Free. You can start with nothing.
From China Wall, runners take Mitchell Mine Rd into Eldorado Canyon and the Western States Trail to Deadwood and the Swinging Bridge, loop back through Deadwood, then head for Auburn via Michigan Bluff, Foresthill, Cal Street, Driver's Flat, Mammoth Bar and No Hands Bridge. The top three women and top three men earn a Golden Ticket to Western States.
Race's course description: approximately 13,000 feet of vert, 17,000 feet of descent.
Four distances on the canyons of the American River and the Western States Trail, all of them finishing on High St in downtown Auburn. The 100 mile and the 100K start high up at China Wall and run the trail down to town; the 50K and the 25K start in Auburn and go out and back. It is the spring race on the Western States course: the 100 mile and 100K are Western States qualifiers, and the top three women and top three men in the 100K take a Golden Ticket straight into Western States. Auburn calls itself the Endurance Capital of the World and closes its main street for the finish.
The race began as The Canyons 50k, an inaugural trail race through the canyons section of the Western States Trail run out of Foresthill on 3 May 2014 by race directors Charles Sheya and Tim Madden. It grew into a four-distance weekend based in Auburn, joined the UTMB World Series, and now runs a 100 mile, a 100K, a 50K and a 25K over one weekend in late April. The 25K moved to Friday evening for 2026.
12 people have been out there with a camera or a microphone.
+ 4 more.
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