Course Route: The Run will follow the same basiccourse used since 1986 unless snow conditions force a route change.

REMEMBER THAT MUCH OF THIS TERRITORY IS ACCESSIBLE ONLYBY FOOT, HORSE OR HELICOPTER.ĭue to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the trail, theWestern States Endurance Run differs substantially from other organized runs.Adequate mental and physical preparation are of utmost importance to eachrunner, for the high mountains and deep canyons, although beautiful, arerelentless in their challenge and unforgiving to the ill-prepared. Before leaving, let someone know where you will be running and whenyou will return. People who are unfamiliar with thearea should use caution when planning training runs, especially in the highcountry. Most of the trailpasses through remote and rugged territory. From the pass, following the original trails used by thegold and silver miners of the 1850’s, runners travel west, climbinganother 15,540 feet and descending 22,970 feet before reaching Auburn, a smalltown in the heart of California’s historic gold country. Entry in this eventshould not be taken lightly!īeginning in Squaw Valley, site of the 1960 Winter OlympicGames, the trail ascends from the valley floor (elevation 6,200 feet) toEmigrant Pass (elevation 8,750 feet), a climb of 2,550 vertical feet in thefirst 4½ miles. One of the mostarduous organized running events in the U.S., the Western States 100 is trulythe “Ultimate Challenge” for the long distance runner.

The Western States Endurance Run follows the middle portion ofthe famous Western States Trail, a nationally dedicated recreational trail thatstretches from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Sacramento, California. With more than 1,500 dedicated volunteers, offering the sport’s oldest and most prized possession – a sub-30-hour finisher’s bronze belt buckle or a sub-24-hour finisher’s silver belt buckle – and owning 100-mile racing’s richest and most compelling history, Western States remains one of the undisputed crown jewels of human endurance. In the miles between Squaw Valley and Auburn, runners experience the majestic high country beauty of Emigrant Pass and the Granite Chief Wilderness, the crucible of the canyons of the California gold country, a memorable crossing of the ice-cold waters of the main stem of the Middle Fork of the American River, and, during the latter stages, the historic reddish-brown-colored trails that led gold-seeking prospectors and homesteading pilgrims alike to the welcoming arms of Auburn.įor more than four decades, Western States has been home to some of the sport’s most stirring and legendary competitions, and has spurred the capacity of spirit of all runners, of all abilities and from all walks of life, from all over the globe.

Adequate mental and physical preparation are of utmost importance to each runner, for the mountains, although beautiful, are relentless in their challenge and unforgiving to the ill-prepared.įollowing the historic Western States Trail, runners climb more than 18,000 feet and descend nearly 23,000 feet before they reach the finish line at Placer High School in Auburn. Starting in Squaw Valley, California near the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics and ending 100.2 miles later in Auburn, California, Western States, in the decades since its inception in 1974, has come to represent one of the ultimate endurance tests in the world.ĭue to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the trail, the Western States Endurance Run differs substantially from other organized runs. The Western States ® 100-Mile Endurance Run is the world’s oldest and most prestigious 100-mile trail race.

Western states endurance run