The Smuggler's 50 Mile Trail Race started as a fun run in 1997. The original organizer for the first two years was T.J. Key. Since then it has grown into a full fledged race. You will find much information on the event in the pages below. If you have any questions, contact RD Shawn McDonald via email at smcdonal@strubix.com or via phone at (619) 265-8931. You can check the SURF hotline for details on the race in the weeks before the event, and for info about any training runs being held on the race course. We usually get out 2-3 times in the two months before the race to cover most of the race route. Upon receipt of your completed race entry form and entry fee check, you will be sent a packet with all the race info and maps you will need. The 2003 race will be the seventh running of the event, although the first year was unofficial and the course was "only" 44 miles long.
The likely weather for this race is sunny with cold temperatures at the start (30's F), and warming to the 50's to low 70's during the afternoon. It usually cools off quickly after it gets dark. If the weather is rainy, temps can be in the high 30's to low 40's F with wind on the ridges. Click on the weather link above to get the current forecast and weather conditions for Campo, CA, which is a few miles from the race course.
The race route starts with a 6 mile out-back on the Pacific Crest Trail north of Lake Morena. Head east out of the park on a paved road for 0.3 miles, turn left on paved road and go north for 1/4 of a mile, then veer left and follow the Pacific Crest Trail marker signs. The signs are about knee to waist height, with a blue and white emblem. The trails goes slightly uphill (net climb of about 250 feet) after the first mile, to the turnaround at mile 3. Return on the trail back to Lake Morena County Park at the dirt parking lot (mile 6 with an aid station).
The route then heads south on the Pacific Crest Trail from Lake Morena County Park. The trail head is to the side of the dirt parking lot to the left of the campgound near the big oak tree on the right side of the parking lot. The trail heads uphill moderately the first mile (climbs about 350 feet in elevation) then slightly uphill another mile, then is rolling for about another 1.5 miles, goes downhill steeply (850 foot elevation drop) for just over a mile. This downhill section has a series of switchbacks and was re-worked by a trail crew in Oct. 2000 so it is less rocky and wider. The race route then turns left on a dirt road and goes moderately uphill (200 foot elevation increase) for 1.5 miles. Turn left at the 3-way junction and go on the dirt road 1/4 mile to the 2nd aid station at the gate, just before where there are some houses (Hauser Canyon, mile 12). Then go back down the dirt road and turn left at the 3 way junction. Head up the dirt road uphill for about 1.8 miles. Then turn left on the Pacific Crest Trail. The trail goes slightly uphill for about 2 miles and then is rolling for another 2.5 miles to the 3rd aid station (Hauser Mountain, mile 18.5). This is near the high point on the course, at 3450 feet elevation. After the aid station stay on the PCT and head south, rolling up and down for the first mile, then downhill most of the next 6 miles to reach the crossing of Highway 94 and the 4th aid station (Hwy 94, mile 26). Go across the highway and continue south on the trail for a mile, come out on a dirt road and turn right and run level and then uphill moderately to the turnaround at the Mexican-US border (mile 28). Be sure to touch the monument at the border and make sure the communications operator checks you off the runner list.
Then turnaround and follow the road and PCT back to the Hwy 94 crossing and 5th aid station (mile 30). Cross the highway again and continue north on the trail uphill mostly to the 6th aid station at Hauser Mtn. (mile 38). Keep on the trail after the aid station, heading north on level and then slightly downhill trail to the dirt road. Turn right on the dirt road and go moderately downhill for 1.8 miles to the 3 way junction. Turn right here and go 1/4 of a mile to the aid station at Hauser Canyon (mile 44). Then go back out the dirt road, turn right at the 3 way junction, go on the dirt road slightly downhill about 1.5 miles, turn right onto the Pacific Crest Trail. Climb steeply uphill on the trail for about a mile, and then slightly uphill for another 2.5 miles, then go downhill about a mile to the dirt parking lot Lake Morena County Park. Turn left and run 0.3 miles west along the paved road the the finish line which will be at the end of the dirt lot, near the lake. This is a slightly different start/finish compared to the previous 2 years (1999 and 2000). The location of the first turnaround was adjusted to account for the extra distance run at the beginning and end of the race route. The course has been wheel measured and should be within 0.5 miles of 50 miles.
Miles to Miles From Name of Motel or City Phone
Start San Diego Campground
Airport
40 20 Motel 6 El Cajon (619) 588-6100
40 20 Super 8 El Cajon (619) 579-1144
30 30 Alpine Country Cottages Alpine (619) 445-3448
40 20 Best Western El Cajon (619) 442-0601
40 20 Budget Inn El Cajon (619) 440-4343
30 30 Countryside Inn Alpine (619) 445-5800
45 15 Holiday Inn La Mesa (619) 466-0200
0 65 Lake Morena County Campo (858) 565-3600
Campgrounds
or write to San Diego County Parks, Reservations Dept., 2454 Heritage Park Row,
San Diego, CA 92110 or see the web page: http://www.co.san-diego.ca.us/parks
22 55 Green Valley State Descanso (800) 444-7275
Campground
All of these motels/campgrounds are east of downtown San Diego in the
general direction of the race site. They are generally not far off of
I-8, the main freeway heading east. Allow about 75 minutes drive time
to reach the race start site from either downtown San Diego, or the
airport. It takes about 35 minutes to drive to the start from Alpine
and about 45 minutes from El Cajon.
Take I-5 to San Diego, and then take I-8 east off I-5 (or another freeway and get onto I-8 east in Mission Valley), and head east on I-8 for about 45 miles. Exit at the Buckman Springs Rd. exit (2 exits past the Pine Valley exit, which is the last good place to get gas, groceries, etc.) and then turn right at the end of the off ramp. Go south on Buckman Springs Rd. following the signs to Lake Morena, and after 5 miles turn right onto Oak Drive. Follow this road for about 1.5 miles, and then veer right onto Lake Morena Drive. and go 1/2 mile further to Lake Morena County Park. Continue past the campgrounds, the registration station, and the rangers building to the picnic area and park in the dirt parking lot near the lake. Signs will direct you the last mile into the park. Please be respectful of the people in the park who are camping, when you arrive, as it will be early. Keep noise to a minimum. The pre-race checkin will be held in the picnic area, just past the rangers cabins (to the left of the cabins as you drive in).
Hauser Canyon Aid station:
From the start area, go back towards Lake Morena township on Reservoir Rd., then fork right onto Lake Morena drive, head south on this about 1.5 miles, then veer right/straight onto Big Portero Truck trail (dirt road). Follow this dirt road about 1.5 miles downhill to the aid station at the Gate. Please be respectful of the people who live at Hauser Canyon by keeping your noise to a minimum. Park such that you do not block the flow of traffic on the road. This aid station is at miles 12 and 44. The cutoff time for runners on the return trip is 5:45 p.m. It gets dark about 6:00 p.m.
Highway 94 aid station:
From the start site, go back towards Lake Morena township, onto Reservoir Rd., then fork right onto Lake Morena Dr., head south on this road about 3 miles to Buckman Springs Rd., turn right onto Buckman Springs Rd and go south about 1.5 miles to Hwy. 94, turn right onto Hwy 94 West and go about 2 miles to where the Pacific Crest trail crosses the Highway. This is about 0.5 miles west (past) where the railroad museum and border patrol station are in Campo. Park off to the side of the road so as to not block traffic. Please be careful of runners crossing the highway. We will put out yellow ribbons just on either side of the aid station along the road to alert you of the upcoming aid station. This aid station is 26 and 30 miles into the run. The cutoff time for the return trip (mile 30) is 1:30 p.m. (7.5 hours race time).
From the Hauser Canyon aid station, go back up the Portrero Truck trail (dirt road), then turn right onto Buckman Springs Rd., go south on Buckman Springs Rd. about 1.5 miles, and follow the rest of the directions as in the paragraph above.
Gas and groceries can be purchased at convenience stores in either Lake Morena township or Campo, where Buckman Springs Rd. and Hwy 94 intersect. You can also get basic first aid supplies and ice in either location. The nearest restaurants are likely in Pine Valley, about a 15 minute drive from the start, heading back towards San Diego.
Cutoffs
| Aid station name | Mileage | Cutoff time |
| Highway 94 | 30.2 | 7 hrs 30 minutes |
| Hauser Canyon | 44.2 | 11 hours 45 minutes | Finish Line | 50.4 | 13 hours 30 minutes |
All finishers will earn a finishers long-sleeve t-shirt, which will be
presented to each runner upon crossing the finish line of the race
route.
Awards will be given to the following runners:
Top 3 Men
Top 3 Women
Age group winners
39 and under
40-49
50-59
60+
The first place man and woman will earn a gift
certificate to Road Runner Sports along with a
first place plaque or certificate.
The second and third place male and female, and
age group winners will earn gift certificates from
Road Runner Sports. The awards are equal in number
and amount ($) for men and women. There is no repeat
of awards so the top 3 can't win an age group award
also. This means that up to 14 runners will earn
awards.
| Station Name | Mileages | Crew Access | Drop Bag |
| Lake Morena County Park | 6.0 | Yes | Yes |
| Hauser Canyon | 12.1,44.2 | Yes | Yes |
| Hauser Mountain | 18.6,37.8 | No | No |
| Highway 94 | 26.1,30.2 | Yes | Yes |
Race Winners
Year First Place Men Time First Place Women Time
1998 Tom Nielsen 7:21 Robyn Benincasa 10:27
1999 7-way tie 9:49 Sena Hoodman 11:21
2000 Kevin Rumon 7:47 Diane Ridgway 9:10
2001 Mike Trevino 8:10 Stephanie Green 10:06
2002 Mike Trevino 7:08 Tracy Bahr 9:54
2003 Peter Park 7:14 Tracy Bahr 8:50
Age group records
Category Male Female
Time Runner/Year Time Runner/Year
39 and under 7:08:37 Mike Trevino 8:50:28 Tracy Bahr
2002 2003
40-49 7:38:32 Tom Cheese 10:26:01 Diane Casey
2003 2003
50-59 8:53:40 John Metz 9:10:50 Diane Ridgway
1998 2000
60+ 9:31:11 Ken McIntyre 11:09:10 Betty Frankum
2002 2002