Overview
This is actually the best part of the whole run. In this section you get the big climb, the best views, beautiful trees and flowers and 'interesting' footing. The climb is pretty gradual. On the first half there are many sections which are either flat or just slightly uphill. In the second half it gets steeper but it is still runnable. As expected, going down is a lot more fun than going up.

At about this point you enter the sand zone. Bob wheeled it and says the sand trail lasts for 5000 ft. It starts out OK then gets real tough in the dunes and then finally goes away as you get above Timberline lodge.

The infamous sand zone. Mile 24 on the uphill section and you enter the sand. Great beach sand but it certainly does slow you down. We get all sorts of reactions to this section. It is slow but personally I think it's a neat section of the course - how many other ultras offer this?

Now all you have to do is run the whole thing back! Good luck on race day.