Trail 100 Andorra by UTMB
Trail 100 Andorra by UTMB – Trail 50K
Ordino
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Trail 50K at Trail 100 Andorra by UTMB is a serious high-mountain ultra, covering 50 km with 3329 m of vertical gain and a high point of 2588 m near the Refugi del Comapedrosa, in the heart of Andorra's tallest peaks. Starting and finishing in Ordino, it strings together several major climbs rather than one dominant ascent, making it a race of sustained, repeated effort at altitude. What defines the Trail 50K is its saw-toothed profile: the course repeatedly climbs to high cols and refuges and drops back into the valleys, with the crux coming in the middle around the Comapedrosa massif. Runners who can climb efficiently, descend without wrecking their legs, and keep fueling across a long day in thin air are the ones who reach the Ordino finish in good shape.
The course: a saw-tooth through the Andorran high peaks
From Ordino at 1308 m the race climbs immediately to the Coll d'Ordino at 6.2 km (1985 m), then plunges to La Cortinada at 15.2 km (1329 m). From there the course builds toward its high country: Refugi Pla de l'Estany at 23 km (2046 m), the high point near Refugi del Comapedrosa at 28 km (2257 m checkpoint, with the course topping out at 2588 m), and Coll de la Botella at 34.3 km (2062 m), the crew point. The back half descends and rolls home. From Coll de la Botella the route drops to Sispony at 44.8 km (1328 m) before the final leg back to Ordino at 50 km (1296 m). With the 3329 m of climbing spread across multiple ascents rather than one, the Trail 50K constantly alternates between climbing and descending — there are few long flat stretches to recover on.
Where the race is won or lost
The crux is the central high section from Refugi Pla de l'Estany through Refugi del Comapedrosa to Coll de la Botella. This is where the course reaches its 2588 m high point and where the combination of altitude, steep terrain, and accumulated fatigue bites hardest. Runners who arrived here having overspent on the opening Coll d'Ordino climb will struggle badly; those who paced the early kilometres will still have the legs to move well through the highest, most demanding ground. The second decisive zone is the long descent from Coll de la Botella to Sispony, dropping roughly 730 m of checkpoint elevation to 1328 m. Coming after the highest part of the course, this descent punishes tired quads and is where time is either gained or lost late in the race. Manage it under control, because the short climb back up to Ordino at the finish still demands something from legs that have already absorbed over 3000 m of climbing.
Pacing and fueling to the cut-offs
The Trail 50K enforces a chain of cut-offs: La Cortinada (15.2 km) by Sat 12:30, Refugi Pla de l'Estany (23 km) by Sat 14:30, Refugi del Comapedrosa (28 km) by Sat 16:00, Coll de la Botella (34.3 km) by Sat 17:30, Sispony (44.8 km) by Sat 19:45, and the Ordino finish (50 km) by Sat 21:30. The tightest squeeze is through the high middle — Pla de l'Estany to Comapedrosa to Coll de la Botella — where you must keep moving through hard terrain to stay ahead of the clock. Aid is spaced roughly every 5 to 10 km, with the biggest single carry being the 10.5 km from Coll de la Botella (34.3 km) to Sispony (44.8 km). That leg comes late, after the highest ground, so leave the crew point at Coll de la Botella fully stocked with fluid and calories. Use the crew access there to reset for the descent. Because you are working hard at altitude for many hours, eat steadily on every climb rather than only at aid stations, and manage hydration carefully across the exposed high sections.
Terrain and conditions to expect
This is genuine alpine terrain in Andorra's highest mountains, reaching 2588 m around the Comapedrosa massif. Expect rocky, technical trail on the upper cols and refuges, with steep climbs and steep descents that reward sure footing and strong downhill legs. The repeated transitions between high exposed ground and lower valley sections mean you will move through very different environments across the day. Weather at these elevations can shift quickly: warm, sunny valley sections around Ordino and La Cortinada can give way to cold wind, cloud, and even precipitation up at Pla de l'Estany, Comapedrosa, and Coll de la Botella. Carry mandatory mountain layers and be ready to use them on the high traverse. With 3329 m of climbing and long stretches above 2000 m, the Trail 50K asks for real mountain competence — pace the climbs, respect the altitude, and descend in control to make it back to Ordino inside the cut-offs.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 1308 m · —
6.2 km · 1985 m · —
15.2 km · 1329 m · Sat 12:30
23 km · 2046 m · Sat 14:30
28 km · 2257 m · Sat 16:00
34.3 km · 2062 m · Sat 17:30
44.8 km · 1328 m · Sat 19:45
50 km · 1296 m · Sat 21:30
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