Canyons, and up to Pole Line Pass. After traversing along Mill Canyon Peak on the western side, the trail turns back north on its eastern side, down Pot Hollow Canyon, up to the Crest Road in Wasatch Mountain State Park, then drops down Lime Canyon slipping over to a snowshoe trail just before coming out on the Snake Creek road and the run to the finish at The Homestead in Midway, Utah.

Policy Regarding Dogs And Other Pets:  There are many areas along the Wasatch 100 course that are “watershed” and dogs are not allowed. During past runs there were support crew members issued tickets as a result of having their dogs with them. In addition, in the past race participants have complained about sanitation problems that arise as well as dogs that can be protective of their owner and somewhat aggressive.  In order to comply with Watershed and Forest Service regulations, and out of respect for the comfort and safety of race participants, dogs and other pets are prohibited from ALL venues of the Wasatch 100 Mile Endurance Run including aid stations, the pre-race meeting, the start and the finish. PLEASE PASS ON INFORMATION ABOUT THIS POLICY TO YOUR SUPPORT CREW AS WELL AS FAMILY AND FRIENDS WHO PLAN TO ATTEND THE RACE.

The Rules For Runners And Crews: Please help us. The Wasatch Mountains need your help to preserve and protect their incredible beauty. Please follow these guidelines.

1. Please respect private property near the trails. Do not trespass.
2. Do NOT litter. Carry all of your food, GU packages and torn tops, Power Bar wrappers, candy wrappers or bags, and any other trash to the aid station garbage sacks.
3. Pay any Forest Service fees or camping fees if needed.
4. Be respectful of all Forest Service officials. Be courteous to other trail users including Mountain Bikers even if they aren't following the rules of courtesy for trail use. Avoid confrontations. Surrender the trail to anyone on horseback as part of the rules of courtesy. Slow down and use caution in passing hikers.
5. Leave nothing on the trails but your footprints.
6. Please leave the areas you use cleaner than you found them.
7. ***FIRES*** Fires are only allowed in designated areas for picnic and camping facilities. Some years have a very high fire danger warning. Please obey the latest directive from the Forest Service concerning the fire danger potential.
8. Follow the Sanitation guidelines for human waste below. Use the LEAVE NO TRACE suggestions from the Forest Service. Some of the aid stations will have portable toilets stationed nearby. Please use them when possible. "In wildness is the preservation of the world." (Henry David Thoreau 1817-1862) Sanitation practices in the backcountry require extra effort to prevent pollution of the environment. Human waste: The main concerns with human waste are to speed decomposition, prevent water contamination and minimize the chance of discovery by others. "Cat holes" are the most generally accepted method of disposing of human waste in popular forested areas. Dig a small hole 6 to 8 inches deep in organic soil where microorganisms are present. When done, use a stick to mix your feces with soil, cover the hole with topsoil and camouflage the area. Large groups staying multiple days in one area may need to use a group latrine; however, human waste in a latrine may take years to decompose. Consult the Forest Service for information on how to properly use a latrine. Although some people bury toilet paper with their waste, it is better to pack it out in a plastic zip bag or burn it in a campfire. Few precautions are needed for urine other than to move well away from campsites, trails and water. Bathing: Washing in the backcountry is easy if you follow a few simple steps. If you find it necessary to use soap, use extra care not to get soap into water sources. Use a container to bring water at least 200 feet from lakes and streams, get wet, scrub and rinse yourself off. Dish water: Dishes should also be washed 200 feet from water. Pack out large food scraps and scatter dishwater away from water, camps and trails. Trash: Everything packed in that you don't eat or burn should be packed out, including: foil-lined drink packages, all plastics, extra food and cans. Even cigarette butts can, and should, be packed out in a plastic zip bag you can carry in your pocket.

The race committee has two sanctions for infractions of rules. First, disqualification means the runner will not appear as an official finisher in race results and will receive no award for placing. Second, future entry denied means that an application for another race will be returned.

Infractions Resulting In Disqualification:

• Short-cutting of the course
• Missing an aid station
• Getting in a moving vehicle
• Failing to remain at an aid station for medical evaluation on request of aid station personnel
• Failing to withdraw on request of race officials
• Impeding another runner

Infractions Resulting In Denial Of Future Entry:

• Running as a bandit
• Pacing or crewing for a bandit runner
• Having crew take cars to areas designated as off limits
• Disobeying Forest Service rules regarding disposal of human waste or mistreatment of the environment
• Littering
• Failing to respect private property
• Mistreating aid station personnel, runners, or pacers

The race committee asks that only one pacer be used at a time. Violation of this rule will result in disqualification. Runners are expected to behave in a sportsmanlike manner and the race committee reserves the right to impose sanctions for behavior not specifically mentioned here.

Along The Trail: The course follows footpaths, game trails and dirt roads, with a few short stretches of pavement, at altitudes from 5,000 to 10,480 feet. While much of the course follows well defined trails, there are stretches of sagebrush, scree, waist-high grass, and fist-sized cobblestones as well. Runners have encountered deer, elk, moose, porcupines, rattlesnakes, bear, mountain lions, sheep and sheepherders.

Pacers/Crews: Pacers are allowed for all runners from the Big Mountain aid station (39.4 miles) to the finish. Runners over the age of 60 may have a pacer from the start of the race to the finish. It is not intended that pacers serve as pack horses or physical assistants to their runners. The role of the pacer is to provide encouragement and support. While no hard fast rules have been adopted, the Wasatch Front Race Committee requests that pacers observe the ethics and refrain from carrying their runner's food and water, and exercise discretion in extending physical support. Vehicle pacing is disallowed.

A Note To Crews And Pacers: Welcome! Your participation in the Wasatch Front 100 is appreciated by your runner and the Wasatch Front 100 Mile Race Committee. You may be the difference between your runner having a wonderful experience or an agonizing journey in misery. Seeing you at aid stations and knowing you are cheering them on gives runners their biggest boost in morale and confidence. You can truly pull your runner through when the going gets tough.

Study the maps and aid station locations before hand so you are familiar with the routes, distances and time required reaching each aid station. Please remember that many of the roads you will be traveling on are steep, narrow and winding. The time that it takes to travel from aid station to aid station may be longer than expected for the distance. Please be safe and drive within the speed limits posted. Drive defensively at all times. It is common to feel an urgent need to hurry while traveling to the next aid station and develop "lead foot". Slow down and stay alert while driving. Thinking too far ahead is a distraction you can ill afford. Also, the nervous energy of anticipation somehow blunts normal hunger urges. Remember, crew and pacers need to eat regularly.

At this time the road going up Farmington Canyon to the Francis Peak aid station is closed due to a landslide. It is not known when or even if this road will again be open and as such runner crews are not allowed at the Francis Peak station. Big Mountain and Lamb's Canyon aid stations get extremely crowded. Please take only one car to these places. Please do not arrive more than one half hour before your runner and leave these crowded aid stations as soon as your runner starts for the next aid station in order to make room for others. Communications volunteers at the aid stations and at the Little Dell parking area can help you predict when your runner will arrive at Big Mountain and Lamb's Canyon. There is ample paking at the Brighton aid station but because of overcrowding in the station itself we ask that crews only enter the station while there runner is there.

Car pacing is not allowed. Do not follow along side your runner. This causes too much dust and makes breathing difficult for the runners behind you.

Be familiar with the food and drink needs as well as equipment and clothing requirements of your runner so that you will have the proper supplies ready when she/he arrives at the aid station. Pay particular attention to electrolyte depletion your runner may be facing. Please assist race management in keeping the trail and aid stations free of litter.

Be sure your runner checks IN and OUT OF the aid stations. If the decision to drop out becomes necessary, please be aware dropping out must be done ONLY at the aid stations, race officials must be notified, AND THE PAPERWORK COMPLETED BEFORE LEAVING THE COURSE! Runners can be held financially responsible for Search and Rescue attempts because of improperly dropping out.

The most important function of any crew or pacer is to insure the safety of their runner. Know your runner's strong and weak points. Pacers are very helpful to their runners if they learn the course they will be pacing and the approximate distances to various landmarks. Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of dehydration, hypothermia and altitude sickness. Ultrarunners frequently brag about "being dead and buried" at various times during the race and yet somehow continue on to finish the race. There is a very fine line between discomfort and real distress. There is difficulty balancing the need for runners to face and overcome adversity and the need to avoid serious injury. Most runners will experience mild symptoms, but will be able to keep running or at least walking. Don't unnecessarily discourage your runner, but watch out for potentially serious problems. Participants will often feel better by just leaving the aid station and getting moving again. Runners will all have highs and lows and the lows usually get lower later in the race.

Good luck with the pep talks!

Transportation To The Start: We request that no one leave cars at the start as there is very limited parking. There will be buses to transport runners to the start from downtown Salt Lake City and we encourage runners to use this service. There is no additional charge to ride the bus. Runners who ride the bus and wish to leave items at the start may bring a drop bag on the bus and leave it at the start. These drop bags may be picked up at the finish with the other drop bags.

Weather: Temperatures during the race have typically ranged from 25 to 85 F. Often there is mild, perfect-running weather, however, one year fresh snow fell on Catherine's Pass with a wind chill measured below zero, and another had trail temperatures at sometimes over 100 F. Another year was rainy and muddy both days with low clouds limiting visibility. Humidity in Utah is often very low and may contribute to severe dehydration without the proper fluid intake.

Be Prepared: This event is extremely demanding, and should only be undertaken by athletes in excellent physical condition. All entrants should be familiar with basic first-aid, and know the symptoms and treatment for heat exhaustion, hypothermia, frostbite, and altitude sickness. Some course sections between aid stations exceed nine miles. Runners should be well-equipped to care for themselves and effect self-rescue if necessary. Only runners who can demonstrate successful ultrarunning experience or its equivalent will be considered for entry.

Training Runs: The Race Committee highly recommends that you run as much of the course as possible before race day. For information about informal training runs and trail conditions information please watch the Bulletins section of the web page.