2026 THE NORTH FACE 100 Mount Emei Trail Challenge
2026 THE NORTH FACE 100 峨眉山越野挑战赛
The race is held in the Mount Emei Scenic Area, Leshan City, Sichuan Province. Most courses start at the iconic Tianxia Mingshan Archway, with finishes varying from the archway to the Golden Summit or Hengbang Nanshanli, offering diverse experiences across the mountain's slopes. This edition introduces a two-week competition structure: 'The Inquiry' week (April 18-19) offers friendly trails for beginners, while 'The Summit' week (April 25-26) presents extreme challenges aiming for the 'Asian Dual Heritage Trail Honor Hall'.
Race Categories
Inquiry 8KM
- Start/finish at Tianxia Mingshan Archway. Route offers beginner-friendly trails with views of Mount Emei.
- Suitable for beginners and families
- Explore the southern slopes of Mount Emei
Course Details
Inquiry 8KM
A beginner-friendly 7.4km loop starting and finishing at the Tianxia Mingshan Archway, with minimal elevation gain, perfect for families and first-time trail runners.
Inquiry 18KM
A 17.2km course with 945m of climbing, offering scenic views and a good introduction to trail running, awarding 1 ITRA point.
Inquiry 28KM
A 27.7km route with 1306m of elevation gain, providing a longer challenge for intermediate runners, also awarding 1 ITRA point.
Inquiry 42KM
A marathon-distance 42.1km course with 2237m of climbing, testing endurance on Mount Emei's trails and awarding 2 ITRA points.
Summit 27KM
A steep 28.2km ascent from the archway to the Golden Summit, with 3390m of climbing, challenging runners to break the course record and awarding 2 ITRA points.
Summit 50KM
A tough 48km ultra with 3798m of elevation gain, reaching the highest point of Mount Emei at 3099m and awarding 3 ITRA points.
Summit 75KM
An extreme 73.4km endurance test with 5263m of climbing, finishing at the Golden Summit and awarding 4 ITRA points.
Summit 102KM
The ultimate 101.6km challenge circling Mount Emei, with 6093m of ascent and descent, creating new legends and awarding 5 ITRA points.
Getting There
- By Train: Take a high-speed train from Chengdu to Emeishan Railway Station, then a short taxi ride to the race venue.
- By Air: Fly to Chengdu, then follow the train route. The nearest airports are Chengdu Shuangliu (CTU) and Tianfu (TFU).