I recently wrapped my third trip to Badwater 135 as a photographer and ROAD iD ambassador. At the bottom of this page is a photo gallery from this year's race. But first, here's how it went:
Each year I learn to buy less food and pack smaller coolers. Each year I get better at handling long days shooting in the unbelievable heat. Logistically, I’ve almost got it dialed. But emotionally, you can never prepare for the impact of standing in a place so vast, remote, and silent that it reminds you you’re connected to something much larger than yourself.
And on race night, a river of colorful blinking lights winds through Death Valley in a burst of life. The next 48 hours are a blur of sun and sand and runners and cans of coconut water and protein PBJs.
The Badwater 135 staff is like a family; some have worked the race for decades. I consider myself lucky to be counted among them this year. It was fun meeting the runners and handing them their custom-engraved Road IDs at check-in. A few were so excited about it they even hugged me. I’m assuming it was excitement for their ID, because I don’t pack that kind of charisma.
There were several records broken this year at the world’s toughest foot race, but here are the big two:
- Max Jolliffe broke the men’s record by completing the 135-mile course in 20 hours, 53 minutes, and 41 seconds.
- Carmen María Pérez crossed the finish line right behind Max in 21 hours, 5 minutes, and 32 seconds, easily enough for the women’s record.
Following these athletes and their exhausted crews up Mt. Whitney at the end of this race is pretty inspiring. Everyone’s teetering on insanity, but they just keep moving. Some smile and thank me for being there. Others appear to be in a trance as they pass by. And a few are just plain suffering in the sweltering heat.
But up the mountain there’s a cool breeze sifting through tall evergreens, and the steady white noise from a distant waterfall permeates a cathedral-like mountain portal. This is where the finish line awaits, and it’s all smiles up there.
After the race, I did my best to sum it up in an Instagram post. So rather than reinventing the wheel, here it is:
Badwater 135: a moment in time where those from the farthest corners of the world coalesce, looking for hope and inspiration in one of the most desolate places in the world. They begin enthusiastically under a full moon, where the mars-like landscape dissolves into the dark in every direction. They end in the shadow of a great mountain, forever changed.
Along the way most suffer and overcome multiple times, navigating the highs and lows like the mountain passes under their feet. They lean on each other to achieve a common goal: finish the race.
This event is about honoring the land, testing your limits, tackling your demons, and most all, it reminds us that humanity still exists in its purest form.
It’s about friends old and new, and the good kind of tired.
The end game is not spoon-feeding a blow-by-blow, commercial-laden broadcast to the masses; it’s about creating an unforgettable experience for those who put in the work to be there.
I saw the sun rise over the dunes.
I saw the stars through the pines.
I saw Carmen María Pérez ascend Mt. Whitney and break a record and hug her sister at the finish line.
There’s magic in it. And the pancakes are pretty great too.
Thanks to Chris Kostman of Adventure Corps and the Badwater 135 team for folding me into their world for a week. It’s always unforgettable.
You can read my 2025 Badwater recap here.
You can read my 2024 Badwater recap here.
- Mike
P.S. Try the pancakes at the Mt. Whitney Store near the trailhead (bigger than your head), or at the Alabama Hills Cafe.
P.P.S. If you want to customize your own Special Edition Badwater 135 ID you can do so here.
Mike Trimpe is a photographer and Creative Director at ROAD iD Brands.
