Truckee, CA, United States · Sunday, July 19, 2026

Fixed Distance 50K

Big Chief 50K Trail Run

Race completed

50 km Distance

not publishedn/a Climbing

2.5 est Grit · Entry level

Calculated from 50 km alone — the organiser has not published an elevation profile. Read 2.5 as a floor, not a verdict.

39.3280° N, 120.1833° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Time limit 8 hours 9:36 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. Climbing is unpublished, so this pace is a ceiling on the effort, not a measure of it. Tighter than 89% of 50K races. Measured against 1007 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~97 Mid-sized. Company early, well spread out by halfway.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, July

Daytime high 30°C

Night low 13°C

Rainfall Dry — rain unlikely

Daylight 14 h 36 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for July — NASA POWER, grid elevation 1774 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 50 km of trail.

Trail Running Shoes50 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
Race Nutrition50 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsFlask capacity for 50 km, without the bounce.
GPS WatchesBattery life first — a 50 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Salomon

Sense Ride 5

RunRepeat found the Salomon Sense Ride 5 to have immaculate lockdown and a smooth and stable ride, making it confident on moderate trails and steep downhills. I…

★★★★★ 4.5

Adidas

Terrex Speed Ultra

★★★★★ 4.5

Tailwind

Endurance Fuel

All-in-one calorie and electrolyte drink mix. 200 calories per serving.

$25 ★★★★★ 4.8

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

12L race vest co-designed with ultra champion Rob Krar, with insulated bladder pocket.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

Suunto

Vertical

Titanium GPS watch with solar charging, offline maps, and 140-hour GPS battery.

$630 ★★★★★ 4.5

All gear guides →

Course Notes

Loop course on a mix of single track and fire road in the scenic forests between Lake Tahoe and Truckee. The race starts and finishes in the Village at Northstar Resort in Truckee, CA.

Similar races

Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.