Phoenix Phearsome Phour Ultra

What This Is

The Phoenix Phearsome Phour 70K Ultra is a group run through the Phoenix Mountain Preserve linking all four major summits in a single continuous push: Camelback Mountain, Piestewa Peak, North Mountain, and Shaw Butte. Start and finish at the intersection of 36th St and Pima Canyon Dr. Eight total summit hits. 43.8 miles. 11,312 feet of gain. No official aid stations. No pacers. Two classes: Supported & Unsupported (choose wisely) You carry what you need and you keep moving. This route has never been formally run. The FKT is unclaimed. KOMs are wide open. The clock starts February 20, 2027.

Event Day Details

Date: Saturday, February 20, 2027 Start Time: 5:30 AM on the nose. Start Location: Intersection of 36th St and Pima Canyon Dr. Street parking available on 36th St. Church parking lot at Lincoln and 36th St is available at your own risk. Check-In: There isn't one. No bibs, no chip timing, no line. Show up, find the group, try to look like you belong. Pre-Run: Brief announcements at 5:15 AM followed by some awkward silence and collective questioning of life choices. We roll out as a pack at 5:30 AM. Finish: Same spot you started. The desert will look exactly the same. You will not.

Course Details

Date: Saturday, February 20, 2027 Start Time: 5:30 AM on the nose. Start Location: Intersection of 36th St and Pima Canyon Dr. Street parking available on 36th St. Church parking lot at Lincoln and 36th St is available at your own risk. The church is a great drop off spot if using rideshare services. Check-In: We'll group up around 5:15am or so for a quick briefing. No bibs, no chip timing, no line. Show up, find the group, try to look like you belong. Pre-Run: Brief announcements at 5:15 AM followed by some nervous silence and collective questioning of life choices. We roll out as a wild pack of socially awkward runners at 5:30 AM. Finish: Same spot you started. The desert will look exactly the same. You will not.

Water Stops

There are no official aid stations on this route. There are 14 public water sources across the full out-and-back. Know where they are before you start. Echo Canyon Trailhead (~2.70 / ~7.67 mi): Fountain, restrooms, soda machine with Gatorade Cholla Trailhead (~5.19 mi): Fountain, restrooms, wash sink Lincoln Dr and 36th St, SW corner church (~10.0 mi): Outdoor fountain, 24/7. Community-reported. Verify before your attempt. Piestewa Peak Trailhead (~12.50 / ~41.67 mi): Fountain, restrooms Dreamy Draw Recreation Area (~16.75 / ~37.03 mi): Fountain, restrooms, ramadas 7th Street Trailhead / North Mountain Visitor Center (~21.53 / ~25.30 / ~32.15 mi): Fountain, restrooms, snacks and water for purchase (hours vary, verify before your attempt) Shaw Butte Trailhead (~26.06 / ~28.79 mi): Fountain All stops are city-maintained public facilities except the church fountain, which is community-reported. Plan your hydration around verified stops.

Route Rules

Start and finish at the intersection of 36th St and Pima Canyon Dr. Street parking available on 36th St. Church parking lot at Lincoln and 36th St is available at your own risk. Complete all summits in sequence using the designated trails. Camelback: road approach via Lincoln and Tatum to Echo Canyon, up to summit, down Cholla, back up Cholla, summit again, back down Echo Canyon. Both Camelback summits are hit at the start before heading north. Piestewa: east-side trailhead approach to summit, 302 connector and Freedom Trail descent, reversed on return. North Mountain: out-and-back from 7th Street Trailhead, over the summit to Quechan Area 7 ramada and back the same way, summit hit twice. Shaw Butte: double summit at the turnaround. Eight total summit hits required. The route is out-and-back. Return via the same trail corridor used on the outbound leg. Side trails that rejoin the main route are not permitted. The official TCX file (Strava route #3504854829813372808, documented by @cosmicsea) is the canonical route definition and must be downloaded to your device before you start. This is not optional. The route has specific trail requirements for each peak. If you go off route, your completion will not count. Download it, load it, follow it. No pacers allowed at any point. The route must be completed between 5:30 AM and 10:30 PM. Know the access hours for each trail section before you start.

Before You Register

This is an informal group run, not a sanctioned race or organized event. There are no permits, no race officials, no supplied aid stations, no medical personnel, and no sweep team. No one is tracking your location. No one is coming to find you if something goes wrong. The Phoenix Phearsome Phour 70K Ultra covers 43.8 miles and 11,312 feet of climbing through fully exposed desert terrain in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. The route is unsupported. You are responsible for your own navigation, hydration, nutrition, safety, and decision-making from start to finish. You acknowledge that trail running at this distance and in this environment carries serious risk of injury, illness, or death, including but not limited to heat stroke, dehydration, Chupacabras, falls, snake bites, and cardiac events. You are participating voluntarily and entirely at your own risk. You release Matthew Hinman, the Phoenix Phearsome Phour Challenge, and any associated individuals from any and all liability arising from your participation, including injury, illness, property damage, or death. The desert doesn't carry you out. Plan accordingly.

More Information

Full route documentation, waypoints, water stops, and the official Strava route file are at: phoenixphearsomephour.com/ultra-route Official Strava route: strava.com/routes/3504854829813372808 Facebook event: facebook.com/events/1608041717576480 Facebook group: facebook.com/groups/phoenixphearsomephour