Canyonlands Ultra
Moab, UT
- 100 Miler, 50 Miler, 50K, Marathon, Half Marathon, 15K
- Trail (Unpaved)
- Official race website
Join for the ultimate trail running experience at the Canyonlands Ultra, part of Mad Moose Events’ popular Run Moab Series! With events ranging from 15k to 100K, this weekend is the best way to immerse yourself in the trail running community and explore the breathtaking scenery of Moab. The … MORE
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Very fun course
The course follows roads/jeep trails through BLM land. Much of the course is runnable with short sections of rock that is a bit challenging that add to fun of the … MORE
The course follows roads/jeep trails through BLM land. Much of the course is runnable with short sections of rock that is a bit challenging that add to fun of the course. The course was well marked. The area is open to jeep and trucks that drive up and down these rocky areas. I didn’t see any on the course, but others did. Also some sandy areas, but none were too long. A little long between a couple of the aid stations (~8 miles) so you need to plan for that. I finished before it rained too much, but people finishing later said the course became difficult to run with the water/mud. The 100-milers had a long, cold & muddy night. I found the aid stations to be adequately stocked, mainly pre-packaged options and no hot food except for the aid station at start/finish when you are heading out for your second lap, but several other runners complained.
Overall, a very fun race & course.
Scenic but challenging course
When you hear that a course is on jeep roads, you probably think it will be an easy course. This one was far from easy though. After about 1/2 mile … MORE
When you hear that a course is on jeep roads, you probably think it will be an easy course. This one was far from easy though. After about 1/2 mile of downhill from the start of the 7.1 mile loop, we started about a 2 mile steady climb to the edge of the Behind the Rocks Wilderness area. This is where it started to get really scenic, but the trail became more technical with slick rock and rock shelves. After dropping down a steep draw, we then went back up a long hill that seemed to get steeper the further we went. After we got to the top, it started heading downhill until we got to the intermediate aid station, which was generously supplied with all kinds of drink, snack food, and PB sandwiches. The sand and rock road then continued downhill until we got to the road where we drove in and the rest of the course was relatively flat until we got back to the finish. Altogether, there was about 774 feet of elevation gain per 7.1 mile loop. After finishing up my 5th loop in the dark and having a difficult time seeing the course markers, I decided to call it a day and stop early. Both the main aid station at the start/finish and the intermediate one on the course were stocked like I was used to in the pre-covid days with real food as well as a wide range of snacks and energy gels. I still felt safe though, as the volunteers all wore masks and gloves. Bling included a shirt, a custom Boco trucker’s hat, and a small belt buckle on a ribbon. It was really well organized, and I can see myself going back again some day.