Toughest Trail Races in the Northeast: 50M Division
Much of the mediasize and romance with trail running over the past decade + has circled around ultra. The press, the sponsorship dollars, where the bar is set for a sense of challenge and achievement. The 50 mile is often the next step after the 50k gateway drug experience. A distance where the mythical wall comes to back to remind you that you’re not dead yet. Where the wheels are most certainly guaranteed to fall off. In the lineup below, and including a few sub-50’s without a distance division home, we find events such as the beautiful Highland Sky of WV, burly newer comers such as Break’s, and competitive beauties such as Cayuga Trails.
For those arriving directly here, check out our lineup of the Toughest Trail Races in the Northeast across distances. We also have related articles on Most Scenic, Historic, Flat & Fast, and others to come. For now, let’s checkout the ranking of the Toughest Trail 50 milers in the Northeast.
#17
Many on the Genny
Castile, NY
Month:
June
Distance:
40.7 miles
Elevation Gain:
5,170′
Gain / Mile:
127′
#16
Highlands Sky
Canaan Valley, WV
Month:
June
Distance:
41 miles
Elevation Gain:
6,113′
Gain / Mile:
149′
#15
Vermont 50
Brownesville, VT
Month:
September
Distance:
48.6 miles
Elevation Gain:
8,490′
Gain / Mile:
175′
#14
Lost Turkey 50
Blue Knob, PA
Month:
June
Distance:
50.7 miles
Elevation Gain:
7,594′
Gain / Mile:
150′
#13
(An actual race which would prefer to not have more eyes on it.
So, either you’re in the know already, or you’re not, and don’t ask cuz we aint gonna give you the answer.)
NJ
Month:
March
Distance:
40 miles
Elevation Gain:
12000
Gain / Mile:
300
#12
Breaks Ultra
Breaks, VA
Month:
September
Distance:
42.7 miles
Elevation Gain:
12,117′
Gain / Mile:
284′
#11
Infinitus 88k
Goshen, VT
Month:
May
Distance:
55 miles
Elevation Gain:
9,760′
Gain / Mile:
177′
#10
Mt. Masochist
Montebello, VA
Month:
November
Distance:
48.5 miles
Elevation Gain:
10,893′
Gain / Mile:
225′
#9
Peak Bloodroot 50m
Pittsfield, VT
Month:
May
Distance:
48.7 miles
Elevation Gain:
10,449′
Gain / Mile:
215′
#8
Iron Mountain 50m
Damascus, VA
Month:
September
Distance:
50.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
10,240′
Gain / Mile:
203′
#7
West Virginia Trilogy 50m
Circleville, WV
Month:
October
Distance:
48.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
8,926′
Gain / Mile:
185′
#6
Cayuga Trails 50m
Ithaca, NY
Month:
May
Distance:
50 miles
Elevation Gain:
10,213′
Gain / Mile:
206′
#5
Virgil Crest 50m
Cortland, NY
Month:
September
Distance:
50.5 miles
Elevation Gain:
11,020′
Gain / Mile:
218′
#4
Wapack and Back
Ashburnham, MA
Month:
May
Distance:
49.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
10,774′
Gain / Mile:
218′
#3
Kilkenny Ridge Race
Stark, NH
Month:
September
Distance:
46.7
Elevation Gain:
15,258′
Gain / Mile:
327′
#2
Wild Oak 50
Mt. Solon, VA
Month:
February
Distance:
55.2 miles
Elevation Gain:
15,378′
Gain / Mile:
279′
#1
Manitou’s Revenge
Windham, NY
Month:
June
Distance:
53.4 miles
Elevation Gain:
14,313′
Gain / Mile:
268′
Rank | Event | Town | State | Month | Strava | Plotaroute | Hello,Drifter | TopoFusion | Avg Elevation | Mileage | Gain Per Mile | Division |
17 | Many on the Genny | Castile | NY | June | 5302 | 4030 | 6158 | 5190 | 5170 | 40.7 | 127 | 50m |
16 | Highlands Sky | Dryfork | WV | June | 5890 | 5967 | 6014 | 6580 | 6113 | 41 | 149 | 50m |
15 | Vermont 50 | Brownesville | VT | September | 9035 | 7847 | 10600 | 6478 | 8490 | 48.6 | 175 | 50m |
14 | Lost Turkey 50 | Blue Knob | PA | June | 7423 | 7286 | 7405 | 8263 | 7594 | 50.7 | 150 | 50m |
13 | MT Tammany 10 | DWG | NJ | March | 0 | 40 | 0 | 50m | ||||
12 | Breaks Ultra | Breaks | VA | September | 14619 | 11204 | 12182 | 10461 | 12117 | 42.7 | 284 | 50m |
11 | Infinitus 88k | Goshen | VT | May | 9937 | 8736 | 12008 | 8357 | 9760 | 55 | 177 | 50m |
10 | Mt. Masochist | Montebello | VA | November | 10098 | 10016 | 11056 | 12401 | 10893 | 48.5 | 225 | 50m |
9 | Peak Bloodroot 50 mile | Pittsfield | VT | May | 11255 | 9475 | 10971 | 10096 | 10449 | 48.7 | 215 | 50m |
8 | Iron Mountain 50m | Damascus | VA | September | 8427 | 9022 | 10289 | 13221 | 10240 | 50.4 | 203 | 50m |
7 | West Virginia Trilogy 50m | Circleville | WV | October | 8980 | 9051 | 9222 | 8452 | 8926 | 48.2 | 185 | 50m |
6 | Cayuga Trails 50m | Ithaca | NY | May | 9,145 | 8359 | 13274 | 10075 | 10213 | 49.5 | 206 | 50m |
5 | Virgil Crest 50m | Cortland | NY | September | 10,995 | 10177 | 11486 | 11421 | 11020 | 50.5 | 218 | 50m |
4 | Wapack and Back | Ashburnham | MA | May | 11191 | 9511 | 10892 | 11501 | 10774 | 49.4 | 218 | 50m |
3 | Kilkenny Ridge Race | Stark | NH | September | 15663 | 14619 | 15666 | 15082 | 15258 | 46.7 | 327 | 50m |
2 | Wild Oak Trail 50 | Mt. Solon | VA | February | 15070 | 14382 | 16070 | 15990 | 15378 | 55.2 | 279 | 50m |
1 | Manitou’s Revenge | Windham | NY | June | 14,359 | 14186 | 14,731 | 13977 | 14313 | 53.4 | 268 | 50m |
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