Harvest & Howitzer Backyard Ultra
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Harvest & Howitzer Backyard Ultra
The Harvest & Howitzer Backyard Ultra is a last-runner-standing race held on private farm land near Placerville, California. The event uses a single 4.167-mile loop that runners repeat every hour until only one runner remains. Organizers describe the venue as a 100-acre Christmas tree and apple farm in the Sierra foothills.
The event is presented as a weekend campout with a focus on community. Participants, crews, and families share camp space and campfires between loops. The format intentionally omits a traditional finish line and quick award ceremonies; the race emphasizes endurance, pacing, and race strategy rather than a single final sprint.
The race was organized by a team with backgrounds in ultrarunning, trail work, volunteer events, and related regional races. The event program includes a kids' race, and proceeds support local nonprofits. The event language includes a "howitzer" metaphor: a historical 1,200-pound cannon is referenced to convey the idea of carrying personal power and strategy through extended effort, and respecting when a runner chooses to stop. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
