Races
Death Valley to Whitney Portal. Asphalt from below sea level. Townes Pass in the afternoon heat.
Terrain
Field, 2026 · 25-year samplescraped
Geometryderived
Weather at the cruxderived
At hour 9 of race, feels like 42 C (102 F).Sample of 7 race days, medium confidence.At hour 9 of race, apparent temperature P90 is 42 C / 108 F.
Mandatory kit5 required verified
Course records
The cruxTownes Pass (mile 42) (near mile 88)
Course DNA
Badwater 135 runs 135 mi through Death Valley to Whitney Portal, California. +14,346 ft gain and -5,752 ft loss. Surfaces skew 0% trail / 0% jeep / 100% paved. Townes Pass (mile 42). High point near 8,323 ft. Low near -246 ft. July temps run 85°F to 125°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 68.
Train for 14,346 feet of climbing across 135 mi. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 48 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 6/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 88.
July in Death Valley to Whitney Portal, California: plan for 85°F to 125°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 48 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 34. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 0% trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 68.
Hold effort through mile 34. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 68. Townes Pass (mile 42) near mile 88 is where time is won or lost. Walk the steep pinches. Run the flats and gentle downhills. Crew at major aids: socks, calories, ice if hot. Transitions under 5 minutes when possible. Final third is 45 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
Results
Winner: Max Jolliffe, 20:53:41.
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