Open Cascades · Oct 3, 2026
A 25K trail race in the Cascades — 15.5 miles of gravel, single-track, and mountain weather at Snoqualmie Pass. Now directed by our friends at Cielo Running.
The race
Hyak Passage is built around the tunnel, the lake, and a full day in the Cascades. With 1,800 feet of gain and more than half the course on smooth gravel, it's approachable by trail-race standards without losing the trail-race parts: mountain weather, single-track, aid stations, cutoffs, and a real finish line.
Timing is used for tracking and safety; public results are not posted. Race it hard, run steady, or use the generous 7.5-hour limit to take in the tunnel, Annette Lake, and the place itself.
The tunnel
The Snoqualmie Tunnel is over 110 years old, and there is no light inside. You pass through it twice — once at the start and once near the finish. Headlamps are mandatory.
Built in 1914 as a railroad passage through the Cascades, the tunnel sits on the Palouse to Cascades Trail and closes for the winter shortly after race day — one of the last chances to pass through it before the season ends.
Course Map
Hyak Trailhead to Annette Lake and back. Two aid stations, two tunnel passages, 15.5 miles. View interactive map on CalTopo
Start at Hyak Trailhead and immediately enter the Snoqualmie Tunnel — 2.25 miles of complete darkness through a 110-year-old railroad passage. Headlamps on. Emerge into daylight and continue along the wide, smooth gravel of the Palouse to Cascades Trail to the Annette Lake junction.
Leave the gravel and climb the Annette Lake Trail — moderate single-track through forest, rooty and rocky in places. The Lake Aid Station sits at mile 7 beside the alpine lake. Then descend to the Annette Lake Trailhead, where the full-service Trailhead Aid Station waits at mile 10.5.
Climb back up the Annette Lake Trail for one mile, then turn left onto the Palouse to Cascades Trail. The final 4.25 miles retrace the opening in reverse — smooth gravel, then the tunnel one last time, and finish where you started at Hyak Trailhead.
On course
Water, chips, and assorted cookies or candy. Volunteers hike everything 3.5 miles to get it here — there is no road access to the lake — so supplies stay minimal. First aid and hygiene products available.
Water, chips, cookies or candy, pickles, Gnarly electrolyte, PB&J, fresh fruit, and gels — plus first aid and hygiene products, drop-bag access, and the only crew-access point.
Volunteers track every participant at each aid station, so wear your bib visibly on the front of your body. Anyone who clears the Trailhead cutoff receives an official finish, even if they cross the line after 4:30 PM.
Race day
The Snoqualmie Tribe welcomes people who respectfully enjoy their ancestral lands. They ask that visitors recreate in moderation, stay on designated trails, and support the Tribe's stewardship and education efforts. We are guests here.
Logistics
Start and finish at the Hyak Trailhead on the Palouse to Cascades Trail. Take I-90 east to Exit 54 and follow the event parking signs: Hyak Dr E toward HWY 906, left toward the WA State DOT facility, 0.4 miles, right, then right again into the trailhead parking area.
A Washington State Discover Pass is required — $10 day pass or $30 annual, available online or at the trailhead. Proceeds go directly to the park system.
A headlamp is mandatory — the tunnel is 2.25 miles with zero light. Bring adequate hydration and nutrition for your effort, plus layers for variable October mountain weather.
One drop bag per person at the Trailhead Aid Station (mile 10.5). Bring your own bag and label it with your name and bib. Volunteers transport bags out and back; they return to the finish after the aid station closes around 3:30 PM.
The Annette Lake Trailhead is the only place crew can see you on course — a 12–15 minute drive from the start, with limited parking and a road that can be rough.
Annette Lake is U.S. Forest Service land: a NW Forest Pass, America the Beautiful / Interagency Pass, or a USFS day pass are valid. The Washington State Discover Pass is not valid at the crew trailhead.
Yellow-and-black arrow signs at every junction, plus pink-and-black checkered confidence ribbons about every half mile.
Costumes are encouraged — but keep them culturally respectful and non-gory, with nothing that mocks groups of people or appropriates cultures. The tunnel is already scary enough.
Partners
Pricing