Races
Zion Ultras 100
Ruby Rider Ranch. High desert mesas above Zion country. Ten thousand feet. Slickrock, rim trails, Virgin River crossings. Remote and technical.
100 mi+12,728 ft-12,728 ft36 hours3,785 ft to 7,356 fttech 7/1016 stationsWire MesaVirgin Riverhigh desert mesaApril
Distance100 mi
Gain+12,728 ft
Loss-12,728 ft
Altitude3,785 ft to 7,356 ft
Technicality7/10
Air45°F to 85°F
- Start5,669 ft
- High7,356 ft
- Low3,785 ft
- Finish5,669 ft
- Wire Mesa at mile 8.0
- Wire Mesa II at mile 15
- Mondo Z at mile 23
- Gooseberry at mile 31
- Mondo Z II at mile 35
- Virgin Desert at mile 43, cutoff 22 hours, crew
- Virgin Dam at mile 51
- Smith Mesa at mile 60
- Virgin BMX at mile 69
- Guacamole at mile 75
- Guacamole II at mile 81
- Virgin BMX II at mile 88
- Mondo Z III at mile 92
- Finish Ruby Rider at mile 97, cutoff 36 hours
Terrain
Field, 2026 · 14-year samplescraped
Starters237
Finish rate73%
Median30:44
Sub-2423
Geometryderived
Steepest drop1,923 ft-17.2% over 2.1 mi
Night miles44 misunset near 18:00 local
Longest climb1,883 ft41 mi at 0.9%
Course records
Men16:49:53Jeff Browning
Women7:39:15Kim Sankey
The cruxFour steep mesa climbs with slickrock descents between miles 20 and 70
Course DNA
The Course
Loop from Ruby Rider Ranch in Apple Valley through Wire Mesa, Gooseberry, Smith Mesa, and the Virgin River corridor. Four steep mesa climbs with panoramic views over Zion country. Slickrock, dirt roads, and technical singletrack between 3,442 and 5,442 feet. Ten thousand four hundred eighty-one feet gain on a rolling high-desert plate. Remote sections with limited cell service.
The Work
Desert mesa climbing and slickrock footwork at moderate elevation. Heat on exposed rim sections from late morning. Train technical descents on sandstone. Western States qualifier at 36 hours. Quads load on repeated mesa drops.
Kit
Trail shoes with grip for slickrock. Sun kit and wind layer. Hydration for long exposed sections between aids. Trekking poles optional on mesa climbs. Offline maps for remote rim travel.
Race Day
6:00 am Friday start. Thirty-six hour cutoff. Sixteen aid stations. Hike-in crew at Ruby Rider Ranch. Aravaipa production with hot meals at key stops. Do not underestimate slickrock pace. Mesa climbs feel runnable early and brutal at mile 60.
Results
Zion Ultras 100 finish lines.
Winner: Kevin Slider, 18:49:59.
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Sources (3)
- Field stats (2026): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=128668
- Course record (M): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=22673
- Course record (F): https://ultrasignup.com/results_event.aspx?did=39774