HOKA Pacific Trails California by UTMB
HOKA Pacific Trails California by UTMB – 25K
Rancho San Fernando Rey
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The HOKA Pacific Trails California by UTMB 25K is the short-course entry point to the Pacific Trails weekend, run out of Rancho San Fernando Rey. It covers 25 km with 608 m of climbing and a high point of 795 m, making it an approachable but genuine trail challenge rather than a flat fun run. The single significant climb sits squarely in the middle of the route, framed by rolling, runnable ground on either side. Starting and finishing at the ranch (268 m), the loop climbs out to Redrock and up to Loma Alta, its high shoulder, before descending through Horse Canyon back to the line. It is a course that rewards a runner who saves the legs for the one real ascent and then runs the return with control, and its single mid-afternoon cut-off keeps the pressure honest without being punishing.
The course: a rolling loop from Rancho San Fernando Rey
The 25K starts at Rancho San Fernando Rey (268 m), which is also a crew point, and heads out to the first checkpoint at Redrock (5.3 km, 368 m). The opening leg is a gradual gain of only about 100 m over 5 km, so the first quarter is runnable and a good place to warm into the day without forcing the pace on ground you'll want later. From Redrock the route climbs to Loma Alta at 12.9 km (634 m), the effort that shapes the day, before dropping to Horse Canyon at 18.9 km (314 m) and returning to the finish at 24.8 km (268 m). With just three checkpoints between start and finish, the middle of the loop is run largely on your own resources, so treat Redrock and Horse Canyon as your two chances to reset before and after the climb.
Where the race is decided: the Loma Alta climb
The crux is the climb from Redrock (5.3 km, 368 m) to Loma Alta (12.9 km, 634 m) and on to the course high point of 795 m. That is the biggest sustained pull on the loop, and because it lands right in the middle it separates runners who paced the early rolling ground sensibly from those who arrive already cooked. Hike the steep sections with intent and keep your effort even; the summit is not the finish. After Loma Alta the course gives most of that height back, dropping roughly 320 m to Horse Canyon (18.9 km, 314 m). This descent is where a controlled runner makes up ground, but it is also where over-eager quads pay the bill for a hard climb. The closing 6 km from Horse Canyon back to the ranch is gently rolling around 300 m, a runnable finish for anyone who kept something in reserve through the middle.
Pacing and fuelling around the cut-off
The 25K has a single hard gate: the finish at Rancho San Fernando Rey (24.8 km) closes at Sun 13:00. With only one cut-off and it being at the line, the strategy is simply to manage your overall time budget rather than chase intermediate splits, but you should still know your climbing pace well enough to be sure you clear Loma Alta with time to spare for the descent home. Fuelling is straightforward on a race this length, but the checkpoint spacing matters. The gap from Redrock (5.3 km) over Loma Alta to Horse Canyon (18.9 km) is the long carry, covering the hardest climbing on the course, so leave Redrock with enough fluid and calories to see you across the high ground. Both the start and finish are crew points, so a support crew can meet you at the ranch before and after, letting you run the loop itself relatively light.
Conditions to expect
Pacific Trails is a Southern California coastal-range race, and the defining condition is exposure to sun and heat on open, chaparral-style terrain. With the loop topping out at only 795 m, there is no high-altitude relief, so the main variable is temperature. A Sunday start that runs toward a 13:00 cut-off means the warmest hours are in play, and hydration on the exposed Loma Alta climb is the single biggest thing to get right. The terrain is classic runnable California trail: gradual approaches, one real climb, and a rewarding descent, with footing that favours steady rhythm over technical scrambling. Because the course rolls between 268 m and 795 m without extremes, it suits runners stepping up to their first trail 25K as well as faster runners looking for a quick, honest race. Plan around the heat, respect the Loma Alta climb, and the rest of the loop is there to be enjoyed.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 268 m · —
5.3 km · 368 m · —
12.9 km · 634 m · —
18.9 km · 314 m · —
24.8 km · 268 m · Sun 13:00
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