present

170 KM

Friday August 21th, 2026, 12 p.m. - Poste d'accueil John, Réserve faunique de Matane

REGISTRATIONS

Linéaire

9 500 m

1 139 m

50 hrs

100

18 +

course

This linear race takes off at the entrance to the Chic-Chocs, close to the welcome station at Réserve Faunique de Matane. Following the International Appalachian Trail (IAT) for 170 km, the finish is at the UTCC Village at the bottom of Mont-Albert.

The first 37 km section takes you to the first peaks of the Chic-Chocs (Charles-Édouard Vézina, aux Perches, William Price, Petchedez and Nid de l'Aigle). A brutal alternation of ascents and descents on ultra-technical trails all the way to the Lac Matane camp. Progress will be very slow on these trails. Of particular note is the final 1.5 km descent from the Nid de l'Aigle for 400 m of descent towards the Lac Matane aid station. The valley of Lac Matane will fill you with wonder as you refuel.

The second 44 km section begins by heading east up the Lac Matane valley to the foot of Mont Nicol Albert on the Rivière Cap-Chat. Once again, you'll cross several Chic-Chocs peaks, including Le Craggy, Le Pointu, the famous Mont Blanc and its spectacular views, and finish with the steep descent of Nicol Albert. The trails remain extremely technical, and progress will once again be very slow on this section.

With the halfway point now behind you, a 38 km stretch will take you to Lac Thibault. You'll then begin a beautiful, gradual 10 km ascent to the summit of Mont Matawee, one of our Chic-Chocs favourites. You'll then leave the Réserve Faunique de Matane to enter the Parc National de la Gaspésie and reach the summit of Mont Logan at 1150 m altitude. The remainder of the IAT up to Lac Thibault will take you over several peaks at over 1000 m altitude, all on highly technical trails. However, there are a few places where you can stretch your legs even further.

The fourth and final 50 km section is a real eye-catcher, with passes over Pic du Brûlé, Mont du Milieu and the legendary Mont-Albert, the emblematic figure of the Chic-Chocs. Once again, the elevation gain will be considerable on this section. Nevertheless, it should be the "rolling " part of the route. The final kilometers at the base of Mont-Albert will take you all the way to the finish line at the UTCC Village.

ALTERNATIVE PATHWAY

The UTCC takes place in the protected area of caribou habitat, a vulnerable species,
so the race course could be modified if a sector is closed due to the presence of individuals on the trail.

CHECKPOINTS

POSTE D'ACCUEIL JOHN / 0 KM / LIQUID

RUISSEAU PITOUNE / 12 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

LAC TOMBEREAU / 25 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

LAC MATANE / 37 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

LAC GROS RUISSEAU / 47 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

MONT-BLANC / 59 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

LAC BEAULIEU / 66 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

PETIT-SAULT / 80 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

RUISSEAU BASCON / 87 KM / FIRST AID

NYCTALE / 98 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

CAROUGE / 108 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

HUARD - LAC THIBAULT / 118 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

PIC-DU-BRÛLÉ / 123 KM / FIRST AID

CASCAPEDIA / 137 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

LA PARULINE / 147 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

LA GRANDE CUVE / 158 KM / FIRST AID

LA SERPENTINE / 161 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

UTCC VILLAGE / 170 KM / LIQUID AND SOLID

time limits

Lac Matane : Saturday 1 a.m.
Petit Sault : Saturday 1:50 p.m.
Huard (Lac Thibault) : Sunday 1:10 a.m.
Cascapédia : Sunday 6:45 a.m.

PREREQUISITES

For safety reasons, due to the technical nature of the course and the remote environment where the event takes place, a prerequisite is required to register for the 170 km.

To participate, you must have completed an official race of 100 km or more within the last 3 years (2023 to 2025).

The UTCC-88 is the only race under 100 km that qualifies for the UTCC-170. To be recognized, you must have completed the 88 km within the time limits.

What is not accepted:

A stage race
A distance completed outside an event (e.g., personal challenge, training)
The Backyard format
A road race

This requirement will be verified during registration by submitting the results of this race.

Support Runners " pacerS "

Pacers are allowed for the nighttime section from Lac Matane (km 37) to Petit Sault (km 80), as well as from Lac Cascapédia (km 137) to the finish line.

Only one pacer per athlete is permitted. It is strongly recommended to choose someone who has already participated in long-distance events (40 km or more).

A $30 fee is required to register a pacer.

This fee covers daily access rights and provides access to food at the aid stations.

Rules to follow:

The pacer must wear the pacer bib that will be given at check-in and keep it visible at all times.
They may meet their athlete at the same aid stations as support crews.
The pacer is responsible for arranging their own transportation to their starting point.
They must stay with their runner at all times and may not arrive at a checkpoint before them to begin refueling, except in an emergency.
In case of emergency, the pacer may seek assistance.
Under no circumstances may they carry the runner’s personal items.
They may not physically assist the runner, except in an emergency.
All pacers must register on the SportChrono website.