Euchre Bar Massacre

The Euchre Bar Massacre returns to Foresthill, California on October 10th, offering runners a challenging adventure along the wild and scenic North Fork of the American River. This event features two distances: a 25-mile route and a grueling 50-mile course, both in fatass style with significant climbing and bushwhacking through rugged terrain. Participants must wait at the finish for another runner to complete their journey before leaving.
The race starts and finishes at Shirttail Creek Campground near Foresthill, taking runners up and down Euchre Bar, Pioneer Mine, Ebeneezer's Highway, Green Valley, Mumford Bar, and Italian Bar. The course includes one drop bag location where crew can meet participants twice during the run. Given its off-trail sections and limited registration capacity of 50 people combined across both distances, runners must contact Sean Ranney at [email protected] to get on a waiting list.
Since its inception in previous years, the Euchre Bar Massacre has grown into a significant event within ultrarunning circles. Despite being free to enter, it draws serious athletes seeking an intense challenge through some of California's most remote and beautiful landscapes. This year marks another installment for those who have come to expect hard miles, stunning views, and an experience that tests the limits of endurance.
The course winds through dense forests and along riverbanks, providing varied terrain with firm yet slightly soft trail conditions suitable for a fatass run. While the elevation profiles are steep—10,000 feet for the 25-mile route and 20,000 feet for the 50-mile event—the exact map is not released until the week of the race to maintain an element of surprise and difficulty.
Weather in October at Foresthill typically features mild temperatures ranging from a low average of 9.7°C to a high of 23.5°C, with wind speeds averaging around 7.5 km/h and humidity levels sitting comfortably at about 58%. Expect less than two millimeters of rainfall on race day, allowing for clear skies and approximately nine hours and thirty-three minutes of sunshine.
The Euchre Bar Massacre offers a grueling yet rewarding challenge through the scenic North Fork of the American River. Distances vary from a daunting 25-mile trek to an even more challenging 50 miles, both pushing runners' limits in terms of endurance and navigation skills.