Races
Salt and Sulfur 420
Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone. Four hundred twenty miles. Pavement, desert, canyons, mountains. No buckle. No medal. Just the reckoning.
- Start696 ft
- High702 ft
- Low606 ft
- Finish696 ft
Geometryderived
The cruxForty-five mile gaps between towns on the second half (near mile 273)
Course DNA
The Course
Salt and Sulfur 420 runs 420 mi through Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone. +1,089 ft gain and -1,089 ft loss. Surfaces skew 85% paved / 15% dirt. Forty-five mile gaps between towns on the second half. High point near 702 ft. Low near 606 ft. August temps run 35°F to 95°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 210.
The Work
Train for 1,089 feet of climbing across 420 mi. Back-to-back long runs on similar surfaces. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 264 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 273.
Kit
August in Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone: plan for 35°F to 95°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 264 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 105. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 85% paved: lugs for mud, rock plate if the course turns technical after mile 210.
Race Day
Hold effort through mile 105. The field often splits on the first big climb after mile 210. Forty-five mile gaps between towns on the second half near mile 273 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 139 miles of fatigue management. Finish with reserve for the last descent.
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