The annual Whitefish Trail Blazer saw the first-ever large event at the new Whitefish Legacy Center, a new trail segment on Big Mountain and blazing fast times.  

About 400 people participated in the 17th rendition of the event supporting the Whitefish Trail.  

Whitefish locals crushed the 50K mountain running race on Saturday, Oct. 3. Whitefish local Scarlet Kaplan finished the course with over 6,000 feet of elevation gain in 4:35.36 to take first overall. Another Whitefish local, Tucker Pierce, was the first man and second overall in 4:44.54.  

On Sunday, Oct. 4, runners headed over the new Whitefish Legacy Center near Beaver Lakes to take on the half marathon, 10K-plus, 5K-plus and family fun run courses. Nick Cornell out of Missoula and Rychelle Denardo of Bozeman were champs of the half, coming in at 1:27.52 and 1:43.58, respectively. In the 10K-plus event, Columbia Falls 13-year-old Rennar Bales won, and in the 5K-plus event, Whitefish 15-year-old Porter Shehan won.  

    Whitefish's Tucker Pierce crosses the finish at the Whitefish Trail Blazer 50k on Oct. 3. (Photo provided)
  

    Scarlet Kaplan breaks the tape as the first overall finisher of the Whitefish Trail Blazer on Oct. 3. (Photo provided)
  

    The start of the half marathon race at the Whitefish Trail Blazer on Oct. 4, 2026. (Photo provided)
  

50K top five women 

1, Scarlet Kaplan, 30, Whitefish, 4:35:36.0 

2, Elizabeth Wasserman, 31, Columbia Falls, 4:47:48.6 

3, Emma Tate, 25, Bozeman 5:00:27.4 

4, Mariah Lucy, 22, Winthrop, WA 5:21:42.9 

5, Alexis Holton, 22, Bozeman 5:29:37.7 

50K top five men  

1, Tucker Pierce, 27, Whitefish 4:44:54.3 

2, Nicholas Ault, 28, Bozeman 4:47:03.3 

3, Jacob Schultz, 34, Sandpoint 4:50:04.9 

4, JP Gartland, 44, Helena 4:55:10.4 

5, Russ DiPaola 30, La Jolla, CA 4:59:03.0  

Half marathon top five women 

1, Rychelle DeNardo, 28, Bozeman, 1:43:58.4 

2, Devyn Ramsay, 34, Reno, NV, 1:54:28.9 

3, Charlotte Wilson, 19, Bozeman, 1:55:30.3 

4, Stella Sharbono, 49, Whitefish, 2:01:12.8 

5, Amanda Belleville, 36, Whitefish 2:03:38.0 

Half marathon top five men 

1, Nick Cornell, 35, Missoula, 1:27:52.9, 

2, Eric Holdhusen, 26, Kalispell, MT 1:35:44.4 

3, Trent Morrow, 52, Charlotte, NC 1:37:29.8 

4, Brian Baum, 42, Charlotte, NC, 1:43:00.1 

5, Sean Beaty, 40, Whitefish1:47:11.2 

10K-plus top five overall  

1, Renner Bales, 13, Columbia Falls, 51:15.4 

2, S. Delarosa, 10, 51:38.2 

3, Kevin Redfield, 25, Columbia Falls, 51:37.9 

4, Abel Aguilar, 26, Kalispell, MT, 52:26.5 

5, Parker Barrile, 45, Whitefish, 52:59.9 

5K-plus top five overall  

1, Porter Shehan, 15, Whitefish, MT, 24:45.2 

2, Shaw Simpson, 14, Kalispell, MT, 24:48.6 

3, Kai Sharbono, 42, Spokane, WA 28:08.5 

4, Kohen Reagan, 14, Coram, 29:30.2 

5, Vonda Garcia, 59, Whitefish,29:39.4