August 27, 2016 race day live tracking is available by clicking here.

The Castle Peak 100k is just a few short days away. We hope these details answer any remaining questions you may have, but if not, please don’t hesitate to email Helen at secretary@donnerpartymountainrunners.com.

Friday bib pickup & mandatory pre-race briefing

Please check the full schedule on our website by clicking here. The mandatory pre-race meeting is at 5pm at Donner Memorial State Park. Click here for all driving directions. Drop bags are due at 6pm.

Shuttles to start
Two shuttles will start loading at 3:30am at the Truckee Donner Lodge, 10527 Cold Stream Rd, Truckee, CA. The shuttles will run continuously until 4:15am. Parking is limited. Please pay attention to the volunteer parking attendants. Click here for all driving directions.

Check-in at start line
Every runner must check-in at the start line so we know who is on-course.

Bib numbers and live tracking
Wear your bib so that it is visible on front! We will again offer live tracking, which will be posted at CastlePeak100k.com after the race starts.

Aid stations & safety runners (i.e. pacers)
Click here to see the latest aid station information, including a full pace estimate chart ~ handy for crew & spectators. One safety runner (pacer) may accompany each runner starting at Van Norden (mile 43.6) and continuing to the finish. Pacers must sign a waiver in order to receive a pacer bib, which can be done at the Van Norden aid station.

On-Course nutrition
Tailwind Nutrition and GU Energy Labs have generously provided on-course nutrition. Mandarin Orange Tailwind Endurance Fuel and GU gels will be at every aid station. You will also find Coca-cola products, Clif organic energy food, potato chips, Nature’s Bakery fig bars, fresh fruit, PB&J and other assorted goodies.

The Palisades
The 1.25-mile section about 50 miles into the course (between Crow’s Nest and Mt. Lincoln) involves technical scrambling and may be difficult for those with a fear of heights. There will be safety ropes and safety personnel stationed throughout this section. Please consider keeping your hands free for traversing The Palisades.

Finish line food
Runners will enjoy beverages and a full hot meal at the finish area.

Thank a volunteer
Castle Peak 100k is presented by Salomon and produced by Donner Party Mountain Runners, a grass-roots 501(c)(3) non-profit running club. We are all volunteers. Please do your best to be courteous and thank the volunteers on course.

We can’t wait to be part of your Castle Peak 100k journey!
Peter Fain, RunOnDirtCoaching.com
Helen Pelster, TahoeRunningCompany.com
and all of the Donner Party Mountain Runners

The Donner Party Mountain Mountain Runners are pleased to present a series of Castle Peak 100k training runs. These runs will offer a first-hand preview of most sections of the course and provide a great opportunity for training at race altitude.

Space in each run is limited to respect trailhead parking and minimize local impact. Pre-registration is free but required ~ registration is now open to Castle Peak 100k runners. Any remaining spots will then become available to Donner Party Mountain Runners members starting Friday, July 1, 2016.

A special training weekend is scheduled for July 30-31, with back-to-back runs and a preview evening Saturday, July 30, at 5:30pm. This slideshow will be held at our exclusive retail partner, Tahoe Mountain Sports, in Truckee, California, so plan to attend and do a little shopping, too.

Castle Peak 100k Preview Run Schedule (click for registration):

• Sunday, July 3, 2016: Prosser OHV Start to Moondance (loop)
• Sunday, July 24: Castle Peak 100k & Sierra Crest 30k/50k Joint Preview :: Tahoe Donner (loop)
• Saturday, July 30:  Johnson Canyon (a.k.a. Negro Canyon or Wendin Way) to Hole in the Ground (one-way_
• Saturday, July 30, 5:30pm: Course preview slideshow at Tahoe Mountain Sports (no pre-reg required)
• Sunday, July 31: Van Norden, Royal Gorge (loop)
• Saturday, August 6: Race opportunity Sierra Crest 30k and 50k Ultra Runs by Auburn Ski Clib
• Sunday, August 21: Palisades to Finish (one way)

The 2016 Castle Peak 100k course will be even more dramatic and challenging than last year’s run. Working with our land partners, we have be able to add some more of the best single track trails in the Truckee-Tahoe area to the route.

We have eliminated the 12-mile start on the Commemorative Emigrant Trail in order to add more climbing and ridge running. The race, still point-to-point, will now start much closer to Truckee, at the Prosser Hill OHV staging area.

After a mile on dirt road to settle in, runners will commence climbing The Animal and Prosser Hill, before proceeding along Carpenter Valley to Tahoe Donner. This year, the course takes runners into Tahoe Donner’s scenic Euer Valley prior to the climbing up to Drifter Hut.

After descending Johnson Canyon (aka Negro Canyon) and headed west on the Donner Lake Rim Trail, runners will get to experience the incomparable Warren Lake Loop. This trail is an absolute favorite among local trail runners. The course takes runners “behind” Castle Peak, where they will summit Basin Peak before traversing the ridge to summit Castle Peak.

Also new for 2016 is expanded single track running within Royal Gorge, including a traverse of Razorback Ridge. Rest assured that the (notorious?) 1.25-mile Palisades section at the top of Sugar Bowl Resort remains intact.

Runners will again descend Cold Stream Canyon into the finish at Donner Memorial State Park. Dinner and celebration await finishes at the park.

With these course enhancements, we are seeing 14,000+ feet of climbing and descending over just about 62 miles. The minimum elevation is 5,900 feet and the course tops out near 9,000 feet at Basin at Castle Peaks. Average elevation over the course is 7,300 feet.

Please click here for the 2016 Castle Peak 100k course map materials.

Special thanks to all of our very generous land partners who make Castle Peak 100k a possibility!