Mount Wilson trail race returns Saturday

The Mount Wilson Trail Race is set to return to its traditional mountain course in Sierra Madre on Saturday, May 23, after volunteer trail work reopened damaged sections and restored the event’s usual format. Organizers say the race will again run 8.6 miles from Kersting Court to Orchard Camp and back, reversing the disruption that forced a shortened alternative event in 2025. Local coverage by the Pasadena Star-News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune said volunteer repairs made it possible to restore the original route and aid-station setup. The race website lists a 7:30 a.m. start and same-day packet pickup beginning at 6 a.m. ### Why is this year different from last year? The 2025 event was not run on the mountain course after the Eaton Fire and subsequent rains damaged the Mount Wilson Trail and led to closures, according to race organizers and local reports. Pasadena Now reported that the fire destroyed 24 sections of trail and that organizers shifted runners to a downtown Sierra Madre 5K recovery event instead of the historic climb. (sgvtribune.com) This year, organizers say the race is back on the trail itself. The official race page says the 2026 edition will be held “on the Mount Wilson Trail to Orchard Camp and back,” restoring the route that has defined the event for generations. ### What exactly was repaired? The Mount Wilson Trail Race website says volunteer trail-maintenance crews have been working on both the Mount Wilson Trail and Bailey Canyon Trail, describing the work as dangerous, difficult and slow. (pasadenanow.com) A separate fundraising page says the Eaton Fire in January 2025 and later atmospheric-river rains in 2025 and 2026 damaged or destroyed parts of the trail and caused additional washouts even in sections that had already been fixed. (mountwilsontrailrace.com) The donation page says repairs require reinforcement and redesign, and that community volunteers have been supplying the labor while donations cover equipment, materials and tools. It also says neither the City of Sierra Madre nor the U.S. Forest Service provides funding for supplies or labor tied to that work. ### What is the course this weekend? (mountwilsontrailrace.com) The 2026 race will use the full 8.6-mile out-and-back course from Kersting Court to Orchard Camp, according to the official race site and registration listings. Third-party race listings and local event notices match that description and place the event in Sierra Madre on Saturday morning. The race website also says the traditional setup is back, including the mountain route itself and race-day programming around Kersting Court. (runsignup.com) Organizers list packet pickup at 6 a.m., the main race at 7:30 a.m. and the Kids’ Fun Run at 7:45 a.m. ### Who made the return possible? Volunteer crews are central to the restoration effort, according to organizers and local news reports. (mountwilsontrailrace.com) The San Gabriel Valley Tribune report said volunteer repairs allowed the race to return to its old form, while the official donation page says community volunteers have worked “tirelessly and continuously” to rebuild and restore the trail. (mountwilsontrailrace.com) The same fundraising page says work will continue after race day. Bailey Canyon repairs have begun and are expected to continue later in 2026, while Mount Wilson Trail remains the priority for the volunteer maintenance crew. ### What happens on Saturday? Saturday, May 23, is race day in Sierra Madre, with event activity beginning before sunrise. (sgvtribune.com) The official schedule lists packet pickup at 6 a.m., the Mount Wilson Trail Race at 7:30 a.m. and the Kids’ Fun Run at 7:45 a.m., along with booths and other community events in Kersting Court. The Fletcher Trail Maintenance Fund remains open for donations on the race registration platform and the event website, where organizers say contributions will support continued repairs on Mount Wilson Trail and Bailey Canyon later in 2026. (runsignup.com) (mountwilsontrailrace.com)