Races
Tillamook Burn 50 Miler
Tillamook State Forest. Coast Range mud. Elk and Kings Mountain. Eight thousand five hundred feet. Spring in Oregon means wet feet.
50 mi+21,148 ft-20,512 ft15 hours607 ft to 2,575 fttech 9/10Checkpoints per race bookcoast rangemud seasonElk MountainApril
Distance50 mi
Gain+21,148 ft
Loss-20,512 ft
Altitude607 ft to 2,575 ft
Technicality9/10
Air40°F to 65°F
- Start607 ft
- High2,575 ft
- Low607 ft
- Finish1,243 ft
- Elk Mountain at mile 22, cutoff 9 hours
- Finish at mile 50, cutoff 15 hours
Field, 2026 · 8-year sampleresults
Starters134
Finish rate76%
Median12:15
Sub-24102
Geometrycourse math
Steepest drop1,165 ft-11.7% over 1.9 mi
Course records
Men6:37:29Mario Mendoza Jr.
Women7:41:01Jade Belzberg
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. +21,148 ft gain and -20,512 ft loss. Surfaces skew 80% singletrack / 20% forest road. Elk Mountain and Kings Mountain repeats in Coast Range mud. High point near 2,575 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 21,148 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 9/10. 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.
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Sources (3)
- Field stats (2026): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=131142
- Course record (M): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=84570
- Course record (F): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=118998