Course map, elevation profile & surface
Fly the course
Follow the route over 3D terrain, mile by mile.
Race-day light
For a 6:35 finish (an estimate) · starting 7:00 AM Dec 20 · dark at the start until mi 0.2. Dark means the sun below civil twilight.
Climbs
4 climbs · 1,752 ft totalbiggest firstAid stations as published on the course file
| Aid station | Mile | km |
|---|---|---|
| Start- Agua Fria TH | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| A Deadman Wash Aid | 9.4 | 15.2 |
| A Anthem Aid | 16.1 | 26.0 |
| A Apache Wash Aid | 22.5 | 36.2 |
| A Go John Aid | 28.2 | 45.4 |
| Finish Line | 31.6 | 50.8 |
Badge colours match the markers on the map above — always confirm locations and cutoffs with the race organizer.
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Conditions typical race-day weather for Dec 20 at the start
Typical = the median of 2016–2025 for Dec 20 ±3 days at the start line; a wet day has 1 mm of rain or more. Historical weather from Open-Meteo.
Race almanac 1 year of this race
Past editions
On race day it reached 74°F at the start, with a low of 55°.
| Year | Start °F | High point °F | Rain | Wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Dec 20 | 74°/55° | 71°/57° | dry | 8mph |
race-day weather from the Open-Meteo historical archive (ERA5) at the start line and the course high point (2,589 ft).
Reviews what runners who have been there say
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About this course
Cave Creek Thriller — 2025 covers 31.6 mi (50.8 km) with 2,441 ft of elevation gain. That is about 77 ft per mile of climbing, and 1,808 ft of descent. The course tops out at 2,589 ft and bottoms out at 1,437 ft. There are 4 aid stations on course; the longest stretch between aid is 9.4 mi. The profile has 4 sustained climbs; the biggest is the climb to Apache Wash Aid, +600 ft over 15.4 mi at 0.7% on average (steepest stretch 17%). Race day is December 20, 2025, starting at 7:00 AM; the sun rises at 7:31 AM and sets at 5:25 PM. Typical race-day weather at the start: a high of 67°F and a low of 48°F, with a 11% chance of a wet day. The interactive map above shows the full route with its elevation profile and aid stations, built from the course's GPS file.
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Course history
- Oct 13, 2026Added to the catalog
Races like this one close in distance, climbing, terrain, altitude, weather and season
- McDowell Mountain Frenzy 50K — 2026Dec · 31 mi · 89 ft/miSame distance · Similar weather · Similar climbing
- Coldwater Hundred 50K — 2027Jan · 32 mi · 94 ft/miSame distance · Similar weather · Similar climbing
- Midstate Massive Ultra Trail 50k — 2026Oct · 33 mi · 78 ft/mi · MASimilar climbing · Same distance · Similar weather
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