Mountain Man Ultra

If you’ve spent time running in Pine Creek Valley, this course may already feel familiar. The Mountain Man Ultra 50K follows the same route as the former Call of the Wilds 50K - same rugged trails, same relentless climbs, just a new name and date. For many runners in the region, this is a return to a well-known and respected challenge.

This is for experienced trail runners who are comfortable on steep, technical terrain and long climbs. If you’re new to trail racing, this course will likely feel overwhelming - expect constant focus, rugged footing, and very little room to relax...

Course

The race starts in the dark with a short road climb before dropping you onto the Mid State Trail, where things turn technical fast - rocky, off-camber, and constantly changing. The first half is relentless, with little room to settle in until a brief reset along Pine Creek Trail in Ramsey.

The back half is where it gets serious. Long climbs stack up across Spiked Buck, Tiadaghton, and Pesto before Torbert hits at mile 26 - steep, unforgiving, and perfectly timed to hurt. From the top, it’s about four miles to go, including the descent down Panther Run to the finish.

With roughly 7,500 feet of elevation gain packed into 50 kilometers, this course is relentless from start to finish.

Median finish is around 7:45. Most runners land between 6 and 10 hours. The 11-hour cutoff is real.