Death Valley to Denali Virtual Endurance Race
The Death Valley to Denali Virtual Endurance Race is a solo virtual race from North America's Lowest and Hottest Place, -282' Badwater Basin in Death Valley National Park California 3568 miles to North America's Tallest and Coldest Place...The summit of 20,308' Denali (Formerly Mt. Mckinley). There is also a "shorter" virtual race.which is a Combination Event which includes a 200 mile run OR bicycle ride through Death Valley National Park starting at Badwater Basin AND also includes the 100 mile approach and climb of Denali. The Death Valley to Denali Combo requires participants to gain a minimum of 20,308'.
Different Race Options
1. Death Valley to Denali Summit Solo. 3568 Miles Biking/Running with a minimum of 20,590' of vertical elevation gain needed to successfully complete the course. That elevation represents the total vertical elevation gain from Badwater Basin in Death Valley to the Summit of Denali.
2. Death Valley AND Denali Combo. This is a double event where you complete both the virtual Death Valley 200 mile run/ride AND the virtual Denali 100 mile run/climb. The 100 miles is roughly the distance needed to walk into Denali Base camp from the south and climb the mountain's West Buttress Route...with some decent miles thrown in for route finding and bush whacking The elevation gain requirement for the Denali 100 mile is still in place.
Death Valley to Denali History
The Death Valley to Denali Virtual Endurance Race is modeled after a 1997 expedition conjured up by and completed by Muleskinner Endurance Series and Denali135 & Denali100K Race Director Sean Tracy, who to date is the first and only person to have traveled under their own power from the lowest to the highest point in N.America and in 2019 also became the first person to run the 135 Mile Denali Highway with running partner Bill McCue, Crew Chief Eric Lepping and Film Maker Ian Borowski.
The original Death Valley to Denali Expedition took more than 3 months and consisted of a 3611 mile bike trek on an old beater mountain bike with nearly bald road tires, a back country crevasse laden walk into Denali Basecamp (which most climbers fly into due to the additional 10 days of bushwhacking and remote glacier travel required) and a climb to the summit of Denali...the highest mountain in North America. The biking portion of the original Death Valley to Denali Expedition done way back then couldn't have been possible without top notch road crew support from Alicia Ellingsworth and the teamwork and grit from climbing team members Ed Palen, Rob Solomon and Matt Szundy. The Denali135 and Denali100K Ultra Marathons were in part dreamed up as a way to introduce Ultra Runners to the beauty and magic that is Denali and all 2020 deferred and 2021 registrants in the Denali135 and Denali100K receive free entry into the Death Valley to Denali Virtual Endurance Race as part of their registration fee as long as they register before registration for Death Valley to Denali closes..
Race Goodies and Awards
All racers who complete their race distance will receive an official Death Valley to Denali Virtual Endurance Race Shirt. Those registering for the Solo 3568 mile Death Valley to Denali Virtual race as well as racers completing the Death Valley AND Denali combo (both the Denali 100 & Death Valley 200) will also receive a medal in addition to their race shirt, The top three Solo full 3568 mile Death Valley to Denali finishers will each receive additional Death Valley to Denali Awards.
Charity Partner
A portion of the registration fee will be donated to the Denali Education Center. They provide opportunities to young and old alike to learn about and experience the wonder that is Denali both in and out of the park.
Event's current local time: 5:29 AM PT
