Races
Beaverhead
Salmon River country. Idaho and Montana border ridges. Eight thousand five hundred feet above 5,800 feet.
- Start5,384 ft
- High5,384 ft
- Low4,813 ft
- Finish4,813 ft
Geometryderived
The cruxContinental Divide crossing near Gibbonsville (near mile 40)
Course DNA
The Course
Beaverhead runs 100 km through Idaho/Montana. +6,626 ft gain and -7,197 ft loss. Surfaces skew 85% trail / 15% forest road. Continental Divide crossing near Gibbonsville. High point near 5,384 ft. Low near 4,813 ft. July temps run 30°F to 80°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 31.
The Work
Train for 6,626 feet of climbing across 100 km. Back-to-back long runs on trail. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 20 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 5/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 40.
Kit
July in Idaho/Montana: plan for 30°F to 80°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 20 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 16. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 85% trail: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 31.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 16. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 31. Continental Divide crossing near Gibbonsville near mile 40 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 21 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
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