GRANTS, N.M. – For 42 years, the Mt. Taylor Quadrathlon has stood as one of the most grueling yet beloved endurance challenges in the Southwest, and this year’s challenge threw curveballs no one expected but everyone triumphed over.
Part race, part community celebration, the event takes athletes up the highest peak in northwest New Mexico through four punishing disciplines— biking, running, skiing, and snowshoeing—before turning them around and sending them all the way back down. But this year, Mother Nature had a different kind of test in mind: A lack of snowpack meant no ski segment.
A well-known challenge among multi-sport endurance athletes, the Quad is a 5,400-foot vertical ascent and descent over a 43-mile round-trip course. Typically, competitors bike 13 miles up a steep paved road, run 5 miles on snow-packed gravel, ski 2 miles on a demanding uphill course, and then power through the final 1-mile snowshoe climb to the summit. However, the 2025 event threw in an unexpected curveball: a major lack of snow.
With unseasonably warm conditions, race organizers had to replace the ski portion with an additional run—not the first time this has ever happened, but a challenge none the less.
Champions of the Mountain
Despite the altered conditions, the competition was as fierce as ever.
Seth Rodgers, a 33year-old from New Mexico, powered through the course to claim victory with an impressive time of 4 hours, 23 minutes, and 12 seconds. This marked his second time participating in the event, having placed 12th in his debut back in 2023.
“I honestly would have been thrilled to make the podium,” Rodgers said. “First place was not something I was expecting. It just worked out.”
Close behind Rodgers was Josh Reddish (4:41:31) and Alister Ratcliff (4:41:32), battling it out for second and third place. The top five finishers all clocked in under five hours, showcasing the endurance and determination required to tackle Mt. Taylor’s grueling terrain.
But one of the biggest hometown victories belonged to Erin Castillo, who defended her title as the women’s champion for the second year in a row. Castillo finished with a time of 5 hours and 42 minutes, solidifying her reputation as one of the region’s top endurance athletes.
What makes the Mt. Taylor Quadrathlon truly unique isn’t just the physical challenge—it’s the deep-rooted community effort behind it. Every year, the small town of Grants, New Mexico rallies together to make the race possible. Volunteers play a crucial role, shuttling gear up and down the mountain, organizing aid stations, and ensuring that each transition area is stocked and ready for the athletes. From local businesses lending support to residents cheering along the course, the event is as much a celebration of community spirit as it is of athletic endurance.
One of the highlights every year is the ‘Edge of the World’ party at the summit, where volunteers, spectators, and exhausted racers share a moment of celebration before making the harrowing descent back down. Even with the modified race format this year, the party atmosphere and camaraderie remained unchanged, many racers even posed with the elevation sign at the peak of Mount Taylor.
Racing Against the Elements
The 2025 event was proof that the mountain, not the competitors, dictates the terms.
With little snowpack, the traditional ski leg was swapped for another run, adding an unexpected challenge for those who had trained for ski conditions. This adjustment forced athletes to rethink their race strategy and manage their energy differently.
The lack of snow also meant that icy patches and changing temperatures played a major role in race conditions. Athletes had to be mindful of their clothing choices, layering strategically to manage body heat during the climb and descent. While some years have seen frigid summit temperatures nearing zero degrees, this year’s event hovered in much milder conditions, though wind gusts near the peak still made for a brutal final ascent.
With yet another successful year in the books, the Mt. Taylor Quadrathlon continues to stand as one of the premier endurance races in the Southwest. Whether it’s record-setting performances, first-time competitors, or seasoned veterans returning to conquer the course again, the event remains a true test of both body and spirit.
As for Rodgers, Castillo, and the many racers who took on the challenge this year? They’ll have just 12 months to recover before deciding whether to push themselves up the mountain once again.
2025 Top 10 Finishers:
1. Seth Rodgers –
NM – 4:23:12 2.
–
Franklin Romero - CC
Franklin Romero - CC NM
– 4:41:31
3. Alister Ratcliff –
CO
– 4:41:32
4. John Dailey – AZ
– 4:56:49 5. Nathan Morgan
– WA – 4:57:35 6. Christian Ricks –
NM
– 5:04:38
7. Mike Engelhardt – NM – 5:04:46 8. Marshall Klee –
NY
– 5:14:30
9. Lee Hunt – NM – 5:15:24 10. Sean Krispinsky – NM – 5:23:39
Hometown Champion: Erin Castillo – Grants, NM – 5:42:00
With the next race looming in 2026, athletes will once again begin their training, knowing that whatever Mt. Taylor has in store for them next time, they’ll need to be ready.