Run BC Project 2016 Day 1: Keystone Standard Basin Trail

Livin the dream at Run BC2 with this rad crew of ladies!

Woweeee!  I just got home from an amazing week running and playing in some of BC's most spectacular single track with the 2016 edition of the Run BC Project and my heart (and SD cards) are full to the brim.  I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to spend a week in the wilderness with such a fantastic group of ladies, enjoying the beauty that our province has to offer and celebrating the gifts of health and life.  After 2 weeks of epic scenery in Iceland, Run BC was a gorgeous reminder that our province has just as much relentless beauty and out of this world terrain as the 'land of ice'.  Thanks to Jen Segger of Challenge by Choice Coaching in Squamish for organizing such a great trip and to Icebreaker for sponsoring the adventure with an amazing kit of beautiful clothing for all of the ladies.  Yes, I know how lucky I am!

Day 1: Keystone Standard Basin Trail: Revelstoke

Day 2: Asulkan Valley Trail: Glacier National Park
Day 3: Iceline Trail: Yoho National Park
Day 4: Abbott Ridge Trail: Glacier National Park
Day 5: Nakusp Hotsprings Trail

I will post trip reports for each of the trails that we explored on this year's adventure along with my favourite images of each day.  Be sure to check out my trip report from last years Run BC Project as well!

Flowers like you have never seen before!

Run BC Project Day 1: Keystone Standard Basin Trail, Revelstoke

Distance: 22kms total,  11kms each way, out and back to Keystone Cabin, 600m elevation gain.
Directions: head just north of Revelstoke (just past the town exit) and take Hwy 23 on the left.  Travel about 8kms past the Mars creek bridge and then turn right onto the Keystone FSR (gravel) for 16kms and park at the trail head.
Map: Revelstoke Trails
Bring: Bug spray(insane horse and black flies), bear spray (grizzly country!), camera(and spare cards!) and emergency communication device such as the Delorme inReach (no cell service).

Fairytale flowers the entire way.

The Keystone Basin trail is considered a bucket list trail for hikers, bikers and trail runners in the Revelstoke area.  After visiting the region and experiencing the trail first hand, I can't believe that it isn't in a protected park area!  Just as spectacular (if not more so) as the scenery in Revelstoke National Park, this trail really is a piece of single track heaven.

Singletrack for days...

The trail begins with a short climb through small sub alpine forest to reach the open meadows of the basin.  Once you are up top, the trail holds a fairly steady elevation and contours the entire basin through endless meadows of wildflowers.  If you time it right, you will be blown away by the density of wild flowers in this lush basin.  Our timing was perfect!  I have never seen such a thick carpet of colours that stretched out in all directions, as far as the eye could see.  It was like a fairytale land and all of the photo stops made for pretty slow travel lol!  Red Paintbrush, Arctic Lupin, Western Anemone and many more wild flowers covered the landscape all around us.  It really was a trail running dream...

Trail Running dreams...

Once you look up from the flower show, you will realize that the view in the distance is just as spectacular.  Massive, snow and glacier capped mountains fill the landscape directly across the valley.  It is truly impossible to take a bad photo up there!

Almost to the halfway point ...

Cooling off in the half way pond!

The trail itself is mostly non-technical, with a few sections of roots and rocks underfoot.  The trail includes short uphill sections (in both directions!) and would have most bikers hike-a-biking every now and then.  After traversing the basin, the trail travels down to a series of meadows and finally to a small lake beside the Keystone cabin.  This is a great spot for a quick lunch and cooldown (before the bugs eat you alive lol).  The bugs were fine while we were on the move, but they got pretty crazy if you stayed in one spot for too long.

Subalpine singletrack and the sweet raspberry short team!  Thanks for the amazing kit this year Icebreaker!!

One of many lovely creeks to cool off in on a hot day.

Out and back, this trail provides double the views, double the wildflowers and double the joy as you get to enjoy it all again on the way home.  I can't recommend this trail enough- be sure to check it out next time you are in the Stoke!

The 2016 Run BC Project crew in paradise:)