Béluga Ultra Trail.
The Béluga Ultra Trail takes in the whole of the Le Fjord trail through Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay and ends on the beach at Tadoussac. You never get above 300 metres, yet you collect almost 1,700 metres of climbing, because the path keeps dropping nearly to sea level. That constant down and up is what you are preparing for.
Béluga Ultra Trail 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
Organised by Trails du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean and now in its eighth edition, this is a true traverse: the start is around Baie-Sainte-Marguerite and Sacré-Coeur, the finish on Tadoussac beach, with the corridor along the fjord in between. The first two and a half kilometres are flat, then the trail kicks up twice and lifts you to around 200 metres, where it stays until km 9.
Then the pattern that defines the day begins. The path drops almost to sea level, the first aid point at Anse de Roche sits low in that dip at km 13.5, and two more waves of a little over 100 metres follow by km 25, each giving the height straight back. From km 25 it gets steeper: two climbs totalling about 200 metres lead towards Cap de la Boule.
Beyond that station at km 30 the race is settled. Three climbs come in close succession, the last from km 36 at almost 15 percent, and it tops out at the highest point of the whole day. Right after it you lose nearly all of that height in about two kilometres. The Pisciculture Tadoussac holds the final aid point, leaving roughly four kilometres over the Anse à l'Eau and Pointe de l'Islet loops before you run in on the beach.
| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 2.5 | 1.8 km | 9.8 % | 36 % | +171 m | Cat. 3 |
| km 5.3 | 0.8 km | 10.2 % | 30.2 % | +84 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 15.1 | 1.4 km | 8.2 % | 22.3 % | +111 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 24.9 | 1.1 km | 10.9 % | 26.1 % | +123 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 26.6 | 0.9 km | 9.2 % | 27 % | +83 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 30.1 | 0.9 km | 13.6 % | 37 % | +119 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 32.1 | 1.8 km | 8.3 % | 24.7 % | +148 m | Cat. 4 |
| km 36.1 | 0.8 km | 14.7 % | 22.1 % | +110 m | Cat. 4 |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Béluga Ultra Trail.
Start under control
There is no pace here you could hold all day: nearly four tenths of the distance is steep up or down and only a tenth is flat. Plan by effort rather than minutes per kilometre, and hike the steep pitches from the very start. The flat opening is no place to bank time, because the biggest single climb of the race begins as early as km 2.5.
Hold your rhythm
The deciding section runs from km 30 to km 37. Reach Cap de la Boule with enough in reserve, eat there before the first of the three climbs starts, and spread the block so that the last ascent is your hardest moment and not your collapse.
Spend what is left
The main trap is the middle of the race. Just over 16 kilometres separate Anse de Roche from Cap de la Boule, the longest gap on the course, and the waves there look harmless because they never go high. Under-fuel here or let the descents run away from you and you pay twice: on the climbs of the final block, then on the steep way down to the Pisciculture, where tired quads can barely brake.
Training plan for Béluga Ultra Trail: 12-week build
Build the base
Age-group athletes should expect roughly six to nine hours, depending on experience. It is never steady: an aerobic base effort is constantly broken by short steep pitches, forceful on the way up and hard on the quads on the way down.
Train race pace
What decides the race is whether you can still climb after 30 kilometres. Build long runs so the hardest vertical arrives at the end: easy and hilly at first, then several short steep ascents back to back in the final third. Practise brisk hiking too, because on pitches around 15 percent that is your actual race pace.
Rehearse the course
You do not need a big mountain for this. The course stays under 300 metres and builds its total from many steps of 100 to 170 metres, so one hill of that size, repeated, mirrors the race better than a long alpine climb. Run the descents with intent as well: they add up to the same height as the climbs, and the steepest of them comes right at the end.
Arrive fresh
The 18 September date puts your longest sessions in August. Use them to rehearse self-sufficiency: the 16 kilometres without a station in the middle demand that you carry food and drink, and can still get it down after hours on the hills.
Courses
Download the Béluga Ultra Trail course as a GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Béluga Ultra Trail dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about Béluga Ultra Trail.
How long is Béluga Ultra Trail?
Béluga Ultra Trail is 45 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
How much elevation gain does Béluga Ultra Trail have?
Béluga Ultra Trail has around 1,699 m of elevation gain over 45 km. That affects pacing, muscular load, and preparation for late-race sections.
What is the route profile of Béluga Ultra Trail?
Béluga Ultra Trail is classified as Mountainous, averaging 39 vertical metres per kilometre. 10% of the route is flat, 28% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 18% is steeper than 6%.
What climbs does Béluga Ultra Trail have?
The hardest climb of Béluga Ultra Trail starts at kilometre 2.5, runs for 1.8 km at an average of 9.8% and gains 171 metres. Cycling-convention rating: Cat. 3. 8 climbs are mapped in total.
Is Béluga Ultra Trail a loop course?
No, Béluga Ultra Trail is a point-to-point course: start and finish are in different places.
Is there a GPX file for the Béluga Ultra Trail course?
Yes. The Béluga Ultra Trail course is on this page as a free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Béluga Ultra Trail?
Preparation for Béluga Ultra Trail should account for 45 km, 1,699 m of elevation gain, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Béluga Ultra Trail?
The pacing strategy for Béluga Ultra Trail should reflect 45 km, 1,699 m of elevation gain, and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Béluga Ultra Trail take place?
Béluga Ultra Trail takes place on September 18, 2027.
Where does Béluga Ultra Trail take place?
Béluga Ultra Trail takes place in Tadoussac, Canada.
Which distances does Béluga Ultra Trail offer?
Béluga Ultra Trail offers 4 distances — Béluga Ultra Trail 45 km: 45 km; Trail de la Baleine Blanche 30 km: 30 km; Trail du Dauphin Blanc 18 km: 18 km; Trail du Marsouin Blanc 5 km: 5 km.
How do I register for Béluga Ultra Trail?
Registration runs through the organiser: beluga.trailssaglac.org. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
