Badwater 135
Written by Catriona Adams. Published 8 September 2026
135 miles from the lowest point in North America to a trailhead at 8,360ft, in conditions that can hit 130°F during the day. Invitation-only, 100 places a year — no open entry route exists.
Key points
- 135 miles from Badwater Basin (-282ft, Death Valley) to Whitney Portal (8,360ft), ~13,000ft of cumulative climb — 48-hour limit.
- Daytime temperatures at Badwater Basin can reach 130°F (54°C).
- Al Arnold pioneered the crossing solo in 1977 — in 84 hours, with a support van — after two earlier attempts failed to dehydration and a knee injury. He became the first inductee to the Badwater Hall of Fame in 2002.
- Invitation-only, 100 entrants a year. Became an officially organised race in 1987, a decade after Arnold's solo effort proved the route.
The man who proved it could be run
Al Arnold pioneered the Badwater-to-Whitney crossing solo, on foot, before any organised race existed:
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1974-75 | Al Arnold makes two failed attempts at the crossing: the first ends at 18 miles from severe dehydration, the second at 50 miles from a knee injury. |
| 1977 | Arnold completes the first solo crossing, Badwater to the Mount Whitney summit, in 84 hours, followed the entire route by a support van and taking three breaks of no more than 30 minutes each. |
| 1987 | The crossing becomes an officially organised footrace, a decade after Arnold proved the route achievable. |
| 2002 | Arnold becomes the first inductee into the Badwater Hall of Fame, on the 25th anniversary of his run. |
The numbers
| Distance | 135 miles (217km) |
|---|---|
| Elevation change | -282ft (Badwater Basin) to 8,360ft (Whitney Portal); ~13,000ft cumulative climb |
| Temperature | Up to 130°F (54°C) at Badwater Basin during the day |
| Time limit | 48 hours overall; 28-hour cutoff at Panamint Springs Resort |
| Location | Death Valley → Whitney Portal, California |
| Entry | Invitation-only, 100 entrants per year |
Current records
| Category | Holder | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course record (men) | Max Jolliffe | 20h 53m 41s | 2026 |
| Course record (women) | Carmen Maria Perez | 21h 05m 32s | 2026 |
The heat equivalent of a UK winter race
Badwater builds its entire test around one extreme — heat — the same way the Spine Race builds around cold and darkness. Neither is simply "a harder summer race": both require kit, pacing and judgment specific to the one condition that decides everything else about the event.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Daytime temperatures at Badwater Basin, the race's start point in Death Valley, can reach 130°F (54°C).
It's invitation-only, with 100 entrants selected each year — there's no open lottery or qualifying-race route, unlike Leadville or Hardrock.
135 miles from Badwater Basin, 282ft below sea level, up to Whitney Portal at 8,360ft, with roughly 13,000ft of cumulative climb — a 48-hour overall limit, with a 28-hour cutoff partway at Panamint Springs Resort.
1987, ten years after Al Arnold's pioneering unsupported-field solo crossing first proved the route was achievable.
Al Arnold, in 1977, completing the 84-hour solo crossing on his third attempt after two earlier tries failed to dehydration and a knee injury. He became the first inductee to the Badwater Hall of Fame in 2002.
Not according to the sources used for this page — no British finisher or record-holder is named in the available race history. Get in touch if you know of one worth adding.
Sources for this page
Related