Races
Mountain Meadows Ranch loop on the Highline Trail. Seven thousand feet of climbing. Rocks, water, and Rim views. The southwest classic that finishes before your quads forget how to bend.
Field, 2026 · 22-year sampleresults
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Course records
The cruxMilitary Sinkhole climb and Rim Top before dark (near mile 33)
Course DNA
Highline Trail 50 Miler runs 50 mi through Christopher Creek, Arizona. +11,959 ft gain and -11,955 ft loss. Surfaces skew 86% singletrack / 14% dirt road. Military Sinkhole climb and Rim Top before dark. High point near 7,646 ft. Low near 5,477 ft. April temps run 35°F to 80°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 25.
Train for 11,959 feet of climbing across 50 mi. Back-to-back long runs on similar surfaces. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 15.5 hours total means limited margin: rehearse fueling every 45 to 60 minutes and downhill eccentric work weekly. Technicality 9/10. Build a block that simulates the crux near mile 33.
April in Christopher Creek, Arizona: plan for 35°F to 80°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 15.5 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 13. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 86% singletrack: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 25.
Hold effort through mile 13. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 25. Military Sinkhole climb and Rim Top before dark 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
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