About 70 runners and volunteers participating in the Moab 240 ultramarathon were evacuated from the

About 70 runners and volunteers participating in the Moab 240 ultramarathon were evacuated from the rugged outdoor race course on Sunday after being stranded overnight by a heavy rainstorm that hit the area, authorities said. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office stated that it coordinated with race organizers to assist the stranded individuals, who had been unable to safely leave the affected areas.

Evacuation and Race Logistics

Destination Trail, which organizes and manages the race, reported in a Sunday afternoon update that buses were evacuating the final group of affected participants. Those individuals had been stuck at an aid station near the Bridger Jack Mesa in the Bear Ears National Monument. In a social media post directed to the stranded participants, Destination Trail expressed regret over the outcome, noting that many had trained for months and traveled a long way. We know this isn’t how anyone hoped Moab 240 would go, the organization stated, adding, So many of you trained for months and traveled a long way to be here, and we’re truly sorry the race ended this way. Sometimes the weather has other plans, and when it does, everyone’s safety has to come first.

Race officials confirmed that additional supplies were delivered to the aid station ahead of the storm, equipping the stranded runners and volunteers with heated tents, hot food, and plenty of water.

Storm Impact on the Moab 240 Course

The Moab 240 is a 241.8-mile ultramarathon that takes competitors through the desert, canyons, slick-rock formations, and two mountain ranges, surrounded by Canyonlands and Arches National Parks. The event started on Friday in Moab, Utah, and was slated to end on Tuesday.

The severe weather was driven by the remnants of Tropical Storm Rachel, which made landfall in Baja California, Mexico, on Saturday night. The storm swept across the West on Sunday, fueling heavy rainstorms and flooding in several Western states, including Utah, Arizona, and Nevada, alongside major coastal flooding in Southern California.