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We have a jam-packed weekend of ultrarunning action on deck, with 66 events happening across North America. In this week’s What’s Up in Ultra, we travel to Georgia, California, Idaho and Tennessee. Check out all the events on the UltraRunning Magazine race calendar.
Georgia Jewel
We begin in Dalton, Georgia, for the Georgia Jewel (100-mile, 50-mile, and 35-mile ultra distances). Established in 2011, the event kicks off Friday with the 100-mile race. Participants will head out-and-back on the Pinhoti Trail while navigating steep climbs, scenic ridgelines and technical sections such as the aptly named, “Rock Garden.” The course is 99% single-track trails, a few “intense climbs” and a total elevation gain of just under 13,000 feet. The 100-mile runners will have 35 hours to complete the course and earn their buckles. All 50-mile and 35-mile runners will run a point-to-point course on Saturday, and will be treated to a finish line celebration where they’re encouraged to pull up a chair, share their race stories and enjoy a cold beverage.
Mammoth Trail Fest
Our next stop takes us to Mammoth Lakes, California, for the Mammoth Trail Fest, a four-day running festival designed “to increase access to trail and ultrarunning through opportunity, education and trail stewardship.” The lone ultra-distance (50k) takes place on Saturday on a single-loop course that showcases the stunning scenery and alpine lakes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The runners will have to tackle 8,000 feet of vertical gain at an average elevation of over 9,000 feet, including summiting Mammoth Mountain at 11,053 feet. Participants will have 12 hours to complete the course with top runners vying for an $8,000 prize pool. Other festival events include group runs, guest speakers, gear expos, live music and more.
IMTUF
Heading to McCall, Idaho, we check in on the 13th running of the Idaho Mountain Trail Ultra Festival (IMTUF 100). Runners will begin Saturday at Jug Mountain Ranch and run a challenging loop course through the Salmon River Mountains with over 22,000 feet of elevation gain. Along the way, they’ll face steep, technical and remote wilderness trails, a chance to encounter a variety of wildlife including bears, moose, wolves, elk and mountain lions, and the potential for extreme weather. Runners will have 36 hours to complete the course to earn their Hardrock 100 and Western States 100 qualifiers.
Wildcard: The Barkley Fall Classic
In this week’s Wildcard race, where we feature an event you may not be familiar with, we head to Tennessee and Frozen Head State Park for the Barkley Fall Classic 50k. While most have heard of the legendary Barkley Marathons held at the same location each spring, the Barkley Fall Classic is designed to give runners a taste of the extreme tests runners face in the full Barkley Marathons, including the physical challenges of running through the rugged Bushy Mountains, and the mental challenges of not being allowed to use GPS, very little course markings and a course map that’s not revealed until the night before the race. Runners have 13 hours and 20 minutes to complete the race, with the first-place male and female runners receiving automatic entry into the 2025 Barkley Marathons.
Other great events this weekend include: Grindstone (Swoope, VA), Three Sisters Skyline (Sisters, OR), Javelina Jangover Night Runs (Scottsdale, AZ), Table Rock Ultras (Morganton, NC), Mountain Lakes 100 (Olallie Lakes, OR), Teanaway Country 100 (Cle Elum, WA), Wild Goose Trail Festival (Hewitt, NJ), Black Hills Veteran March (Deadwood, SD), Rivers Edge Ultra (Devon, AB), Red Feather Trail Jamboree (Red Feather Lakes, CO), Last Dot Standing (Belleville, WI), Dances with Dirt (Hell, MI) and O’Brien Trail Races (Marine on St Croix, MN).
Check out the full list of events here and good luck to everyone racing this weekend!