The Badwater Hall of Fame was created in 2002 with the induction of its first member, Al Arnold, who in 1977 became the first man to successfully run from Badwater to Mt. Whitney.

His plaque reads:

BADWATER ULTRA MARATHON – 25th Anniversary

A Short History of the 20th Century:
1927: Charles Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic
1947: Thor Heyerdahl sails a raft across the Pacific
1953: Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary summit Mt. Everest
1969: Neil Armstrong walks the Moon
1977: Al Arnold runs from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney

The 2002 Badwater Ultramarathon is proudly dedicated to AL ARNOLD
on the 25th anniversary of his record setting trek from Badwater to Mt. Whitney.  In recognition of his pioneering efforts, Al Arnold is also hereby and forever recognized as the first inductee into the Badwater Hall of Fame.

Read Al’s ongoing column here on the Badwater.com site at this link.