Click to see who is registered so far for the Ultra and 30K.

The Over The Hill Track Club welcomes you to the 2009 edition of the High Desert 50K Ultramarathon and 30K. This year's race will be held on Sunday, December 6th. 

December is a great time for running on our desert roads and trails.  Mountain views are plentiful—the southern Sierra Nevada range is obvious to the west, but you may also see a snowy Telescope Peak to the Northeast. Rattlesnakes are hiding for the winter, and temperatures are generally cool.  But Mother Nature is always capable of making things more interesting, and anything from wind, rain, snow or even hail, to an unseasonably hot day, may show up to provide us with an added challenge!

The High Desert 50k will again host USATF Southern California Association 50 km Trail Championship, as well as the Southern California RRCA State Championship.  We are again the last stop for the Southern California UltraRunners Grand Prix Series.  As always we have some great sponsors joining us, and we hope you will all use their fine products.

Race director Terry Mitchell and her team are gearing up for another great run.  We’re looking forward to again sharing our running trails with all of our old and new ultra friends.  Don’t miss out on a fun day in the beautiful Mojave Desert!  Come join us again, and bring your friends!  We’re looking forward to seeing you all in December.



 





 

Course
The course is a loop route over rolling desert terrain on jeep roads, single-track trails and sandy washes over the Spangler Hills south of Ridgecrest.  It offers great views of the Southern Sierras and can provide wonderful running conditions during the month of December.  We think this is a great course for first timers and veterans alike.  Runners are supported by 9 great aid stations, about every three miles, with water, electrolyte drink and other ultra-type goodies.  Click here for course maps…  

Race Start
The start and finish for both runs is located at the Cerro Coso Community College athletic complex parking lot. Start time for both races is 7:00 a.m.  There will be an early start at 6:00 a.m. for those who may take more than 9 hours to finish.  Early starters must check in with the race director.  You will get credit for finishing but NO AWARDS for early starters.

Race Headquarters
Headquarters will be the St. Ann’s School, 446 W. Church Ave. (Church and South Norma). Late registration and bib pickup will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, December 5.  A carbo load dinner will be available at race headquarters for $8; payment can be made at the dinner.  Check-in and bib pickup will also be possible at the Cerro Coso gym on Sunday morning, around 5:15 a.m.  There will be NO RACE DAY REGISTRATION!

Official Hotel
The official hotel of the High Desert Ultra will be the Heritage Inn and Suites, 1050 N. Norma St., Ridgecrest (760-446-6543 or 800-843-0693).   The special Ultra rate is $68, plus tax, per night double occupancy ($8 per person for more than 2 people, up to 4 per room). Check-out time will be extended to 3:00 p.m. To make room reservations, call and mention the Ultramarathon and date. See our Travel section for more hotel options and how to get to Ridgecrest.

Awards
All participants will receive a T-shirt and all finishers, a finisher’s medal.  We will make every effort to ensure you can pick up your T-Shirt at packet pickup, as long as we have RECEIVED your paid entry by November 14, 2009.  If for whatever reason we do not have your T-shirt at packet pickup, be sure to get your name on the designated list after the race finish.  We will be putting together a single order after the race and mailing the shirts to those individuals.  The time for the awards ceremony will be 12:30pm for the 30K and 2:00pm for the 50K.  We ask that you please wait until the awards ceremony to pick up your award.  There will also be a “Runner’s Raffle” of some fine items donated by our Sponsors.

Weather
We generally have great running weather during December—sunny and cool.  However, Mother Nature can occasionally bring in either warm weather or a winter storm.  Temperature on race day can vary from 30 to 80 degrees!  Be sure to carry at least one water bottle.-------What's the weather in Ridgecrest?

Race Charities
The 2008 High Desert Ultra will be donating race profits to the Women’s Center High Desert and Habitat for Humanity. 

Last But Not Least
Please respectful of the desert landscape and of others enjoying it, including hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians.  Please carry your trash and deposit it in a trash receptacle at the next aid station.

If you have picked up your packet but decide not to start the race, please notify the finish crew or the race director of your decision.  If you start the race, but then drop out for any reason, please notify the next aid station, or if that is not feasible, notify the finish crew or race director.