Great Wall Marathon
& IronHikeComparison5,164 steps on the Great Wall of China.
Or 41,072 stairs in North Georgia.
A bucket-list trip and a bucket-list climbWe have deep respect for the Great Wall Marathon, run in May since 1999 on the Huangyaguan section of the Great Wall of China: a marathon on asphalt, gravel and ancient stone, with 5,164 steps along the way. It is a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Denali is two days and two nights on the AT Approach Trail staircase, up and back down, for less than the cost of the trip.
Great Wall MarathonRun by Albatros Adventure Marathons since 1999, the full marathon covers 42.195 km (26.2 miles) with 1,282 meters (about 4,206 feet) of climb and 5,164 steps on the wall, in May temperatures around 28°C (about 82°F). International runners register through a travel package, from $1,790 for 6 days. The cutoff is 8 hours, with up to 2,500 runners across three distances.
IronHike Denali48 hours on the AT Approach Trail staircase at Amicalola Falls: 34 laps, 51 miles, 20,536 feet up and back down and 41,072 stairs, 604 up and 604 down every lap. Two days and two nights, Solo or as a team. Denali from $720 Solo, $360 each as a Trail Family. Want more than 5,164 steps? The Olympus Mons Ultra is waiting at the top of the same staircase: 144,960 stairs in 84 hours. Veteran-owned and operated.
The honest assessmentIronHike is better on 14, the Great Wall Marathon on 3, and 4 are a tie. The Great Wall Marathon wins on scenery, hotels and sightseeing: the Great Wall of China and Beijing in one trip. IronHike wins on the staircase: eight times the steps, five times the climbing and every foot back down, 48 hours, open registration, three Series a year, teams, and a far lower cost per stair.
Great Wall Marathon & Denali💪 More badassery for the buckLegend: ✓ Better = Tie ✓ Good – Not offeredGreat Wall
Marathon
Tianjin - ChinaIronHike
Denali
Amicalola Falls State Park, GA - USAStairs ✓ 5,164 steps on the Great Wall ✓ 41,072 stairs: 20,536 up and 20,536 back down Distance ✓ 26.2 miles, plus a half marathon and an 8.5 km run ✓ 51 miles Vertical Elevation ✓ 1,282 meters (about 4,206 feet) of climb ✓ 20,536 feet up and the same back down Duration ✓ 8-hour cutoff ✓ 48 hours Location = Huangyaguan section of the Great Wall, China = The staircase at Amicalola Falls State Park, Dawsonville, Georgia; Denali also runs at Mohawk Mountain, Cornwall, Connecticut Scenery ✓ The Great Wall of China ✓ Georgia’s highest waterfall and the North Georgia mountains, every lap Surface = Asphalt, gravel and ancient stone steps = 604 stairs up and 604 down on the AT Approach Trail staircase Dates ✓ Once a year in May (May 15, 2027) ✓ 3 Series a year: December at Amicalola, June and October at Mohawk Registration ✓ International runners must book a travel package ✓ Open registration; book your own travel Price Range ✓ Travel packages from $1,790 (6 days, 5 nights of hotel and sightseeing) to $2,090 (7 days); regional package $790 ✓ Denali $720 Solo, $540 each as a Trail Buddy, $360 each as a Trail Family Cost per 1,000 Stairs ✓ About $347 on the 6-day package, hotel and sightseeing included ✓ About $18 Solo, $9 each as a Trail Family Lodging ✓ Hotel nights included in every package ✓ Free tent space steps from the course, plus a group rate at the Amicalola Falls Lodge Sightseeing Included ✓ Yes: the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park on the 7-day package ✓ Amicalola Falls State Park: the start of the Approach Trail to the Appalachian Trail, and Amicalola Falls, the tallest waterfall in Georgia Night Laps – None. The course closes at 4 PM. ✓ Two nights, by headlamp Weather = Warm and humid, about 28°C ± 5 (about 73 to 91°F) = All weather: December at Amicalola runs from the 30s to the 60s°F; June and October at Mohawk from the 30s to the 70s°F Teams – None listed ✓ Trail Buddy (you both save 25%) or Trail Family of 4 (you all save 50%) Training Plan Included – None listed ✓ Custom training plans from IronCoach Tasha and the Cadre Alumni Discount – None listed ✓ Generous Military & First Responder Discount – None listed ✓ $70 off with code brave70 Finisher Awards = Medal and official T-shirt (regional package) = Finisher medal, hat and a cookie, plus the Iron Award for the Mountain Athlete who shows the most iron, mettle and gumption Getting There ✓ Fly to Beijing; ground transport per the package itinerary ✓ Amicalola is about 1 hour 15 minutes from Atlanta; Mohawk is about 1 hour from Hartford Scorecard= Tied on 4 of 21 comparisonsGreat Wall Marathon✓ Better = 3✓ Good = 9– Not offered = 5Denali✓ Better = 14✓ Good = 3– Not offered = 0We built this comparison from each organizer’s public information, with real respect for every event on it. Scenery and the Better / Tie / Good marks are our own honest judgment, and “Not offered” means not offered to the best of our knowledge. Details change, so check with the organizer before you register, and if you spot something we should update, tell us. We’ll gladly fix it. IronHike is not affiliated with or endorsed by any event on this page. Last checked October 2026.
See Denali ⛰️💬 “My daughter asked me why I was training on the StairMaster at 5am every morning. I told her I was going to Georgia in December to climb 41,000 stairs. She said that sounds insane. I said I know.”
— Terri · Charlotte, NC · Registering for Denali · Trail Buddy with her daughter
▲ ▲ ▲We want to see you on our Mountain too!The Great Wall Marathon asks how you handle a marathon on one of the wonders of the world. Denali asks how you handle two days and two nights on a mountain staircase, every stair up and every stair back down.
Running the Wall in May, or saving up for the trip? Add Denali. Open registration, three Series a year.
It’s you versus the whole mountain (up and down) and you against who you were yesterday.
Current EventsPick your Series 🎯12 Hours⛰️ Mohawk: 12 laps · 15 miles · 7,140’🌊 Amicalola Falls: 11 laps · 16.5 miles · 6,644’ · 13,288 stairsSee Kuwohi24 Hours⛰️ Mohawk: 23 laps · 28.75 miles · 13,685’🌊 Amicalola Falls: 22 laps · 33 miles · 13,288’ · 26,576 stairsSee Double Kuwohi24 Hours⛰️ Mohawk: 24 laps · 30 miles · 14,280’🌊 Amicalola Falls: 24 laps · 36 miles · 14,496’ · 28,992 stairsSee Answer the Bell - Basic48 Hours⛰️ Mohawk: 35 laps · 43.75 miles · 20,825’🌊 Amicalola Falls: 34 laps · 51 miles · 20,536’ · 41,072 stairsSee Denali72 Hours⛰️ Mohawk: 49 laps · 61.25 miles · 29,155’🌊 Amicalola Falls: 49 laps · 73.5 miles · 29,596’ · 59,192 stairsSee Everest84 Hours⛰️ Mohawk: 84 laps · 105 miles · 49,980’🌊 Amicalola Falls: 84 laps · 126 miles · 50,736’ · 101,472 stairsSee Answer the Bell - Full84 Hours · Top 4 Hardest Ultra Events in the World⛰️ Mohawk: 122 laps · 152.5 miles · 72,590’🌊 Amicalola Falls: 120 laps · 180 miles · 72,480’ · 144,960 stairsSee Olympus Mons Ultra💬 “I finished Mohawk last October and loved it. But by February I was on the StairMaster every morning thinking about what an IronHike on a staircase would feel like.”
— Derek · IronHike Mohawk Athlete · Registering for Everest at Amicalola
❓ Get your questions answered here.
Training, gear, tenting, night laps, what to expect at Mohawk and Amicalola, and plenty more. Or ask your own.
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