Nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, lies a 100-mile course that takes runners on a hellish ascension of 18,000ft and scorching temperatures. A total of 16 runners attended the race in 1974, and it is now limited to 369 participants. Runners get 30hrs to complete the course, and bronze and silver belts are awarded for runners who finish in this time or earlier. The trek begins at Squaw Valley Ski Resort and ends at Placer High School in Auburn, CA. The temperature is what makes this run so grueling as this race takes place in the late June heat. Other challenges runners encounter are the drastic changes in elevation and, in the higher elevations, areas where snow is still on the ground.