About This Race
The 50-mile distance doubles the challenge of the 25-mile course, requiring runners to complete the full loop twice and manage their effort across a significantly longer day on technical Sierra Nevada terrain. This distance demands experienced ultrarunners who can handle sustained climbing and descending over rocky, exposed trails while maintaining nutrition and pacing discipline through potential temperature swings from dawn to dusk. The mental fortitude required to tackle the second loop, when legs are already fatigued from the first 25 miles of rugged singletrack, separates this distance from its shorter counterpart and creates the true test of endurance that defines the Euchre Bar experience.
Starting and finishing at Shirttail Creek Campground near Foresthill, the course plunges into and climbs out of the American River canyon multiple times. Runners navigate historic mining trails including Euchre Bar, Pioneer Mine, Ebeneezer's Highway, Green Valley, Mumford Bar, and Italian Bar. The route combines established trails with significant off-trail sections requiring navigation skills and bushwhacking experience.
The canyon's rugged topography creates relentless elevation changes, with steep descents followed by equally punishing climbs. Runners pass through one aid station location twice during their journey, where drop bags and crew support are available. The race director deliberately withholds detailed course maps until the week before the event, adding an element of uncertainty that reflects the race's adventure-focused philosophy.
Elevation Profile
Course Map
Route shown is approximate and for illustration purposes.
Aid Stations
1 stations along the course
Drop Bag Station
Single aid station location that runners pass through twice during the course
Practical Info
SMF - Sacramento International Airport
Group campsite available for Friday and Saturday night at the race location.
Best For
Notable Features
This fatass-style event epitomizes grassroots ultrarunning culture with its free entry, intimate 50-person field limit, and unique finish line rule requiring participants to wait for fellow runners. The combination of technical terrain, significant bushwhacking sections, and navigation challenges through historic American River mining sites creates an adventure run that prioritizes exploration and community over speed. The race director's honest warnings about difficulty and the withheld course maps until race week add to the event's authentic, old-school ultrarunning character.