Tahoe Rim Trail Ultra Races, Course Descripton

The Tahoe Rim Trail 50K and 50-mile events follow the same course, with the additional 9-mile out and back section beginning at approximately mile 17 for the 50-milers. Both courses are predominately single track trail but have approximately 10 miles of dirt roads. We provide you with some of the most incredibly scenic views on earth (A Glimpse of Heaven)!

This event is run in some of the high elevation alpine and sub-alpine regions of the magnificent Sierra Nevada Mountains. Both distances begin and end at the Spooner Lake State Park, which is at 7,000 feet. The highest point on both courses is just below the 9,214 foot Snow Valley Peak (which also provides one of the best views on the course). The low point on both courses is at the bottom of the now "infamous" Red House Loop (A Taste of Hell) at approximately 6800 feet.

The first 4 miles of our event is on dirt roads with an elevation gain of approximately 1,500 feet, followed by a ½ mile downhill section to Marlette Lake.

From Marlette Lake (7823 feet) you'll continue to climb on dirt roads to the Hobart Road aid station at 8120 feet.

After leaving the Hobart Road aid station the course climbs past Marlette Peak and Harlan Peak before descending to the aid station at Tunnel Creek Road near the junction of the Tahoe Rim Trail at Twin Lakes.

From the junction of Tunnel Creek Road at Twin Lakes both courses will make an approximate 6.3-mile loop to Red House and back (with a significant climb near the end of the loop). Upon returning to the Tunnel Creek aid station the 50M course will travel approximately 9-miles north along single track on an out-and-back section of the Tahoe Rim Trail to the Mount Rose Trail Head near Ophir Creek. This out-and-back is mostly rolling with breath-taking views of both Lake Tahoe and the Washoe Valley. The average elevation is between 8000 and 8500 feet. When the 50-milers return, they will reconnect with the 50K course at Tunnel Creek.

From the Tunnel Creek aid station, both courses will follow the Tahoe Rim Trail south towards the Spooner Summit trailhead passing both Marlette Peak and Snow Valley Peak (and visiting both the Hobart Road and Snow Valley Peak aid stations). From the Snow Valley Peak aid station the course will make a final downhill, about 5.4 miles, before reaching the trailhead at Highway 50 and connecting with the Spooner Lake trail for the final 1.7 miles to the finish.