Olympus Mons Ultra. The hardest ultra on Earth?Toughest Ultras
72,000+ feet of vert makes the case.
If you are an endurance athlete, you have already claimed your resilience. You've earned the buckles, stood on the line at the 100 miler, and faced the dark. But now you are searching for the next benchmark: the quantifiable proof that your mettle is truly unlimited. You are here because the ultra community is asking: “What is the verifiable hardest thing?”
Pick your Series 🎯
🌋 A Solitary Commitment to Continuous Vertical SufferingPowered by Skratch Labs, created and hosted by IronHike Endurance Productions, a military veteran-owned start-up, the IronHike Olympus Mons Ultra is not a race. It is a solitary commitment to continuous vertical suffering, supported by a Tribe and defined by a single 84-hour clock.
We engineered an Endurance Event that brings the impossible scale of Olympus Mons to Earth, daring you to take on 72,000+ feet of continuous vertical gain. Since this is a pure up-and-down Event, every foot of gain is also a foot of elevation loss, eliminating any flat recovery miles.
When calculated by the three factors that define Endurance Event badassery (Vertical Total, Vertical Density, and the Flat-to-Up/Down Miles Ratio), the IronHike Olympus Mons Ultra emerges as the toughest verifiable ultra in the world. We compiled the definitive list of the ten toughest continuous Endurance Events on Earth to show you where it truly ranks.
Tucked away in rural Connecticut and north Georgia is an Event that proves difficulty is relative.
🏆 IronHike Olympus Mons Ultra vs. The World's Ten ToughestThe true differentiator lies in dominance across all three factors: Vertical Total, Vertical Density, and the Flat-to-Up/Down Miles Ratio. No other Event maximizes all three. At 477 feet of gain per mile, the continuous climbing and descending workload forces failure faster than almost any other Event on this list.
1. The Barkley Marathons, Tennessee, USAA psychological puzzle with approximately 60,000' of gain. Olympus Mons Ultra delivers 12,000'+ more vertical gain. Crucially, the 72,000'+ gain is matched by an equal descent, eliminating the recovery-friendly flats found at Barkley.2. Badwater 135, California, USAA 135-mile heat test with 14,600' of ascent. Olympus Mons Ultra forces athletes to climb Badwater's total vertical gain five times over.3. Hardrock 100, Colorado, USAThe high-altitude 100-miler with 33,000' of gain. Olympus Mons Ultra more than doubles the total vertical gain demanded by Hardrock.4. Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), Chamonix, FranceThe premier European Endurance Event with 32,800' of gain. Olympus Mons Ultra requires climbing UTMB's total vertical distance twice, plus an additional 7,000 feet. Unlike UTMB's long valley flats, there is no mental or physical relief from the vertical here.5. Tor des Géants, Aosta Valley, ItalyThis 205-mile Endurance Event has the highest overall gain on the list at 78,700'. But the vertical density of Olympus Mons Ultra (approx. 477 ft/mi) is significantly higher than Tor des Géants (approx. 383 ft/mi).6. Western States 100, California, USAThis historic 100-mile Endurance Event is focused on speed and heat, with 18,000' of ascent. You would need to run the vertical ascent of Western States more than four times to equal one Olympus Mons Ultra. And the continuous 72,000'+ of gain guarantees an equal amount of brutal descent, eliminating the long, recovery-friendly flats.7. Marathon des Sables, Sahara Desert, MoroccoA multi-stage survival Endurance Event against the desert elements. Olympus Mons Ultra is a single-stage battle against 72,000+ feet of gravity, demanding a different kind of resilience.8. The Spine Race, Pennine Way, UKKnown as "Britain's Most Brutal" for its cold, wet conditions. The Spine tests survival against weather; Olympus Mons Ultra is also an all-weather Endurance Event, often enduring wet conditions nearly half the time due to the terrain's dew point hours. Ultimately, it tests endurance against unrelenting vertical volume.9. Leadville Trail 100, Colorado, USAThis high-altitude 100-miler's primary opponent is thin air. Olympus Mons Ultra's primary opponent is muscle failure, with the 72,000+ feet of gain delivering the exhaustion instead of the oxygen debt.10. Diagonale des Fous, Réunion Island, FranceA highly technical 100-mile course with 31,800' of gain. Olympus Mons Ultra asks athletes to overcome more than double the vertical gain of this intense tropical Endurance Event.🪞 The IronHike Revelation: Proof of SelfThe IronHike Olympus Mons Ultra is not about a podium, a purse, or external validation. It's about proving yourself right about you. The Tribe around you provides support night and day, but you face the clock alone.
At Mohawk Mountain, Connecticut: 152.5 miles · 72,590 feet
On the Appalachian Trail Approach, Georgia: 180 miles · 72,480 feet · 144,960 stairs
The Vertical Grind: Since there are no flat miles, you will endure 72,000+ feet of ascent and 72,000+ feet of punishing descent.
The Finish: The culmination is you, the summit, and depositing summit token after summit token into the base bell bucket. The soft clank of that last token signifies your entry into a small and honored club, earning you the finisher's ribbon, a custom hat, a well-deserved hug, and a cookie. You are now an Olympus Mons Ultra Finisher.
🏆 Legendary Olympus Mons Finishers
Dr. Scott Festa1st Olympus Mons FinisherSpring 2024
Jack "Quadzilla" Jones2nd Olympus Mons FinisherFall 2024
Jason Dow3rd Olympus Mons FinisherFall 2025Change Your Story. Choose Harder.🔥 “Are you f’ing serious?” hardOut-climbs the Barkley. Out-climbs UTMB, Hardrock and Tor des Géants, mile for mile. Out-climbs every organized Everesting event.
We laid it out there; now the question is no longer “What is the toughest?” The question is, “Are you tough enough to face the vertical reality?”
Your turn to prove your mettle, where only three have succeeded. Your legacy begins now.
🌋 Olympus Mons Ultra · 152.5–180 miles · 72,000′+ · 84 hours
💪 More badassery for the buckSolo $1,260: one flat price, based on $15 per Event hour. Buddy: you both save 25%. Team of 4: you all save 50%.
🌋 The IronHike Olympus Mons Club is small.🎖️ A retired US Army Special Forces Green Beret, now a doctor. DNF’d the first attempt. Crushed the second in about 63 hours.
👑 A world-renowned hiker who did the US Triple Crown in a single calendar year. Needed almost every minute of the time limit to finish.
🏃 An up-and-coming ultramarathoner. Three tries. The third finish was all theirs.
❓ 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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