The Badwater Ultramarathon describes itself as the world's toughest foot race. It is a course starting at below sea level in the Badwater Basin, in California's Death Valley, and ending at an elevation of 8360 feet (2548 m) at Whitney Portal, the trailhead to Mount Whitney. It takes place annually in mid-July, when the weather conditions are most extreme and temperatures can reach . Consequently, very few people—even among ultramarathoners—are capable of finishing this grueling race.