PORT ANGELES — The last race of the year by Peninsula Adventure Sports is the Salt Creek 24, but it’s not too early for participants to talk about it, as it has a bit of a twist beyond just straight competition.
The event takes place on Oct. 25-26, with 24 hours for people to run or walk as many loops as they like around the scenic Salt Creek Recreation Area. Participants circle the park in a 1.3-mile loop on a combination of paved and unpaved surfaces, while enjoying expansive views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, towering evergreens and vivid green moss and ferns, as well as a bit of World War II history. It can be done either as an individual or as a relay team.
But this event has something extra from all the other Peninsula Adventure Sports events. Salt Creek 24 provides the opportunity to host individuals and relay teams that want to raise funds for their chosen cause. The fundraising is optional, but it provides an opportunity for local clubs and charities to make some money if they like adventure.
“We compare it to the ‘Relay for Life’ events that used to happen on the Olympic Peninsula years ago, which were very popular,” said Carmen Geyer of Rain Bear Running Club, a co-organizer of the race. “There are a few key differences, however.”
“The biggest difference is that participants can choose their own charity,” she said. “You can raise funds for one of our pre-selected local or regional nonprofits, or for any cause that’s meaningful to you. Unlike the old Relay for Life model, which relied on paper pledges and cash donations, everything is done online. Donations and pledges are processed through our registration system and go directly to the charity’s bank account; no need to collect anything in person.”
She added, “And of course, instead of circling a high school track, this event takes place at the beautiful Salt Creek Recreation Area.”
“This event is designed to allow for folks wanting to either walk or run, and there is no requirement to be on the course for the entire 24 hours. Teams can set up their relay any way they like, said co-organizer and Peninsula Adventure Sports owner Lorrie Mittmann.
Teams and individuals can design their relay fundraiser to be any time frame they like shorter than 24 hours. They also can take breaks and do not have to have someone on the course at all times. Participants can go on and off the course as much as they like. The lap counter will pick up the counting chip as soon as people go back onto the course.
The “shifts” also don’t have to be equal. For example, one relay team member can commit to 30 minutes and another for two hours. And different people can take a different number of turns throughout the event. It’s all by their individual design.
The first step is to choose a charity. Pre-set-up charities include Peninsula Trails Coalition (Olympic Discovery Trail), 4PA, North Olympic Healthcare Network, Olympic Medical Center Foundation, Seattle Children’s Hospital, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (WA Chapter), Peninsula College Foundation, Peninsula Dispute Resolution and Old Dog Haven.
If people want to set up their own charity, contact Geyer at rainbearrunning@gmail.com or Mittmann at lorrie.mittmann@gmail.com to add their charity as a Charity Partner for Salt Creek 24. People will need to provide the name and email address of the person at their charity that has authorization to connect the bank account of the organization. There is a step-by-step guide to becoming a fundraising team at Salt-Creek-24.com.
Co-organizer Amy German explained “in 2024, the people fundraising for their charities collectively raised over $7,000. I believe that a dedicated fundraising team could easily raise thousands for their cause. What is mainly needed is a good team leader.”
A round-the-clock food station will be provided in the picnic shelter at the park. There are special themes like “mashed potato hour” and “bacon hour” just to name a few. Campsites are available at the park, either by reservation directly through the park, or as First Come First Serve if you indicate it on your registration. Teams can also set up a pop-up canopy that can be used round the clock if nobody will be sleeping at the park, and just popping in and out.
“We want to express our gratitude to Clallam County Parks. They have been so supportive and we appreciate how much they believe in our event,” Mittmann said.
The organizers would also like to thank community partners North Olympic Healthcare Network and Port of Port Angeles, sponsors Welly’s Real Fruit Ice Cream and Olympus Plumbing, as well as Lodging Tax partners City of Port Angeles, Clallam County and the Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau.
For more information about the event itself, go to Salt-Creek-24.com
