Tushars Mountain Run 100K: A Complete Course Recon Breakdown Using HARDN

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Most 100Ks have low points. Valleys where you recover, breathe easier, let your lungs reset. The Tushars Mountain Run 100K doesn't have any of those.

The GPX doesn't lie: this course starts at 10,323 feet, peaks at 11,357 feet, and never drops below 8,855 feet. For 63 miles you are operating at altitude the entire time. There is no valley reprieve. No moment where the air thickens and breathing becomes easy again. Every aid station, every descent, every "rest" section happens above the elevation where most races reach their hardest climbing.

Aravaipa Running calls it one of the toughest, most spectacular mountain races in North America. That's not marketing. The Tushar Mountains of southern Utah — near Beaver, rising above Eagle Point Resort — are genuinely that good, and genuinely that brutal.

I loaded the official 2025 100K GPX into HARDN and broke it down segment by segment from the official race table. Here's what the data shows.

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The Big Picture

| Stat | Value |
|------|-------|
| Distance | 63.5 miles (100K) |
| Elevation Gain | 16,085 ft |
| Elevation Loss | 16,085 ft |
| Minimum Elevation | 8,855 ft — never goes below this |
| Maximum Elevation | ~11,357 ft |
| Start Elevation | 10,323 ft (Eagle Point Ski Resort) |
| Terrain | Alpine singletrack, ridgeline, dirt double-track, forest service road |
| Start | Eagle Point Ski Resort Yurt, Beaver UT — 5:00 AM Saturday |
| Finish | Eagle Point Ski Resort Yurt (same location — loop) |
| Cutoff | 24 hours (5:00 AM Sunday) |
| Aid Stations | 11 (including start/finish) |
| Pacers | From Bullion Pasture I (Mile 31.9) and Big John Flat Crew Zone (Mile 56.7–57.9) |
| Drop Bags | Bullion Pasture I & II (Miles 31.9 and 44.1) |
| Race Organization | Aravaipa Running |
| Course Markings | Red laminated signs + orange polka-dot ribbons (100K = Red) |
| Required Gear | Rain jacket, space blanket, cell phone/GPS, whistle, reusable cup |

What makes this race different from every other Utah 100K: The altitude floor. You start above 10,000 feet and stay there. Altitude-suppressed appetite, reduced oxygen delivery, and temperature swings of 40+ degrees are constants for the entire race — not just the hard sections.

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Elevation Profile

[COURSE_ELEVATION:tushars-100k]

The profile has a distinctive saw-tooth shape — repeated climbs and descents across high alpine ridgelines — but the floor never drops. Every valley on this chart is still above 9,000 feet.

Four features define the race:

The opening ridgeline (Miles 0–12): Starting at 10,323 ft, the course immediately climbs toward 11,000+ ft on the Tushar ridgeline before the first major descent to Big Flat Aid at mile 10.2. Don't be fooled by the "descent" — you're still above 9,800 ft at Big Flat.

The Lake Stream double-pass (Miles 3.8 and 20): Lake Stream Aid is hit twice — outbound at mile 3.8 and again at mile 20. This creates a long middle loop through the most remote section of the course with no crew access.

Copper Belt (Miles 34.7–41.3): Copper Belt I and II sandwich the most sustained ridge running of the race. The climb into Copper Belt II at mile 41.3 gains 1,803 ft and peaks near 11,000 ft. This is the race's high midpoint.

The Skyline finish (Miles 58.7–63.5): After the Big John Flat Crew Zone, a final 1,724 ft climb to Skyline Aid at 58.7 miles — the last hard work before 4.8 miles of mostly downhill home.

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Aid Station Table

[COURSE_AID_STATIONS:tushars-100k]

> Crew note: Crews are welcome at Start/Finish, Big Flat (mile 10.2), Bullion Pasture I & II (miles 31.9 and 44.1), and Big John Flat Crew Zone (miles 56.7–57.9). Park anywhere in Big John Flat without blocking the road. No crew at Lake Stream, Alunite Ridge, Copper Belt, Mud Lake, or Skyline — those are remote backcountry stations.

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Segment Breakdown

[COURSE_SEGMENTS_TABLE:tushars-100k]

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How to Race It

Segment 1: Start → Big Flat (Miles 0–10.2) — High, Cold, Dark

Effort: Hard | Opening ridgeline at 10,000+ ft in the dark

The race starts at 5:00 AM from the Eagle Point Ski Resort Yurt at 10,323 feet. It is dark. It is cold. The air is thin. Within the first mile you are climbing.

Lake Stream Aid at mile 3.8 is the first checkpoint — no crew, no drop bags, just a resupply and keep moving. The climb from Lake Stream to the ridgeline and back down to Big Flat covers 1,395 feet of gain and 1,765 feet of loss over 6.4 miles of technical alpine terrain.

Big Flat at mile 10.2 is the first crew access. By now it's around 7–8 AM and the sun is fully up.

How to race it: The altitude affects you immediately and disproportionately at the start. Heart rate spikes faster than expected. Breathing is harder than the effort warrants. Slow down more than feels right in the first three miles. Big Flat is your first temperature check — eat, assess, and set your mindset for the long remote section ahead.

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Segment 2: Big Flat → Bullion Pasture I (Miles 10.2–31.9) — The Long Middle

Effort: Very Hard | 22 miles with one crew point at the very end

This is the heart of the Tushars 100K and its defining challenge: nearly 22 miles with crew access at only one point — and that's at the very end.

From Big Flat, the course climbs back to Lake Stream Aid a second time (mile 20). In between: 2,602 feet of gain and 2,216 feet of loss across 9.8 miles of backcountry alpine ridgeline. This is the most remote stretch of the race.

From Lake Stream II, the course climbs to Alunite Ridge (mile 24.7) with its 2:30 PM cutoff. That's 9.5 hours to cover 24.7 miles from the start.

The segment from Alunite Ridge to Bullion Pasture I (miles 24.7–31.9) is the biggest single-segment gain on the course: 2,347 feet over 7.2 miles.

How to race it: This section is where the Tushars 100K earns its reputation. The altitude makes everything harder — climbing feels 20–30% more effortful than at sea level, appetite suppression is significant, and temperature swings between sun and shade are dramatic. Eat on a timer, not by feel. Poles are essential. Save something for the back half.

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Segment 3: Bullion Pasture I → Bullion Pasture II (Miles 31.9–44.1) — The Copper Belt

Effort: Hard | High ridge traverse with the race's most spectacular terrain

Bullion Pasture I is a pivot point. Drop bags, crew, first pacer pickup, and a brief respite before Copper Belt.

Copper Belt I at mile 34.7 has almost no net gain from Bullion Pasture I — just 25 feet — but loses 1,080 feet to get there. The descent is the most runnable section of the back half. Use it.

Copper Belt I to Copper Belt II (miles 34.7–41.3) gains 1,803 feet and loses 1,807 feet — a full up-and-over ridge traverse above 10,000 feet. This section runs along some of the most spectacular terrain in Utah: wide-open alpine tundra, 360-degree views, and the full weight of having already run 35+ miles at altitude.

Bullion Pasture II at mile 44.1 has a 9:40 PM cutoff. Second drop bag. Your pacer continues.

How to race it: The Copper Belt section separates people who ran smart earlier from people who didn't. The ridge traverse at mile 37–41 happens in late afternoon or early evening heat, with no shade. Hydration and caloric intake here are as important as at the race's hardest climbs.

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Segment 4: Bullion Pasture II → Finish (Miles 44.1–63.5) — Night Miles

Effort: Hard | Cold, remote, and the last big climb at mile 58

Everything from Bullion Pasture II onward happens at night or in the early hours before dawn. The 12:30 AM Mud Lake cutoff (mile 50.8) and the 3:15 AM Skyline cutoff (mile 58.7) are the gates.

Mud Lake at mile 50.8 is a remote checkpoint — no crew, no drop bags, no pacer exchange. The terrain through here includes some of the most scenic ridgeline on the course but you'll be running by headlamp.

Big John Flat Crew Zone at miles 56.7–57.9 is the last crew access of the race and the last pacer pickup. Most runners arrive here between 1:00–3:00 AM.

From Big John Flat, the course climbs 1,724 feet to Skyline Aid at mile 58.7 — the last major climb — before a 4.8-mile descent to the finish. The Skyline cutoff is 3:15 AM. If you're there in time, you will finish.

How to race it: Night at altitude in the Tushar Mountains is cold. Temperatures can drop to the low 30s and below by 2–3 AM above 10,000 feet. Your rain jacket and space blanket are mandatory gear for a reason — this is where hypothermia risk is real. The Skyline climb feels impossible at mile 58. Hike it with purpose. The finish is close.

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What This Race Demands You Get Right

Altitude acclimatization. You spend every minute of this race above 8,855 feet. If you're traveling from lower elevation, arrive at least 24–48 hours early. Eagle Point Resort at 10,000+ feet is not a place to acclimatize on race morning.

Altitude-adjusted fueling. Altitude suppresses appetite dramatically. Most runners feel "fine" while falling behind 500+ calories per hour. Eat on a 20–30 minute timer regardless of hunger.

Temperature management. The Tushars get a 40-degree temperature swing from midday sun to pre-dawn ridgeline. The required rain jacket and space blanket are not formalities — they are used. Build your Big John Flat drop bag as if you're preparing for a cold night, not a warm one.

The Alunite Ridge cutoff. 9.5 hours to mile 24.7 with 6,389 feet of gain at altitude. Plan your pace from the start backward from this cutoff.

Navigation. Multiple race distances running simultaneously with different course markers. For 100K: follow RED signs and orange polka-dot ribbons. Blue-and-white checkerboard = wrong way. Download the GPX and carry it.

Required gear — carry it all. Rain jacket, space/emergency blanket, cell phone with GPS, whistle, reusable cup. Aid stations will not have cups. Pacers must carry the same required gear as their runner.

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Course Records

| Category | Runner | Time | Year |
|----------|--------|------|------|
| Men's CR | Jimmy Elam | 11:38:27 | 2020 |
| Women's CR | Megan Cihasky | 14:51:55 | 2023 |

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Logistics

Start/Finish: Eagle Point Ski Resort Yurt, Beaver UT — 5:00 AM Saturday

Race Organization: Aravaipa Running (aravaiparunning.com/tushars)

Distances available: 100K · 70K · Marathon · Half Marathon

Drop Bags: Bullion Pasture I (mile 31.9) and Bullion Pasture II (mile 44.1). Small duffel or dry bag only.

Pacers: From Bullion Pasture I (mile 31.9) and Big John Flat Crew Zone (miles 56.7–57.9). Pacers must carry all required gear.

Crew Zones: Start/Finish · Big Flat (mile 10.2) · Bullion Pasture I (31.9) · Bullion Pasture II (44.1) · Big John Flat (56.7–57.9)

Course Markings: RED laminated signs + orange polka-dot ribbons for 100K. Blue/white checkerboard = wrong way.

DNF Protocol: Inform an aid station captain before leaving the course.

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Load the Tushars 100K into HARDN and build your altitude-adjusted execution plan — cutoff pacing, caloric demand at elevation, crew logistics for Big Flat and Big John Flat, and a segment-by-segment strategy for one of Utah's hardest courses. [Try it at hardn.app →](https://hardn.app)