Race Director Noah Dougherty walks through everything you need for race weekend at the 15th running of the Mogollon Monster. The 42K brief comes first so marathoners can grab what they need and go. 100 milers, the rest is for you. Everything covered here is also in the runner guide and on the website, along with the Caltopo files. 42K (Sunday) Start is at the Pine Trailhead, about two miles south of Pine. Park across the street at the old Pine parking area (camping allowed all weekend). A Pine-Strawberry School District bus loops from the lot starting around 6:15, or run the sub-mile connector trail as a warmup. Spectators welcome on the bus.7:00 a.m. sharp start. 2.4 miles on the Highline to Donahue, then you share the final 24 miles with the 100 milers: up Donahue, down to West Webber, up Turkey Springs, around to Pine Canyon.No pacers, no crews.Pine Canyon Aid to the Pine Trailhead is almost 11 miles, gets hot, and still climbs about 800 feet of rollers after the big initial drop. Fill up at Pine Canyon. You are not out of the woods yet.Finish is at the Pine Community Center with a live band from 12 to 4. An informal truck shuttle runs from the finish back to your car.100 Mile (Saturday, 6:00 a.m. start at Trailhead 260) Shuttle buses leave the old Pine parking lot, about 45 minutes to the start. Bring your drop bags on the bus. Departures are punctual. Expect bathroom lines at the start and an immediate bottleneck out of the gate, so be patient.Drop-offs at the start are true drop-offs. No parking, no lingering. No crewing at the rim vista points or at Horton Aid. First crew access is the Black Mesa crew zone after Horton.Crew zones without aid stations (Black Mesa, General Springs, Dickinson Flat) have no timing. If you drop there, go back to the last aid station or text the RD number in the runner guide so we know you are off course and safe.New this year: pacer bibs, and a pacer swap point at Donahue (around mile 72) so nobody has to cover 57 to 80 solo through the night. Donahue is pacer pickup and drop-off only. No crewing at the bottom of the rim.Fish Hatchery to Myrtle is now just over 12 miles on the renovated Highline. Smoother and more runnable, but long and hot. Horton Spring is drinkable straight from the mountain.Cutoffs work out to roughly a 22:30 pace overall and apply to leaving an aid station.Skratch Labs is the hydration sponsor. Aid stations stock hot food, vegetarian and vegan options, pickles, salt, sunscreen, feminine products and more. No gels from us. Ask if you don't see something.MedStar Solutions runs 24-hour medical. The emergency number is printed on every bib. Report a bib number and location, not just "a guy on a rock."Course markings (all distances)Orange and black polka dot ribbon is the correct way. Orange pin flags stamped Aravaipa Running are ours (unstamped orange flags are surveyors). Purple reflective arrow signs at junctions. Blue and white checker ribbon means wrong way. Carry the Caltopo file on your watch or phone. It works in airplane mode. WeatherFilmed eight days out. A real monsoon season means green views, tall grass, and a real chance of afternoon storms. Carry a rain shell and an emergency blanket. Lightning is a real risk on the exposed rim: spread out and duck and cover if you have to. It could also just be hot. Ham radio operators and Starlink cover the aid stations since there is almost no cell service on the rim. Check in with the ham team. They stay on post until every runner clears the next aid station. Trail workTurkey Springs got its first work day in August. Myrtle, Horton and Promontory have been cleared. Your Highline Initiative donations through the National Forest Foundation are part of why the Highline runs the way it does now. Huge thanks to Margaret Dees and the Arizona Trail Association crews. Come prepared. Come ready to suffer, then celebrate. Year 15. See you at the start line.
