Cirque Series - Mt Baldy

Mt Baldy - CIRQUE SERIES

The event is a single-loop mountain race of 9.1 miles with about 3,926 ft of vertical gain. The course starts at the ski area parking lot at 6,400 ft and climbs by service roads toward Mt San Antonio, which reaches 10,064 ft. Early climbing moves from developed base area into high-alpine terrain and leads to the Notch.

From the Notch, the route follows the Devil's Backbone Trail, a narrow ridgeline with exposure and steep drop-offs that require careful footing. The trail continues to the summit block and the top of Mt San Antonio. After the summit, the course descends the Baldy Bowl via the Ski Hut Trail to the Sierra Club Ski Hut, then follows forested single track down to Falls Road. A short climb to Manker Cutoff precedes the final downhill return to the ski area parking lot, completing the loop.

The course is located in Angeles National Forest and can be steep, rocky, wet, slippery, and exposed at times. The route is marked with orange flagging; participants should follow the flags and if flags are not visible, return to the last flagged section. There is a strict cut-off at Aid Station #1 of 1 hour 30 minutes; competitors who miss the cut-off will walk back down. The race is capped at 500 runners. Typical registration mix at Cirque Series events is Sport 71%, Expert 22%, Pro 7%.

Pre-race bib pick-up is offered the day before at Mt Baldy Brewery, 2120 Porterfield Way, Upland, CA, and race day bib pick-up takes place in Mt Baldy. Each competitor receives a running hat, giveaway ticket, logoed bib and medal, a sponsor swag bag, and free professional photos. Cirque Series merchandise is available at the event booth. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.