AdventureCORPS®, Inc. hosts the Badwater® Salton Sea 81-Mile Ultramarathon annually in late April. The eleventh edition took place Saturday-Sunday, April 27-28, 2024 on a course stretching across Imperial and San Diego Counties in southern California.

This remarkable event challenges teams of two or three ultrarunners – running together as duos or trios for the duration, NOT in a relay – to tackle an unimaginable traverse of Southern California deserts and mountains. The race began at 630am, Saturday morning on the shore of the Salton Sea and concluded up to 28 hours later high atop Palomar Mountain. Each team of runners was accompanied by a personal support team which tended to all their needs. 

This year 54 runners – comprising 22 two- or three-person teams – competed, representing nineteen US states and the United Kingdom. There were 17 women and 37 men, 16 veterans and 38 rookies. The age range was from 19 (Kaylee Frederick of Johnstown, PA) to 71 (Peter Kline of Bellevue, WA) – both of whom finished!

A testimony to the grit and determination of this year’s field of Badwater runners, we had a record high finishing rate of 91% – with just five runners not finishing the race (and 100% of the women finished!)

The 81-mile (130km) BADWATER Salton Sea route begins on the shores of the seemingly post-apocalyptic Salton Sea in Salton City, CA at an elevation of 234 feet below sea level and traverses the Anza-Borrego Desert and two mountain ranges to its finish line atop Palomar Mountain, the almost tallest mountain in San Diego County at an elevation of 5500 feet. There is a total elevation gain of over 9000 feet along the route. Eight of the 81 race miles pass through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on a single track trail from Borrego Springs to Ranchita, creating a race route which is a mix of road and trail. 

Special Thanks to our Local Partners Borrego Springs Resort and Ranchita Bodega.

All official finishers receive the coveted Badwater Salton Sea belt buckle pictured below.
 
For the full press release, click here.

Race Roster | Race Results | Race Magazine | Race Home | Race Staff Images

Image Galleries on Flickr

CLICK: Image and video gallery of the pre-race social run through some of the amazing sculptures in Borrego Springs’ Galleta Meadows; Racer Mugshots; Runners posing with their Support Crews; and the Pre-Race Meeting by Chris Kostman, April 26, 2024. (Click here for this gallery on FB. Click here for Arnold Begay’s pre-race meeting images on FB.)

CLICK: Image gallery from the Salton Sea start line to Borrego Springs (mile 34) by Ian Parker, April 27, 2024.

CLICK: Image gallery from the Salton Sea start line to almost Borrego Springs (mile 32) by Chris Kostman, April 27, 2024.

NEW! CLICK: Image gallery from the Salton Sea start line and the first 10 miles of the race route by Arnold Begay, April 27, 2024. (Click here for these start line to mile 7 images on FB. Click here for the mile 10 images on FB.)

NEW! CLICK: Image gallery from mile 17 to mile 31 crossing the Anza-Borrego Desert by Arnold Begay, April 27, 2024. (Click here for the mile 17 images on FB. Click here for the mile 22 images on FB.)

NEW! CLICK: Image gallery from mile 41 near the start of the trail section by Arnold Begay, April 27, 2024. (Click here for these images on FB.)

NEW! CLICK: Image gallery from Ranchita (mile 50) plus the race leaders approaching Lake Henshaw (mile 60-ish) by Arnold Begay, April 27, 2024. (Click here for these images on FB.)

CLICK: Image gallery from Hellhole Canyon trailhead (mile 40) near Borrego Springs to the finish line atop Palomar Mountain (mile 81) by Ian Parker, April 27-28, 2024.

CLICK: Image gallery from Hellhole Canyon (mile 40) to the Trail – to Ranchita (mile 50) to ALL Finishers atop Palomar Mountain (mile 81) by Chris Kostman, April 27-28, 2024. (Click here all the Finish Line images on FB.)

NEW! CLICK: Image gallery of ALL Finishers atop Palomar Mountain (mile 81) plus scenic shots from along the rate route  by Arnold Begay, April 27-28, 2024. (Click here for these Finish Line images on FB.)

Facebook Live & IG Videos

CLICK: Two short videos and multiple pix on IG from Borrego Springs Resort, seeing the entire race field at the conclusion of the pre-race meeting. April 26, 2024.

CLICK: IG post with three short videos from the race start line, April 27, 2024.

CLICK: Short FB video of the National Anthem at the start line, April 27, 2024.

CLICK: Short FB video the race getting under way, April 27, 2024.

CLICK: FB LIve 29-minute video from the Salton Sea Start Line and the first 1.2 miles of the race, April 27, 2024.

CLICK: FB Live 19-minute video from the mile 1.2 to mile 5.5 of the race, April 27, 2024.

Special thanks to the Race Volunteers!

Jeff Bell: Checkpoint 1 (Mile 14.4, Microwave Tower) and CP 3 (Mile 40.5 Lower Trailhead)

Dave and Margaret Nelson: Checkpoint 2 (Mile 35.2, Borrego Springs Resort)

Regina Peters and Lori Engle: Trail Marking, Checkpoint 3 (Mile 40.5 Lower Trailhead), and Trail Sweep

Randy Stephenson: Checkpoint 4 (Mile 45.5 Culp Valley / Pena Spring Trailhead) & Roving

Jamaal Ryan: Checkpoint 5 (Mile 50.1, Ranchita)

Pamela Hogue: Checkpoint 1 and Finish Line

Dr. Kent Wang, Dr. Pamela Starnes, Elizabeth Bright, RN, and Wade Beane: Medical Support

Ian Parker: Photography

Arnold Begay and Ev: Photography

Keith Kostman: Assistant Race Director

Chris Kostman: Race Director

Shelby and Wayne Kostman: With Us In Spirit!

Thank You!

This event is held under permits from Imperial County, San Diego County, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and the California Department of Transportation. We thank all our permitting agencies and local area friends for their support!