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Ultras · US · CA

Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run

53rd Annual Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run
Ran · this year's race is done.
Held as scheduled on June 27-28, 2026. 370 starters, 322 finishers (87%), the highest finish rate in race history. Both course records fell.
Race dateJune 27-28, 2026
Duration2 days
Start5:00am
When56 days ago
First held1974
Free, and always will be. NavRun makes money from race-day planning for runners who want it, never from this. Ultras change constantly, sometimes the morning of. Always confirm with the race director and the official website before you rely on anything here.
Distance 100.2M
Climb 18,090 ft
Descent 22,970 ft
High point 8,750 ft
Time limit 30:00:00
Aid stations 22
Started 370
Finished 322
Finish rate 87%
The course

Where it goes point to point · 22 aid stations · rust marks a stop your crew can reach

No official GPX on file yet. These are the aid station coordinates, not the trail. Have the GPX? Send us the link.

Point-to-point from Olympic Valley to Auburn on the Western States Trail. The course climbs 2,550 ft from the valley floor (6,200 ft) to Emigrant Pass (8,750 ft) in the first 4.5 miles, then runs west through the high country and the canyons of the Middle Fork American River, fords the river at mile 78, and finishes on the Placer High School track in Auburn.

The race

What this one is

A 100.2-mile point-to-point trail run on the Western States Trail from Olympic Valley, California to the Placer High School track in Auburn, California. It starts at 5:00 a.m. and has a 30-hour limit; sub-24-hour finishers earn a silver belt buckle and sub-30-hour finishers a bronze one.

The run began in 1974 and grew out of the Tevis Cup 100-mile horse ride. A U.S. Forest Service permit caps the field at 369 starters because 369 people started in 1984, the year Congress created the Granite Chief Wilderness that the trail crosses at about miles 6 to 10, and the race was grandfathered in at its then-current size.

Getting in

Getting in Entry, lottery and what the race asks of you before race day.

Lottery
11,328 applicants, 254 selected wser.org
Lottery opens
Nov. 1, 2025 wser.org
Lottery draw
Dec. 6, 2025 wser.org
Field cap
369 wser.org
Registration
UltraSignup wser.org
Qualifying
Applicants must be at least 18 years old on race day and must have completed one race from the official WSER qualifying list, within that race's listed time standard, during the qualifying period Monday November 4, 2024 through Sunday November 2, 2025. Virtual events are not accepted, and a race not on the list cannot be used. Having more than one qualifier does not earn extra lottery tickets. wser.org
Minimum age
18 wser.org
Transfers
not checked yet
Deferrals
No wser.org
Crew, pacers and drop bags

The rules that shape your day Anything marked "not checked yet" is a gap in what we hold, never a no from the race.

Crew allowed
Yes wser.org
Vehicles per runner
1 wser.org
Pacers
Yes, from mile 62.00 wser.org
Muling
Not allowed wser.org
Drop bags
Yes wser.org
Cupless
Yes wser.org
Course marking
Fully Marked wser.org
Night running
Yes wser.org
Dogs
Not allowed wser.org
Headphones
not checked yet
Crew rules
Crews are allowed only at aid stations designated for crews in that year's Participant Guide, and must comply with aid station personnel. Crews must stay within a 200-yard radius of the aid station, with two exceptions: at Foresthill, crews and pacers may accompany the runner without giving aid from the top of Bath Road to Main Street and California Street, giving aid at one location only; and from Robie Point to the finish. No crews at Lyon Ridge, Red Star Ridge, Miller's Defeat, Last Chance, Devil's Thumb, El Dorado Creek, Dardanelles, Peachstone, Ford's Bar, Rucky Chucky far side, Auburn Lake Trails or Quarry Road. One vehicle per runner at every aid station except Foresthill; no motor homes except at Foresthill. No crew vehicles at Deadwood Ridge, Bath Road, the Rucky Chucky river crossing (both sides), Green Gate, the Highway 49 Crossing or Robie Point. Foot-access-only crew points are Rucky Chucky near side (shuttle or 3.5 mile hike), Green Gate (1.25 mile hike), Pointed Rocks (0.75 mile hike) and Robie Point. Bicycles may be used to reach crew-accessible aid stations but never to pace or on the trail. No dogs, no smoking, no littering. Runners are held responsible for the actions of their crews and pacers. wser.org
Pacer rules
One pacer at a time, from the Foresthill aid station (mile 62) to the finish. Runners leaving Michigan Bluff (mile 56) after 8 p.m. may pick up a pacer there instead. Pacer changes are allowed at Foresthill, Rucky Chucky near side, Green Gate, Pointed Rocks and Robie Point. Pacers must be at least 18. Each pacer collects a number and signs a release at Pacer Central, either at Olympic Valley on Friday morning or at Foresthill Elementary School after noon on Saturday; three pacer numbers are issued per entrant. Pacers must enter and leave every aid station with their runner. Muling is expressly forbidden: pacers may not carry water, food, flashlights, shoes, clothing or other supplies for their runner. Pacers get no drop bags; pacer supplies must ride in the runner's drop bags. Pacers may not be crewed anywhere along Bath Road. wser.org
Drop bag rules
Drop bags are carried to the ten checkpoints marked on the aid station chart. Bags must be securely tied, labelled with the runner's name and number, and left at the collection station near the corner of Squaw Peak and Squaw Valley Road (near the tram building) between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on the Friday before the race. Bags must fit through a 6" x 8" opening and be no longer than 16", one bag per aid station. No paper bags, shoe boxes, glass bottles, perishables or valuables. Pacers get no drop bags. Bags are returned to the infield of the Placer High School track and must be claimed by 3:00 p.m. Sunday. wser.org
Cutoff philosophy
Runners must reach the finish no later than 10:59:59 a.m. on Sunday, a 30-hour limit. Intermediate cutoffs are the deadline for LEAVING each aid station and are strictly enforced; a runner who returns to an aid station after its cutoff is pulled. Four checkpoints (Lyon Ridge, Dardanelles, Ford's Bar, Robie Point) carry "default" cutoffs identical to the next station, intended for emergency use at hard-to-access locations. The race says the cutoffs are not a pacing guide: "They are quite generous, especially early, and slower runners should focus on the 30-hour time not the cut-off time." At each station an air horn signals time remaining: three blasts at 30 minutes, two at 20, one at 10, a verbal warning at 5, and one long blast when the station closes. wser.org
Aid stations

Every stop, and what you get there ● yes   · no   ? nobody has checked

Mile Station Cutoff Crew Bag Pacer Med To next
0.00 Olympic Valley
6,231 ft
? ? · 10.30
10.30 Lyon Ridge
7,006 ft
10:30am · · · · 5.50
15.80 Red Star Ridge
7,138 ft
10:30am · · 8.60
24.40 Duncan Canyon
5,742 ft
12:30pm · · · 5.90
30.30 Robinson Flat
6,715 ft
2:10pm · 4.10
34.40 Miller's Defeat
6,087 ft
3:15pm · · · · 3.60
38.00 Dusty Corners
5,135 ft
4:05pm · · · 5.30
43.30 Last Chance
4,529 ft
5:25pm · · 4.50
47.80 Devil's Thumb
4,370 ft
7:10pm · · 5.10
52.90 El Dorado Creek
1,788 ft
8:40pm · · · · 2.80
55.70 Michigan Bluff
3,472 ft
9:55pm 6.30
62.00 Foresthill
3,272 ft
11:45pm 3.70
65.70 Dardanelles (Cal-1)
1,886 ft
2:40am · · · · 5.00
70.70 Peachstone (Cal-2)
1,721 ft
2:40am · · · 2.30
73.00 Ford's Bar (Cal-3)
972 ft
5:00am · · · · 5.00
78.00 Rucky Chucky
736 ft
5:00am 1.80
79.80 Green Gate
1,427 ft
5:50am · · 5.40
85.20 Auburn Lake Trails
1,451 ft
7:15am · · 5.50
90.70 Quarry Rd
767 ft
8:40am · · · · 3.60
94.30 Pointed Rocks
1,570 ft
9:40am 4.60
98.90 Robie Point
1,181 ft
11:00am · · 1.30
100.20 Placer High School
1,295 ft
11:00am · ?
Driving your crew

Getting your people there 10 stops with directions the race published.

Duncan Canyon mile 24.40 210 min drive from the stop before cutoff 12:30pm

Crew "B" route, Olympic Valley to Duncan Canyon: "Allow 3½ hours. Take I-80 West. Exit at the Foresthill exit. Turn left. Follow the Foresthill Road approximately 16 miles. Turn right onto Mosquito Ridge Road. This is a VERY steep, winding road, so proceed with caution. Go approximately 36.2 miles, and look for sign and trailhead."

Parking. "You must park in designated off-road parking areas only!"

wser.org
Robinson Flat mile 30.30 150 min drive from the stop before cutoff 2:10pm shuttle

Crew "A" route, Olympic Valley to Robinson Flat: "Allow 2½ hours. Take I-80 West. Exit at the Foresthill exit. Turn left. Follow the Foresthill Road approximately 17 miles into Foresthill. Continue on this same road approximately 34 more miles to Robinson Flat. A shuttle bus service is provided from the Sailor Flat parking area, approximately 1.5 miles south of Robinson Flat. Follow instructions from volunteers." Robinson Flat can only be reached via the Foresthill Divide Road out of Foresthill.

Parking. Park at the Sailor Flat parking area, approximately 1.5 miles south of Robinson Flat, and take the shuttle bus in. Parking is very limited at Robinson Flat itself. Obey "No Parking" signs and park only in designated off-road parking areas.

wser.org
Dusty Corners mile 38.00 180 min drive from the stop before cutoff 4:05pm

Crew "B" route, Olympic Valley to Dusty Corners: "Allow 3 hours. Take I-80 West. Exit at the Foresthill exit. Turn left. Follow the Foresthill Road approximately 16 miles. Turn right onto Mosquito Ridge Road. This is a VERY steep, winding road, so proceed with caution. Go approximately 23.5 miles, and look for “Road N-44” sign. Turn left onto Road N-44. This is a chip-seal road for 2 miles that becomes a dirt road. Total distance along N-44 is about 5 miles. Follow this road to the aid station. Do not take the road to Robinson Flat (closed to crews)." Leaving: Dusty Corners to Foresthill, "Allow 2 hours. Drive back out to Mosquito Ridge Road. Turn right and return to Foresthill. Turn right at the Foresthill Road."

Parking. "You must park in designated off-road parking areas only!"

wser.org
Michigan Bluff mile 55.70 75 min drive from the stop before cutoff 9:55pm shuttle

Crew "A" route, Robinson Flat to Michigan Bluff: "Allow 1¼ hours. Go back on the Foresthill Road, approximately 30 miles. Turn left on the road to Michigan Bluff and go approximately three miles. This is a very steep, winding road; so proceed with caution. Follow parking instructions. A short shuttle bus ride will get you into the town of Michigan Bluff."

Parking. Follow the posted parking instructions on the Michigan Bluff road and take the short shuttle bus into town. No crew vehicles in the town of Michigan Bluff itself.

wser.org
Foresthill mile 62.00 20 min drive from the stop before cutoff 11:45pm

Crew "A" route, Michigan Bluff to Foresthill: "Allow 20 minutes. Return to the Foresthill Road. Turn left. Go approximately 4 miles to Foresthill." From Olympic Valley direct: take I-80 west, exit at the Foresthill exit, turn left and follow Foresthill Road approximately 17 miles into Foresthill.

Parking. "There is plenty of parking available in town and lots of places to view the runners." Runners enter the checkpoint in front of the school just north of downtown, then run along the main street before rejoining the trail at the south end of town.

wser.org
Rucky Chucky mile 78.00 60 min drive from the stop before cutoff 5:00am shuttle

Crew "A" route, Foresthill to Driver's Flat (Near Side River Crossing): "Allow 1 hour with shuttle. Drive towards Auburn on Foresthill Road approximately 9.5 miles to Driver's Flat Road parking. Follow directions from volunteers to park and get on shuttle which will take you the 2.5 miles to the aid station. If you'd rather go to the Far Side of the river (i.e. Green Gate) then skip this and continue driving west towards Auburn."

Parking. Park at Driver's Flat (GPS 38.9736769, -120.9544633) and ride the shuttle 2.5 miles down to the near side of the river. No crew vehicles are allowed at the river crossing on either side.

wser.org
Green Gate mile 79.80 60 min drive from the stop before cutoff 5:50am

Crew "A" route, Foresthill to Pointed Rocks (and/or Green Gate): "Allow 1 hour from Foresthill. Proceed west on Foresthill Road towards Auburn past Driver's Flat Rd. After about 14 miles from Foresthill, turn left onto Old Auburn-Foresthill Road and proceed downhill for about 2 miles to the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. Turn left at the bridge, onto Highway 49 ... and proceed uphill for about 3½ miles to the town of Cool." Green Gate itself: "Reached from the south via Sliger Mine Road off Highway 193, Green Gate is difficult to access and has very limited parking." Do NOT stop enroute at the 49 Crossing.

Parking. "No vehicles allowed past the end of the paved road. Access from vehicle to the aid station is by foot only (1.25 miles). Do not park on private property." Crew parking above Green Gate is at GPS 38.9405362, -120.9183004. Very limited parking.

wser.org
Pointed Rocks mile 94.30 60 min drive from the stop before cutoff 9:40am

Crew "A" route, Foresthill to Pointed Rocks: "Allow 1 hour from Foresthill. Proceed west on Foresthill Road towards Auburn past Driver's Flat Rd. After about 14 miles from Foresthill, turn left onto Old Auburn-Foresthill Road and proceed downhill for about 2 miles to the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. Turn left at the bridge, onto Highway 49 (No Hands Bridge is visible 200 yards downriver) and proceed uphill for about 3½ miles to the town of Cool." Then: "Arriving in Cool, turn on to St. Florian Court and park in the State Park parking lot immediately past the Cool fire station on your left. It is an easy 3/4 mile walk to the aid station. Follow the signs to the aid station."

Parking. State Park parking lot on St. Florian Court in Cool, immediately past the Cool fire station (GPS 38.8896463, -121.0160408), then a 3/4 mile walk to the aid station. "Absolutely no crew/spectator parking is allowed anywhere along Hwy 49 in either direction. Crew members who attempt to stop/park at the 49 Crossing or on Hwy 49 risk having their runner disqualified. Also, the California Highway Patrol will be monitoring the crossing area; anyone parking or stopping on the shoulder of Hwy 49 will be ticketed."

wser.org
Robie Point mile 98.90 cutoff 11:00am

Reached on foot from Auburn. No driving directions are published for Robie Point and no crew vehicles are allowed there.

Parking. No crew vehicles are allowed at Robie Point. Crews reach it on foot.

wser.org
Placer High School mile 100.20 30 min drive from the stop before cutoff 11:00am

Crew "A" route, Pointed Rocks to Finish Line: "Allow 30 minutes. Return towards Auburn on Highway 49. Cross the bridge over the American River and make an immediate left. Follow the highway uphill for 2 miles. Continue straight on Highway 49. It will become High Street, heading west. Continue on High Street and turn left onto Finley Street, follow three blocks to the stadium."

wser.org
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