Dion Switzerville Red Barn Snowshoe Race – Course Description

The Start

The course for the Dion Switzerville Red Barn Snowshoe Race features a combination of everything that makes snowshoe running fun and exciting. There are wide trails through open fields to allow for passing, beautiful single track trails winding through the woods, long gradual downhills where you can really open up your stride and a couple of short, but challenging uphills to keep you honest. 

Rosie's Trail

All of this will take place in a very natural setting with the emphasis on enjoying a wonderful wilderness experience. We are sure that you will love the route that we’ve designed, as well as the beautiful and historic venue. 

Jack's Hill

The start will take place on the north side of Switzerville Road, just across the road from the barn. Runners will loop through the north hayfield, before crossing the road and passing through the finish line at the 1km mark. 

Pat's Cabin

You will then head out on the main loop of the course. Passing an inukshuk you will head south through the night pasture towards the ‘Horse Track’ (that is now grown over). Winding around trees through narrow single track, you then descend a gradual hill into the ‘Old Sugar Bush’. A short jaunt along the Trans Canada Pipeline brings you out to the ‘South Meadow’ where you will loop around before heading north through ‘Grandma Rosie’s Trail’ (look for the pieces of yarn that Rosie used to mark the early route through the trees when the trails were first being developed for this race). 

Pat's Lane

You will then climb the steepest hill on the course. ‘Jack’s Hill’ is short, but fairly steep. A rope has been attached to trees along the right side of the trail to assist in getting up the hill if the trail is icy. 

There will be a self serve aid station just after the top of Jack’s Hill. We will have water and sport drink available at this point in a cooler beside the trail. This is an unmanned aid station, so please help yourself, but leave any garbage at the aid station. 

Following the aid station, runners will then descend down ‘Pat’s Trail’ and towards ‘Andy’s Forest’. The course then climbs north and features the final uphill of the route, before looping through a beautiful mix of evergreens and hardwoods. 

Once you reach ‘Pat’s Cabin’ you will have less than one kilometer to go in the race. The trail then heads north on ‘Pat’s Lane’ before crossing through the fence-line where you will be able to see the Red Barn and only have about a half a kilometer to go to the finish line. 

One more section of field and you’ll pass through the final fence and be ready for one last sprint to the finish. 

There will be a bonfire with plenty of hot camp food to warm you up following the race at the finish line. 

Dion Switzerville Red Barn Snowshoe Race - Course Map (6.4km)