FAQ

On UltraSignup, you have the ability to move from one distance to another prior to the event. If you would like to downgrade to a shorter distance, you can, but you will not receive a refund and cannot change it back on your own. If you would like to upgrade, your original order is removed and you will be issued a credit to re-register for another distance, at the price of the other distance on the date of the original order. You will be directed to re-register.

Race credits are issued through UltraSignup. When you register for a new event, your available credit will automatically appear at checkout. Credits are one-time use, valid for one year from the date of issue, and cannot be reissued if they expire. For full details, see our Refund and Transfer Policy.

Listed race prices do not include applicable state and county sales tax or UltraSignup’s own registration fee. Both are added at checkout, which is why the final charge runs a bit higher than the price shown on the event page.

Course distances can shift slightly year to year due to permitting. Land managers occasionally require a reroute around a closure, a wash-out or a trail maintenance project, and that can add or trim a small amount of mileage. The advertised distance is always our best estimate for the given year.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, there are no cash refunds or transfers for any Aravaipa Running event. However, we do offer race credits under certain conditions. Withdrawal requests must be submitted in writing to [email protected]. Withdrawals made 30 or more days before the event receive a 75% credit. Withdrawals made 5 to 29 days before the event due to injury or emergency may receive a 50% credit at our discretion. No credit is available within 4 days of the event.

Credits are valid for one year from the date of issue, are one-time use on UltraSignup, and cannot be reissued if unused. For complete details including series events and event cancellation terms, visit our Refund and Transfer Policy page.

Most Aravaipa aid stations, including our Insomniac Night Trail Series, are cupless. There are no paper cups for cold drinks on course. Bring a reusable cup, hydration vest, bottle or flask to fill at each aid station, or plan to buy a reusable cup on site. Your specific event page will confirm whether this applies to your race.

Most races have a designated drop bag area at the start/finish for quick access, and longer events also stage drop bags at specific aid stations out on the course. Drop-off windows and which aid stations accept a bag both vary by race, so check your specific event page for the exact times and locations.

Do not call 911 first. Our medical teams are trained for the terrain and know the access points our race uses, so calling them directly gets help to you faster than a general dispatcher who does not know the course. At most of our Arizona desert races, medical is run by MedStar Solutions and their number, 480-269-4126, is printed on your bib. Program it into your phone before race day. If your event uses a different medical provider, that number will be on your bib and race materials instead.

If you are at an aid station with no medical staff present, tell the aid station captain or the communications team and they will dispatch help.

No. Pets are not allowed on course at most Aravaipa races, our Insomniac Night Trail Series in particular. If pets are permitted anywhere at the venue itself, they must be leashed and supervised at all times. Check your specific event page if you are unsure. A service animal as defined by the ADA is not a pet and this rule is not meant to exclude one, see event accessibility and contact us before race day so we can confirm access for your course.

Headphones are generally fine as long as you stay aware of runners around you. Remove them or take an earbud out as you approach an aid station or a road crossing so you can hear instructions. Playing music out loud through a speaker is not allowed. Please keep it to headphones so the trail stays enjoyable for everyone around you.

Courses are typically marked with orange ribbon flagging featuring black polka dots and reflective medallions, so they are visible day or night. Trail junctions and turns carry laminated signs. Blue and white checkerboard flagging marks a wrong turn or a non-race trail, so if you see it, stop and look for the correct marking rather than continuing past it. Marking specifics can vary slightly by race, and your event page or pre-race briefing will cover anything unique to that course.

Uphill runners and hikers have the right of way over downhill runners. When passing, announce yourself, “on your left” is the standard, and give the runner ahead a moment to react before you go by. If someone is passing you, help them through if you can. Stay on the marked trail at all times. Cutting a switchback or taking an unmarked shortcut is a course violation and can result in a time penalty or disqualification.

Some of our venues, particularly county and state parks, charge their own vehicle entry fee separate from your race registration. Where that applies, we will call it out on the event page along with the amount, and carpooling is always worth it to split the cost. Bring cash or a card for a smooth entry, since booths can back up on race morning.

Most Aravaipa Running events feature live runner tracking. The majority of our live tracking is available at live.aravaiparunning.com. Some events that use an outside timer will have tracking accessible via a link on that event’s webpage during race week.

Awards and results are presented by gun time, the time elapsed from the official start of the race, rather than net or chip time.

Awards are determined by gun time. The most common structure across our events is the top 3 male and top 3 female finishers in each distance, but awards vary by race, so check your event page for what that specific race offers, including buckles and age group awards.

Did Not Finish (DNF): Runners who start a race but do not finish the intended distance, in the intended order as marked and under the official cutoffs, will be listed as a DNF at the bottom of results for their registered distance, with an indication of the furthest timed checkpoint reached.

Disqualification (DQ): Any runner who does not follow the prescribed course, misses a checkpoint, cuts a switchback, or takes an unmarked shortcut is subject to a timing penalty or disqualification. Runners deemed excessively rude to race personnel, volunteers, or others may also be considered for disqualification.

Dropdowns: Runners may not be dropped down to a shorter distance once they have started a race and will not appear as finishers of the shorter distance. Runners may switch distances before the start of their race and will be eligible as a finisher in the updated distance. For fixed-time events there is no DNF, results show the furthest distance reached. Desert Solstice results indicate separate 100-mile splits but all results are listed under 24 hours.

Volunteering is a rewarding way to support runners just as you are supported when you run. We recognize that our events would be nothing without our incredible volunteers.

Volunteers working a full shift receive a volunteer shirt or other race goody, plus a credit good toward the entry fee of any future Aravaipa Running event, valid for one year from the date it is issued. Visit our Volunteer page for available opportunities and sign-up details.

AIR, UH, VIE, PAH.

We took a trip to the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness in 2007 and loved the canyon and the name. The name is an old Apache word roughly meaning “laughing waters.”

We want our races to be accessible to athletes of all abilities. See our event accessibility page for how to request an accommodation, including service animals, guide runners and adaptive equipment. Reach out as early as you can, ideally before you register, since some accommodations need approval from the land manager for that course.