Wilderness enthusiasts, healthcare professionals, first responders, outdoor educators, and medical students can put their emergency medical knowledge to the test in the second annual Tahoe MedWAR Challenge on Sept. 9. 

MedWAR, which stands for Medical Wilderness Adventure Race, is a daylong adventure race that combines physical challenges and wilderness medicine. In teams of four, participants navigate, trek, mountain bike, and kayak on an adventure course in the national forest of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Along the way near Fallen Leaf Lake and Emerald Bay, teams encounter “victims” in mock wilderness medicine scenarios. Before moving on, teams must work together to assess, stabilize, and as appropriate, treat their victims.

Barton Health medical staff create the course and organize the event.

The race is designed for participants with or without a medical background.

The challenge costs $350 for a team of four people and includes a pre-event lecture, kayak rental, gift bag, team shirt, and a post-race dinner. Space is limited to 20 teams. Go online for more info or to register.