Distance: 16 km. Elevation change: 250m (10km of flat running on this leg)
No change to this Leg. Start east through the trees, along the road, to Dragon’s Back hill and take the next ridge down on Dragon’s Tail. Turn right/north at the bottom and hug the coulee to the private land fence. Cross over the fence and continue north on single track and then dirt road to bypass the farm houses (*previously you went under the big yellow gate and past the houses). At 4.5km, there will be the first water station. This is the “Point of No Return”, and you should assess your health before continuing (help may take 2 hours to arrive, and cellular coverage is spotty past this point). Turn right/east along the horse coral on the dirt road and then head north along the gravel road along the coulee bottoms. Continue right/east on the road past the “Radiation” sign for about 500 m and turn right/south on the single track up the hill (*if you see 2 large concrete blocks beside the road, you have gone too far). Up and down the hills heading east and then drop down to the water crossing/bridge. Then west along the pond for 100 m and then right on the trail through the trees to a dirt road. Before you get to the gravel pit office, you will drop down towards the river and continue west through the willows and dry river bed. When you get to the dirt road, this will be the water station (12k from start and 4k to the aid station). Back onto the single track through the trees and along the river to Pavan Aid Station (mandatory check-in).
*Assess your fitness/health status at that first water station (4km point). From here, help is not coming quickly and cellular coverage is spotty.