Overview Mount Rainier Trail Events is a weekend of mountain trail races at Crystal Mountain Resort in Washington, on the northeast edge of Mount Rainier National Park. Vacation Races, the national-park race series run by Motiv Sports, holds it each July with three distances: a 5K hill climb and a downhill 10K on Friday, and a half marathon on Saturday that starts at the summit. Every registration includes an all-day pass on the Mt. Rainier Gondola, so runners ride up for the views and the start line. On site The expo and bib pickup run Friday afternoon in Lot B at the resort base. The 5K hill climb has a rolling start through the afternoon and gains about 2,300 feet on technical dirt trail, then runners ride the gondola back down. The 10K goes off from the summit that evening and runs downhill to the base, followed by an awards ceremony. On Saturday the gondola opens early for runners, and the half marathon starts at the top, drops through forest, ridgelines and wildflower meadows with technical footing the whole way, and finishes at the base. Runners can camp on site in a gravel-lot campground, and the resort sells powered RV spots. Aid stations are cup-free. Audience Most runners are seasoned trail runners, and many stay the whole weekend. At the most recent event about six in ten runners were women and the biggest age group was 25 to 34. Many stack races: the Sasquatch Double pairs the hill climb and the half, and the Mountain Goat Triple adds the 10K. Across the series nine in ten runners visit a national park while in town. Talent and Influencers There is no paid elite field. Course record holders race free every year their mark stands. Place medals go five deep overall, for masters and in every age group, which keeps the front of the pack busy long after the winners finish. Charity runners race on Wander Project bibs and can have their entry fee waived once they reach their fundraising goal, with the money going to the communities and wild places around the parks. Track record The event has grown from a single half marathon into a three-race weekend, and its course records go back several years. The most recent weekend drew more than 1,300 runners across the three races, and the Vacation Races series as a whole brings over 30,000 runners a year to events in and around the national parks. Brand presence HotelPlanner books discounted race-weekend rooms and Runna is the official training app. MacDonald-Miller, Honey Stinger, Grüns, Siete Foods, Kate's Real Food, That's it., Rowdy Legend, Aloe Up, Good Wipes and Sawyer are also partners. Sponsors can brand the finish arch, course signage, race shirt and race page, run a booth at the Friday expo, sample at aid stations and the finish, get announcer mentions at both awards ceremonies, and reach runners through emails, the digital race guide, blog and social posts.