Teanaway Country 100M

Event Overview

Course & Terrain

Remote mountain out-and-back from the Salmon La Sac area near Cle Elum.

Key course features to know before comparing this race:

• Lake Ann basin, founder Brian Morrison's favorite part of the course
• Gallaher Head Lake and Van Epps Pass, remote aid stations reached only by 4WD roads
• Iron Peak, Beverly Turnpike and Miller Peak, the three crew and drop-bag stations
• About 31,000 ft of climbing and the same again in descent

Rainshadow describes rocky, rough trail with long, steep hills, big distances between aid stations and mountain weather, all on US Forest Service land in the Cascades. The route crosses the Teanaway country from west to east and back, averaging about 310 ft of climbing per mile. Founder Brian Morrison singled out the Lake Ann basin, which he called the most incredible non-wilderness setting he had seen in the Cascades. Gallaher Head Lake and Van Epps Pass are reachable only on 4WD roads. Runners may meet rattlesnakes, black bears, cougars and even wolves. Required gear for every runner: a pack or vest, at least 30 oz of water, an emergency blanket or bivy, a waterproof jacket and a headlamp or flashlight.

Rainshadow warns that September in Washington's high Cascades is a mixed bag: days can be very warm or even hot, nights can drop below freezing, and wind, rain, snow and lightning are all possible, so runners should carry several layers and keep spares in drop bags. A severe storm stopped the 2019 race partway through. Wildfire is now the bigger threat: the 2017 Jolly Mountain Fire, the 2025 Labor Mountain Fire and the 2026 Three Queens Fire have burned across the regular and alternate courses, and the last two cancelled the race. Rainshadow plans to move the 2027 race earlier in the summer, perhaps to June or early July.

Planned Format & Support

Why This Race Matters

Seattle ultrarunner Brian Morrison, owner of the Fleet Feet Seattle running store, began sketching a 100-mile route through Washington's Teanaway country in 2010 and staged the first Teanaway Country 100 in September 2018, two years after he finally finished Western States. The out-and-back from Salmon La Sac climbs about 31,000 ft, roughly 310 ft per mile, on rocky Cascade trails with aid stations up to 10.6 miles apart, and Morrison called it one of the more challenging 100-milers in the world. Morrison handed the race to Rainshadow Running in 2024. Luck has been scarce: a severe storm stopped the 2019 race partway, COVID cancelled 2020, and wildfires wiped out both 2025 and 2026, so only five editions have produced finishers, at rates between 49% and 69%.

Historical benchmark notes in the directory record (verify current records with the linked official sources):

• Men: Brandon Benefield, 20:07:14, 2018 (fastest time in the organizer's published results; the route has varied between editions)
• Women: Melanie Dunn, 26:36:54, 2018 (fifth overall)
• Most wins: Brandon Benefield, two (2018 and 2024)

Preparing for a Race Like Teanaway Country 100M

The 100-mile race guide covers the format as a whole. These guides go deeper:

• Walking strategy for ultramarathons: When and how to walk by terrain, effort and cutoffs.
• Crew and aid-station strategy: Crew tables, aid stops, drop bags and runner preferences.
• Gut training for ultrarunners: A six-week practice sequence for race-day fueling.
• Tapering for ultramarathons: Plan the taper and race week around your own recovery.

Best Fit

• Experienced mountain 100-milers who want a 30,000-ft course without a lottery
• Pacific Northwest runners who already do trail work
• Runners comfortable alone for 10-mile stretches between aid stations

Planning Notes

• Treat intermediate cutoff gates as part of the course. Build enough margin for aid stops and late-race slowdown, and verify every current gate in the official rules.
• Train for terrain-specific fatigue. Technical trails and mountain courses demand downhill durability, hiking efficiency, and reliable night lighting.
• The directory does not mark this as having simpler logistics. Confirm qualification, terrain, support, registration, medical, and withdrawal requirements before planning around it.

Event FAQs

Related Preparation

• Compare verified US 100-mile races
• Compare this race in the full 2026 calendar
• Open the 100-Mile format guide
• Open the Fixed-Distance format guide
• Compare all race formats
• Use the timed-race pace calculator
• Plan checkpoint arrivals and cutoff buffers
• Print a pace band for your goal time
• Estimate race calories and plan fueling
• Build a crew and drop-bag plan
• Build a race-specific gear checklist