Western States 100
The iconic 100.2-mile point-to-point from Olympic Valley to Auburn — known for brutal canyon heat. What to consider for footwear, hydration, and surviving the canyons.
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Race conditions
Distance: 100.2 miles (point-to-point, Olympic Valley → Auburn, CA).
Elevation: ~18,000 ft climb / ~23,000 ft descent.
Cutoff: 30 hours.
Defining feature: afternoon canyon heat, routinely above 100°F.
Pacers: allowed from Foresthill (mile 62).
Known requirements (official)
- • Hydration capacity (minimum carry requirements enforced at check-in)
- • Headlamp + backup light for night
- • Reflective vest / tail light for the final miles on pavement
- • Recommended: an explicit electrolyte plan for extreme heat
Always confirm against the current official race manual, rules change year to year.
What to consider: what’s worked for others
Shoes for heat and fire-road pounding
Most of Western States is runnable fire road and trail with significant descent into the canyons. Cushioning matters more than aggressive lugs. Many finishers rotate 1–2 pairs; a fresh pair at Foresthill (mile 62) is a common move. Wide toe boxes help with heat-induced swelling — consider going up a half size.
Solve for heat before pace
The canyons decide most DNFs. Carry more capacity than you think you need and pre-plan sodium intake per hour; many finishers target 500–1000 mg/hr depending on sweat rate. Ice in bandanas and hats is a standard canyon tactic.
Plan for a long night
Even strong sub-24-hour runners can be caught after dark on the final descent to Auburn. A bright primary headlamp plus a backup is required; many crew at No Hands aid station swap lights.
This curated section summarizes publicly available, legitimately sourced content, race-official requirements, finisher interviews, published gear lists, and race-report blogs. It is framed as “what to consider,” not as a statistic.
No field reports yet for Western States 100.
When finishers contribute, we’ll show counts here, never “X% recommend” claims until the sample is genuinely credible and disclosed.
Community field reports
Below are firsthand gear reports from runners who've toed the line. We publish counts, not 'X% recommend' claims, until the sample is credible.
No field reports yet for Western States 100
If you’ve run it, share what you carried and how it held up.
Race-day tips & hacks
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