Chihuahua by UTMB®
Chihuahua by UTMB® – Akáa 59K
Parque Barrancas, Divisadero
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Akáa 59K is the middle-distance option at Chihuahua by UTMB, run entirely on the high rim and canyon shelves around Parque Barrancas in Divisadero, deep in Mexico's Copper Canyon country. Over 59 km the course climbs 2,086 m and never drops below the high plateau, topping out at 2,356 m and starting and finishing at roughly 2,253 m at Parque Barrancas. This is a race defined by altitude rather than by any single monster climb. The elevation profile rolls between about 1,872 m and 2,356 m the whole way, so the challenge is sustained effort in thin air on rocky, exposed terrain rather than one decisive wall. If you respect the thin air early and keep moving through the two staffed cut-off gates, the 59K rewards steady, patient runners over aggressive starters.
The course and terrain
The Akáa 59K starts and finishes at Parque Barrancas in Divisadero, at around 2,255 m of elevation. From the start the route heads out to San Rafael at 15.9 km (2,161 m) before climbing again to Guitaybo at 27 km, the high shoulder of the day at 2,321 m. From there it runs to Crucero San Alonso at 35.2 km (2,166 m), on to Panorámica at 44 km (2,219 m), drops to the low point of the course at Estación B (50.7 km, 1,872 m), then climbs back to the finish at Parque Barrancas (59 km, 2,253 m). Everything happens on the high canyon rim, so expect rocky trail, exposed sections with big views over the barrancas, and constant small elevation changes rather than long sustained gradients. The net vertical figure of 2,086 m D+ is spread across the whole loop, which means very little of the course is truly flat runnable ground. Sure footing on technical, stony terrain matters more here than raw climbing legs.
Where the race is decided
There is no single canyon-bottom descent and re-climb on the Akáa route, so the race is won and lost on how you manage the two climbs to altitude and the sting in the tail. The pull up to Guitaybo at 27 km (2,321 m) is the highest point you reach and comes just past halfway, when the thin air is already biting; going too hard here is the classic Copper Canyon mistake. The genuinely decisive stretch is the final quarter. After Panorámica at 44 km the trail drops nearly 350 m to Estación B at 50.7 km (1,872 m), the lowest point of the day, and then you have to climb roughly 380 m back up to the finish at Parque Barrancas over the closing 8 km. That late climb, on tired legs at over 2,000 m, is where places change hands. Hold something in reserve for it rather than spending everything on the earlier high sections.
Pacing and fuelling
Two timed gates shape the day. The first is Guitaybo at 27 km, which closes Friday 12:30; the second is Panorámica at 44 km, closing Friday 16:30. The finish at Parque Barrancas closes Friday 20:30. That gives a broad overall window but relatively tight intermediate gates, so build a cushion early on the more runnable opening kilometres to San Rafael rather than banking on making up time later. Aid comes at the named checkpoints — San Rafael, Guitaybo, Crucero San Alonso, Panorámica and Estación B — with the longest carry being the roughly 11 km from Guitaybo to Crucero San Alonso and again out to Panorámica. Carry enough fluid and calories to cover those 8 to 11 km gaps comfortably. At this altitude appetite and digestion both suffer, so favour easily absorbed carbohydrate and steady sipping, and top up fully at every station because the exposed rim offers no shade or natural water between them.
Conditions to expect
The whole Akáa course sits above 1,870 m and spends most of its length between 2,150 and 2,350 m, so altitude is the defining condition. Runners arriving from lower elevations should expect noticeably harder breathing, a lower sustainable pace and slower recovery on the climbs; arriving a few days early to acclimatise, or at least respecting a conservative early effort, pays off directly here. The Copper Canyon rim is high desert terrain: exposed, rocky and open to strong sun during the day, with the potential for a sharp temperature swing as the Friday 20:30 cut-off means slower runners will be finishing after dark. Plan for full daytime sun exposure on the rim with no tree cover between checkpoints, and carry a layer and a working headtorch for the cooler, darker final hours near Estación B and the closing climb to Parque Barrancas.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 2255 m · —
15.9 km · 2161 m · —
27 km · 2321 m · Fri 12:30
35.2 km · 2166 m · —
44 km · 2219 m · Fri 16:30
50.7 km · 1872 m · —
59 km · 2253 m · Fri 20:30
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