AdventureCORPS®, Inc. hosts Badwater® Salton Sea – presented by Mount to Coast – an 81-Mile Ultramarathon annually in April. The thirteenth edition will take place Saturday-Sunday, April 18-19, 2026 on a course stretching across Imperial and San Diego Counties in southern California.

This remarkable event challenges teams of two or three ultrarunners – running together as duos or trios for the duration, NOT in a relay – to tackle an unimaginable traverse of Southern California deserts and mountains. The race begins at 600am, Saturday morning on the shore of the Salton Sea and concludes up to 28 hours later high atop Palomar Mountain. Each team of runners is accompanied by a personal support team which tended to all their needs. 

This year 73 runners – comprising 34 two- or three-person teams – will compete, representing nineteen US states and representing Austria, Brazil, France, Portugal, South Korea, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and the USA. There are 54 men and 19 women, 17 race veterans and 56 rookies. The age range is from 22 to 64.

The 81-mile (130km) BADWATER Salton Sea route begins on the shores of the seemingly post-apocalyptic Salton Sea in Salton City, CA at an elevation of 234 feet below sea level and traverses the Anza-Borrego Desert and two mountain ranges to its finish line atop Palomar Mountain, the almost tallest mountain in San Diego County at an elevation of 5500 feet. There is a total elevation gain of over 9000 feet along the route. Eight of the 81 race miles pass through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park on a single track trail from Borrego Springs to Ranchita, creating a race route which is a mix of road and trail. 

Special Thanks to our Local Partners Borrego Springs Resort and Ranchita Bodega.