Badwater Ultramarathon

It takes place annually in mid-July when the weather is the most extreme and temperatures can reach 130 °F (54 °C) during the day at Badwater Basin.

Originally, the run was conceived as being between the lowest and the highest points in the contiguous United States: Badwater, Death Valley −282 feet (−86 m) and Mt.

Due to the two mountain ranges that must be crossed between Badwater and Whitney, the course's cumulative elevation gain exceeds 19,000 feet (5,800 m).

Hikes between Badwater and Mount Whitney (via the treacherous salt flats in Death Valley) were first made in 1969 by Stan Rodefer and Jim Burnworth of San Diego.

[2] Al Arnold first attempted running the route in 1974 but was pulled off the course after eighteen miles (29 km) with severe dehydration.

During the early years of the race, no particular route between Badwater and Whitney was specified and runners attempted various "shortcuts" between the start and finish.

Adrian Crane, one of the competitors in the inaugural race, even used cross-country skis to cross the salt-flats at Badwater.

Since 1989 the race was shortened and it became Badwater 135 since it was impossible to get enough permits to run the last 11 miles up on national forest lands to the top of Whitney from the Portals.

The crew provides their runner with his or her needs, including water, ice, food, gear, pacing, and first aid.

In the past, runners were allowed sixty hours to complete the course,[5] but this has been changed to a 48-hour course limit and a 28-hour cutoff at Panamint Springs Resort.

The male record for the current 135-mile (217 km) course is 21 hours 33 minutes 01 seconds (men), set by Yoshihiko Ishikawa in 2019.

Faced with the necessity of completing the Triple before August ended, Weber abandoned his cart at mile 390 to be fully crewed by Denise Jones.

In 2001, Marshall Ulrich was the first runner to complete the "Badwater Quad", consisting of two back-to-back Death Valley 300s for a total of four consecutive Badwater/Whitney transits.

In 2012, Terry Abrams (54) became the first woman to complete a solo Triple 146 crossing, 438 miles, which includes two summits of Mt.

In July 1999, Marshall Ulrich became the first runner to complete the 146-mile (235 km) Badwater-to-Summit course without a crew or resupply, denying himself the use of artificial shade or outside aid of any kind.

Starting with 225 lb (102 kg) of gear and water loaded in a modified baby jogger, he pushed and pulled the cart to the Whitney trailhead, then continued on to the summit with a pack.

[12] In July 2004, Jeff Sauter became the second person to attempt a solo self-contained crossing under Marshall Ulrich's rules, and completed the 135-mile course to Whitney Portal in 72 hours, but succumbed to hypothermia on the way to the summit and failed to finish the 146-mile course.

[13] On July 14, 2016, Dusty Hardman became the second woman to complete Badwater 146 in 80 hours and 57 minutes while pushing a modified baby stroller.

Bogie started on July 8, 2013, at 7:45am, got to the portal at 12:03pm(52:18) and summited Whitney on 7/10/13 at 20:03 in the evening, setting a new time of 60 hours 18 minutes.

In 2014 Bogie started on July 1 and had to stop after Townes Pass due to severe dizziness and breathing problems.

Among the finishers of the 135 mile Badwater Solo in 2005, listed in order of finish time, were Shane Sampson, Juli Aistars, Steve James, Marcia Rassmussen, Jim Hamilton, Maureen Moran, Bo Pheffer, Dharam (Paul) Piplani Barbara Szeprethy and Dave Remington.

In compliance with National Park and Forest Service permitting rules, the Badwater Solo is not a competitive race or an organized event of any kind.

"Solo self contained" where the runner cannot get help and has to carry all food and water (see exact rules established by Marshall Ulrich).