Races

Tillamook Burn 50 Miler

Tillamook State Forest, OregonApril

Tillamook State Forest. Coast Range mud. Elk and Kings Mountain. Eight thousand five hundred feet. Spring in Oregon means wet feet.

50 mi+7,755 ft-7,119 ft15 hours607 ft to 2,552 fttech 6/10Checkpoints per race bookcoast rangemud seasonElk MountainApril
Distance50 mi
Gain+7,755 ft
Loss-7,119 ft
Altitude607 ft to 2,552 ft
Technicality6/10
Air40°F to 65°F
Gradient profileCalTopo course map
  • Start607 ft
  • High2,552 ft
  • Low607 ft
  • Finish1,243 ft

Field, 2026 · 8-year samplescraped

Starters134
Finish rate76%
Median12:15
Sub-24102

Geometryderived

Steepest drop1,263 ft-11.3% over 2.1 mi

Course records

Men6:37:29Mario Mendoza Jr.2021 scraped
Women7:41:01Jade Belzberg2025 scraped

The cruxElk Mountain and Kings Mountain repeats in Coast Range mud (near mile 33)

Course DNA

The Course

Tillamook Burn 50 Miler runs 50 mi through Tillamook State Forest, Oregon. +7,755 ft gain and -7,119 ft loss. Surfaces skew 80% singletrack / 20% forest road. Elk Mountain and Kings Mountain repeats in Coast Range mud. High point near 2,552 ft. Low near 607 ft. April temps run 40°F to 65°F. The course rewards patience early and punishes rushed descents after mile 25.

The Work

Train for 7,755 feet of climbing across 50 mi. Back-to-back long runs on similar surfaces. Practice power-hiking grades above 15 percent. 15 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

April in Tillamook State Forest, Oregon: plan for 40°F to 65°F. Mandatory shell if rain is in forecast. Headlamp with spare batteries if 15 hours pushes past dark. Poles help on sustained climbs above mile 13. Vest capacity for 2 liters minimum. Shoes matched to 80% singletrack: 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. Elk Mountain and Kings Mountain repeats in Coast Range mud 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

Tillamook Burn 50 Miler finish lines.

Tillamook Burn 50 Miler

50 milerTillamook State Forest

Sources (3)

Tillamook Burn 50 Miler