Races
Black Canyon
Spring Valley to New River. Net downhill until Table Mesa, then rollers, baby-head basalt, and afternoon heat.
100 km+1,743 ft-3,865 ft17 hours1,805 ft to 4,115 fttech 6/108 stationspoint to pointGolden TicketWSER qualifierFebruaryGolden Ticket
Distance100 km
Gain+1,743 ft
Loss-3,865 ft
Altitude1,805 ft to 4,115 ft
Technicality6/10
Air32°F to 85°F
- Start4,004 ft
- High4,115 ft
- Low1,805 ft
- Finish1,882 ft
- Antelope Mesa at mile 7.7, cutoff 9.25 hours
- Hidden Treasure at mile 13, cutoff 10.75 hours
- Bumble Bee Ranch at mile 19, cutoff 12.75 hours, crew, drop bag
- Gloriana Mine at mile 24, cutoff 14.5 hours
- Deep Canyon Ranch at mile 32, cutoff 17 hours, crew, drop bag
- Black Canyon City Trailhead at mile 37, cutoff 19 hours
- Cottonwood Gulch at mile 46, cutoff 22 hours
- Table Mesa at mile 51, cutoff 23.5 hours, crew, drop bag
- Doe Spring at mile 59, cutoff 26 hours
- Emery Henderson at mile 62, cutoff 27 hours, crew
Terrain
Field, 2026 · 9-year samplescraped
Starters954
Finish rate80%
Median14:52
Sub-24765
Geometryderived
Steepest drop541 ft-4.7% over 2.2 mi
Night miles0 misunset near 18:00 local
Weather at the cruxderived
At hour 8 of race, feels like 15 C (65 F).Sample of 7 race days, medium confidence.At hour 8 of race, apparent temperature P90 is 15 C / 60 F.
Course records
Men7:20:00Hans Troyer
Women7:57:05Jennifer Lichter
The cruxTable Mesa to Emery Henderson
Course DNA
The Course
Net downhill out of Spring Valley. Rolling desert singletrack. Basalt. Chert. Sand washes. The Aqua Fria at mile 37. Then Table Mesa to New River. Fifteen miles of rollers, baby-head basalt, and deep sand. It reads downhill. It does not run that way in the sun. Low 1,300 feet. High 3,500. Trail 85 percent, jeep 12, paved 3.
The Work
No long climbs. High-speed rock instead. Calves, Achilles, and plantar fascia take the micro-hits all day. Discipline the run-walk. Train turnover on rocky trail with tired feet. Save the fascia for Table Mesa.
Kit
Draining trail shoes. Rock plate for the chert. Gaiters that exclude debris. Sand and granite grit turn wet socks into sandpaper after the river. Change them.
Race Day
Conserve the descent out of Spring Valley. Heart rate in Zone 1. The race starts at the Aqua Fria, mile 37. Save the quads and you pass people on the last third. Table Mesa is chaos. Park where you can leave. Dry shoes and socks right after the river. Salve the inner thighs. Desert sand will grind skin if you skip it.
Results
Black Canyon finish lines.
Winner: Hans Troyer, 7:20:00.
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Sources (2)
- Field stats (2026): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=125776
- Qualifier: golden_ticket: https://www.wser.org/entry-info/