Like a Family Reunion You Look Forward to All Year - We Proudly Present the 13th Annual BLU
If you thought BLU 2024 was epic, just wait for 2025. In addition to traditional annual free favorites like canoeing, archery and course-side hot tubing, the magical blue lighting that lined 2,500 feet of the forest trail at night in 2024 will now illuminate the entire forest trail. Runners and guests will again have a chance to climb Pathfinder Ranch's Rock Climbing Wall, along with an opportunity to climb high and explore Pathfinder's Alpine Tower Ropes Course.
If you are new to BLU, please take time to read the full descriptions below. BLU is unlike most ultras as on-site bunkhouse lodging is included in most races, with many free entertainment activities available to all runners, along with their families, friends and crew. Feel free to reach-out with any questions. We expect BLU to sell-out and will promptly open a waitlist when BLU reaches capacity. Again, thanks for your interest in joining BLU and supporting the non-profit Pathfinder Ranch.
About BLU and BLU Guest Policy for Non-Registered Runners
Thank you for your interest in our Beyond Limits Ultra; fondly referred to as the Annual BLU Family Reunion. Over the last decade, thanks to loyal runner support, BLU has raised nearly $300,000 for Pathfinder Ranch, the non-profit host venue. On behalf of the thousands of kids a year who visit Pathfinder Ranch, many who rely on donor sponsorships to attend camp, THANK YOU! As veteran BLU runners will attest, there is something magical about this annual family reunion of ultra runners and their families. We’re blessed to have strong loyal support from BLU alumni who return every year, making up the vast majority of registered runners. Known for being the best family and crew friendly multi-day race around, we have options for runners to purchase daily passes for friends and family to either stay in the bunkhouse cabins, or camp. Like always, BLU offers free canoeing, archery, daily campfires, outdoor nightly movies, farm animal interaction, etc. to all runners, family, friends and guests, along with opportunities to participate in other new camp led activities for a nominal fee.
RACE RUNNER REGISTRATIONS INCLUDES on-site lodging in heated bunkhouse communal cabins (with hot showers), along with breakfast, lunch, dinner and aid station food/beverages (50K and 50M races do not include lodging). Pathfinder Ranch's culinary team provides many daily meals, served from their course-side cafeteria. See “Race Registration Includes” section below for complete details.
On-site lodging for crew, family, friends and 50K/50M runners can be purchased for $75 per night during the online registration process and is offered on a limited first come, first registered basis. Bunkhouse space available for paid non-running guests is extremely limited, with most spots being held for 3 or 4 night stays. We expect to allocate no more than 35 bunk spots for paid non-running guests in 2025. In addition to lodging, there is also an option to purchase a daily pass for family, friends and crew. A daily pass costs $20 per person, per day and allows a person to enter the Ranch and stay for up to 24 consecutive hours. They can camp during their paid stay in their own tent or car. You can also buy daily meal tickets for them during their stay to redeem for breakfast and/or dinner. The day pass is the only option for guests to enter the Ranch, unless on-site lodging has been purchased. IMPORTANTLY in 2025, there is a hard cap on how many cars can be parked at the Ranch and once we reach this capacity, a guest waiting list will be opened.
An example of how the daily pass policy will work is as follows. Say a 100-miler runner wants two family members to be guests and stay over Friday night in a tent (as opposed to the indoor lodging option) and have breakfast and dinner on Friday. During online registration, the runner would buy 2 Friday daily passes ($20 each), along with 2 Friday breakfast meal tickets ($12 each) and 2 Friday dinner tickets ($15 each). The total cost for the 2 guests to camp for 1 night with 2 meals a day would be $94.
There are 8 RV course-side non-hookup parking spots which can be purchased for $35 per night. Daily passes do not need to be purchased for RV occupants. Meal tickets can be purchased for RV occupants.
72-Hour Race Starts Thursday, April 3rd at 8:30 AM
48-Hour Race & 100-Mile Race Start Friday, April 4th at 8:30 AM
24-Hour, 50-Mile, 50K Start Saturday April 5th at 8:30 AM.
72HR/48HR/24HR/100M/50M/50K Description
There are no boundaries at Pathfinder Ranch, one of Southern California’s premier educational sleep away camps! Push beyond your perceived limits on 72 private acres of wildlife preserve and surrounding forest meadows situated southwest of Palm Springs in the San Jacinto Mountains at a comfortable altitude of 4,500 feet with less than 40 feet of gain/loss per 2 mile lap. Now entering its 13th year, the Beyond Limits Ultra (BLU) has established itself as arguably the most unique loop ultra event in the entire country.
What makes this two mile loop event so unique? How about a big runner sleepover where runners sleep on-site, only feet away from the course, in communal bunkhouse heated cabins with hot showers. Multi-day races are hard enough, so why not skip the frost covered frozen tent and take your breaks in comfortable warmth. In addition to running, you’ll be reliving your camping youth as you and your fellow runners, family and crew enjoy mixing it up with the farm animals and horses, canoeing around the lake, slinging arrows on the archery range, scaling the rock climbing wall, swinging from ropes high up on the Alpine Tower, and of course making s’mores by the campfire. Did we mention the course meanders all through the ranch and all bunkhouses are with 20 yards of the course? Of course you will meet dozens of farm animals and horses on the course and pass one of the most lively aid stations ever assembled every two miles - complete with a portable hot tub, course-side game room, a 100-inch outdoor movie screen and fire pits. While we are known for having a top of the line aid station, we augment our daily food offering by having Pathfinder’s culinary team provide at least two cafeteria meal each day and yes, the course runs right next to the cafeteria. Not to worry, we still cook up two other full meals a day and have on-demand meals throughout the whole event at the aid station. And of course we will have our own unique BLU goodies like frozen grapes, popsicles, snow cones and M&M pancakes. Whether you are running the 72/48/24 hour races, 100 mile, 50 mile, or 50K races, you will be treated like a VIP by your fellow ultra running RD’s and their incredible volunteers.
And by the way, if you happen to love race bling, this event is for you! Every runner who toes the starting line receives a large medal, along with a high-end sublimated tech shirt and a goodie bag stuffed full of fun stuff. Everyone who completes 100 miles or more, in ANY race, receives a newly designed 100 mile buckle for 2025, while 200+ mile finishers will receive a 200 mile buckle.
The 100 mile race now has a generous 35 hour time limit, while the 50K and 50 mile races have an 18 hour time limit. If your focus is to earn a 100-mile buckle and you are concerned about not achieving your goal within the 100-mile race time limit of 35 hours, eliminate unnecessary stress and enter the 48 or 72 hour races.
Runner Registration Includes
72 Hour, 48 Hour, 24 Hour and 100 mile registration Includes: on-site communal bunkhouse lodging in heated bunkhouse cabins with warm showers, along with daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, aide station food, high-end sublimated tech shirt, swag bag, medals and buckles for 100+ and 200+ mile finishers. Not only do you have your cabin bunk during the entire race, but you also have the bunk the night before your race, so sleep in and wake up just feet from the course! Registration also includes camp activities (canoeing, archery, campfires, etc.) for you and your crew to enjoy. Since the 100 mile race now starts on Friday, 100 mile runners will receive free lodging on Thursday and Friday night. If space is available, 100-mile runners have the option of purchasing an extra night of lodging on Saturday night for $75 if they want to stick around after their race and enjoy watching the other races finish on Sunday. A registration that includes your lodging and tons of old school camping experiences – how cool is that?!?!
50 Mile and 50K registration Includes: high-end sublimated tech shirt, finishers medal, swag bag, aide station meals and camp activities (canoeing, climbing wall, campfires, etc). 50 Mile and 50K runners are also eligible to purchase bunk house spots. See above Guest Policy section.
Event's current local time: 9:08 PM PT
