A world-level skyrace is returning to U.S. soil, and the path runs straight up a rugged Olympic Mountains summit. We sit down with race director and media voice Mathias Eichler to unpack how Beast of Big Creek became the only U.S. stop on the Skyrunner World Series, what ISF course certification really requires, and how you scale a steep, technical route without breaking the wilderness that makes it magic.
Mathias shares the full arc: inheriting a beloved local race, modernizing without losing soul, and navigating permits, fires, trail capacity, and access in a part of Washington that’s breathtaking and stubbornly off-grid. We get practical about logistics—Olympia as a pre-race hub, ferry approaches from Seattle, limited parking, and why camping might be a feature, not a bug. Along the way, we zoom out to the sport’s bigger picture: why short trail and VK-style events thrive in Europe, how UTMB, Golden Trail, and Cirque each shape the calendar, and what it will take to build a real fan culture here—cheer zones, better visuals, and honest, story-driven media.
Expect sharp takes on world championship timing, sponsor incentives, and how to film races that live above treeline. If you care about the future of American skyrunning—course design, elite fields, and spectator experience—this conversation is your field guide to what’s next and what’s possible.
Enjoyed the episode? Subscribe, share with a trail friend, and leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Your feedback helps more runners discover new mountains to climb.
Follow Mathias on IG - @einmaleins / @electric.cable.car
Follow The Beast of Big Creek on IG for Updates - @beastofbigcreek
Listen to Mathias on Electric Cable Car - @electriccablecar
Check out Electric Cable Car Online - @electriccablecar
Check out the Beast of Big Creek online - @beastofbigcreek
Follow James on IG - @jameslauriello
Follow the Steep Stuff Podcast on IG - @steepstuff_pod
