Trail Running: Eight of the best rugged downhill routes – Red Bull

Trail runners are normally highly focused on uphills as this is where they put in maximum effort. However, what goes up must also come down and it’s not always easy coming down.

Not only are you dealing with steep gradients, but also the terrain underfoot is almost inevitably going to trip you up. Poor footing is guaranteed on surfaces that can be full of roots, rocks and dirt. Add some inhospitable weather to the mix and you’ll be slipping and sliding all the way down.

Along with ultrarunner Ryan Sandes and input from other trail running pros, we’ve put together some of the toughest segments a trail runner can experience while running downhill. From Patagonia to Italy, passing by the Canary Islands, France, South Africa and Alaska, these trails scare even the top runners.

For Sandes, when running downhill there’s a tricky balance you have to find: “If you push hard uphill, you can always recover. But on a downhill, if you go too fast, you trash your legs and your muscles. It’s almost impossible to come back. At the same time, if you want to win, you have to push…”

1. Col de Ferret, the never-ending downhill at Ultra Trail Mont Blanc

The Col de Ferret segment at the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc ultra-race is not steep, but it lasts 20km and you’re left feeling that it will never end when you run it. Before you even get to Col de Ferret you would have already run 100km. Your legs are exhausted and it will not get better.

“It’s placed on a very key point of the Ultra Trail Mont Blanc. It’s still very runnable, you can go fast, but it’s also one moment where you feel really tired and so it’s hard to push. Your legs hurt. It’s a crucial time where you have to find the right balance,” says Sandes.

2. Roque de los Muchachos at the Transvulcania Ultramarathon

The Roque de Los Muchachos, which is the highest point on the Spanish Island of La Palma, is part of the Transvulcania Ultramarathon long distance race. From the summit at Roque you run down a segment that takes you to sea level. The route is 17km in length and a vertical drop of 2,400 metres.

“It’s long, it’s steep and it’s very technical. There are rocky cobblestones sometimes. Your legs turn to jelly. It also gets extremely hot on the island and it makes this downhill brutal,” Sandes explains. “You descend over a short space of kilometres. Your legs seize up. It takes all your energy. It’s not like if you can freeflow on the downhill and let gravity take you.”

3. The no place for beginners descent at the Dolomites Skyrace

This technical downhill is included in the 22km long Dolomyths Skyrace Run in Italy. The downhill part is a 12km long section with a 1,750m vertical drop. The average gradient as you run down is close -15 percent. The terrain on the trail is mainly gravel and rocks. If you’re not afraid to fall then you can pick up quite a bit of speed. There’s no established path to follow on the way down.

“Sometimes, there is a track with turns but a lot of athletes just go straight and at full speed. Be careful not to fall, because if even it’s only once, that could be your race over,” says pro-runner Remi Bonnet.

4. Kilian Jornet’s downhill at the Tromsø Skyrace

Spanish trail runner Killian Jornet and his Norwegian wife Emelie Forsberg created the Tromsø Skyrace in 2014 with a view to creating the ultimate technical challenge for ultrarunners. It doesn’t disappoint in that regard. The route features the two highest summits of the area, Tromsdalstind and Hamperokken.

The Tromsdalstind downhill segment of the race is an off-trail section with loose rocky parts. It’s not long compared to some other trails featured in this list, but it’s steep and very technical. At the Tromsdalsting summit, the descent begins by running down a steep snowy ice cap that is a 500m vertical drop. There’s a rope to help here if needed. There’s a few rivers to cross on the way down, which makes for a refreshingly icy dip.

5. The most intense downhill ever at the Mount Marathon race

This descent only lasts 10-15 minutes but the intensity of it is quite extreme. The race is only 5km long but that’s enough to climb from 27m to 921m and then come back down again. The slope gradient averages 34 degrees meaning you’re full speed from the beginning to the end when running downhill.

The terrain on the downhill is typically loose rock over hard bedrock, but the rocks do get a bit more polished and slippery nearer the end of the run. Depending on the weather, you may also have to contend with snow and ice. It is not uncommon for finishers to cross the line injured, bleeding or covered of mud. Protective gear such as helmets, gloves, goggles, knee and elbow pads are recommended.

6. The Devil’s Peak descent in Cape Town

Devil’s Peak is the last summit you have to reach in the brutal 108km 13 Peaks Challenge challenge set up by Sandes in the areas surrounding Table Mountain in Cape Town. Once you’ve reached the top of Devil’s Peak, you’ve already accumulated 6,500 metres of vertical climbing and you may think the challenge is done but you’d be wrong. The downhill is beautiful but can be a real nightmare.

“It’s very technical if you compare it to most of European downhills,” Sandes explains. “It’s rocky, you have to be on alert. One mistake can make you fall and hurt yourself quite badly. There are some very big drops. It can also be frustrating because coming down Devil’s Peak, you can see where the finish is, but in fact there is still a pretty long way to go.”

7. Running down a glacier at Ultra Fiord Patagonia

Ultra Fiord takes place at the southern end of the Chilean part of Patagonia. It is probably the most remote and wild trail running event you’ll ever experience. The weather can be extremely cold and windy, with endlessly wet and muddy conditions. Running down a glacier in such conditions makes this downhill one of the most physical and mentally tough descents you can do.

8. Ropes and exposed ledges at the Trofeo Kima

Trofeo Kima is considered as one of the world’s toughest high altitude marathons. Held since 1995, the race covers a 50km distance with more than 3,800 metres of climbing in Val Masino, Italy. The toughest segment of the race is a succession of uphills and downhills that go on for 25km, passing through seven mountain passes on the way. The downhill sections here are so steep and technical that fixed ropes and chains are the only secure way to traverse vertical walls of rock or exposed ledges.