Pyramid Rock Run

Course Description

The course is a roughly 7km course that starts and ends in a low, mostly flat, drainage plain that sits just above the Rio Puerco riverbed, located 1mi to the south.

-From the start, runners will travel through sand and over some clay and slick rock as the course heads toward the back of the drainage basin below Church Rock. Expect some short climbing and a need for precise footing in some sections.
-Just after .6mi, the trail will head up a slick rock face on the east side of the drainage as the first climb ensues. Look for steps cut into the stone as well as short sections of trail connecting the exposed bed rock.
-Two tenths of a mile later, the course will be on another level both literally and figuratively as the course roughly levels out on an off-camber strata of sandstone slick rock. Follow the large rock cairns toward the drainage coming down from the spires of Church Rock. When you get to the back of the drainage, turn left and stay on the off-camber slick rock strata as you continue to follow the cairns back toward the south.
-At roughly 1.3mi in, follow the course off the slick rock to the west (right) as it climbs up over one of the fingers before descending back onto a slick rock strata in a new drainage.
-Follow the large cairns on this off-camber slick rock strata until 1.9mi into the race where the climb up to Pyramid Rock begins.
-Racers will then climb for nearly .9mi and 700ft before heading down to the finish line. CAUTION!! - The last .25mi of climbing is done on switchbacks that will also be used to start the descent off of Pyramid Peak so keep your eyes up for racers coming the other direction!!!
-The descent off Pyramid Peak is often sandy and steep, but has moments where stone or wood stairs need to be navigated so keep your eyes open and watch your foot placement.
-At 3.9mi in, after following a line atop one of the fingers, the race heads back onto mixed slick rock for the next .5mi. Watch your feet and be careful!
-The last .3mi will be a mix of sand and clay-dirt road as racers finish the descent and find themselves at the finish.

Congratulations!