Races
Dead Horse Ultra 50 Miler
Gemini Bridges trailhead. Magnificent Seven slickrock. Arches views from the rim. Moab in November when the desert finally cools.
50 mi+3,885 ft-3,881 ft17 hours4,577 ft to 5,787 fttech 6/10Checkpoints per race bookTriple Crown of MoabMagnificent SevencuplessNovember
Distance50 mi
Gain+3,885 ft
Loss-3,881 ft
Altitude4,577 ft to 5,787 ft
Technicality6/10
Air30°F to 65°F
- Start4,577 ft
- High5,787 ft
- Low4,577 ft
- Finish4,580 ft
- 15 mile aid at mile 15, cutoff 8 hours
- Finish Gemini at mile 50, cutoff 17 hours
Field, 2025 · 10-year sampleresults
Starters206
Finish rate100%
Median10:39
Sub-24206
Geometrycourse math
Steepest drop456 ft-4.6% over 1.9 mi
Course records
Men6:02:49Jonathan Rea
Women7:10:05Sarah Biehl
The cruxGemini Bridges climb and Bull Run rim miles (near mile 33)
Course DNA
The Course
Dead Horse Ultra 50 Miler runs 50 mi through Moab, Utah. +3,885 ft gain and -3,881 ft loss. Surfaces skew 70% slickrock / 30% singletrack. Gemini Bridges climb and Bull Run rim miles. High point near 5,787 ft. Low near 4,577 ft. November temps run 30°F to 65°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 25.
The Work
Train for 3,885 feet of climbing across 50 mi. Back-to-back long runs on similar surfaces. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 17 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 33.
Kit
November in Moab, Utah: plan for 30°F to 65°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 17 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 13. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 70% slickrock: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 25.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 13. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 25. Gemini Bridges climb and Bull Run rim miles near mile 33 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 17 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
Results
Dead Horse Ultra 50 Miler finish lines.
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Sources (3)
- Field stats (2025): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=121563
- Course record (M): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=81072
- Course record (F): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=110988