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Built on bad decisions in Boulder, CO.

Crested Butte Ultra 50 Mile

Basic Listing
  1. Mad Moose Events
  2. 2026 Edition

50 miles of alpine singletrack in Colorado's fall color capital

Directions
DeadlineSeptember 21, 2026
Register

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All trail races in Colorado→
September 26, 2026
Saturday 6:00am MDT start
Crested Butte, CO
United States
50 miles
Loop Course
8,610 ft
Elevation Gain
Open Registration
No lottery
No Service Requirement
Does not require trail or volunteer work
No Qualifier
No qualifier race required
Very Challenging
Experienced ultrarunners
Links
WebsiteInstagramFacebook
2017
Established
8:28 M / 9:01 W
Course Record

What Makes It Great

A challenging alpine 50-mile loop through Colorado's Gunnison National Forest, traversing singletrack trails that wind through wildflower meadows, dense aspen groves blazing with fall color, and exposed mountain ridgelines reaching 11,291 feet. Starting and finishing at Crested Butte's community school, the course delivers 8,300 feet of climbing on some of Colorado's most celebrated trail terrain. Timed for peak autumn conditions, runners face late-September mountain weather that can shift from clear skies to cold and stormy within hours.

Difficulty

Advanced
7/10

Experienced ultrarunners

High Altitude
Steep Climbing
Technical Terrain
Variable Weather
Night Running

Race Highlights

11,291 ft high point
Tops out on open alpine ridgelines with sweeping views of the Elk Mountains and surrounding wilderness
Peak fall color timing
Held in late September to catch Crested Butte's spectacular aspen groves at the height of their fall display
8,300 feet of climbing
Relentless alpine singletrack gains from forest meadows to exposed ridgelines and back across 50 miles
Buckle for every finisher
All finishers receive a custom race shirt, BOCO hat, and finisher's buckle — no tiered cutoff required
Gunnison National Forest singletrack
Authorized under special use permit; the course runs almost entirely on singletrack through protected National Forest

Finish Awards

Finisher Buckle
All finishers receive a custom race shirt, custom BOCO hat, and finisher's buckle.

Crested Butte Ultra 50 Mile

Crested Butte, CO, United StatesSeptember 26, 2026

September 26, 2026
Course map for Crested Butte Ultra 50 Mile
DistDistance50 mi
GainElevation Gain8,610 ft
High AltitudeSteep ClimbingVariable WeatherNight Running

Entry Timeline

Registration DeadlineSeptember 21, 2026
Race DaySeptember 26, 2026

Lottery

This event uses open registration - no lottery entry required.

Qualifier

This event does not require a qualifier for entry.

Service Requirement

This race does not have a service requirement for entry.

Terrain

Surface Types
Singletrack90%
Forest Road10%
50.0 mi
Distance
Loop
Route
9,849 ft
Average Elevation
8,610 ft
Total Ascent
8,610 ft
Total Descent
11,302 ft
High Point
8,832 ft
Low Point
Course map
Launch Course Explorer

Aid Stations

LocationMileElevation
Start/Finish
Start
0.08,878 ft
Farris Creek Aid Station
Aid Station
6.09,334 ft
Walrod Aid Station
Aid Station
13.09,262 ft
Farris Creek Aid Station
Aid Station
23.09,334 ft
Teocalli Aid Station
Aid Station
29.59,272 ft
Teocalli Aid Station
Aid Station
41.09,272 ft
Farris Creek Aid Station
Aid Station
44.09,334 ft
Finish
Finish
50.08,878 ft

Sign in to see cutoffs, crew access, drop bags, and services for every aid station.

No on-site camping available

Crew Access Points

Pacer Rules

No Pacers Allowed

Crew Rules

No Crew Allowed
Weather

Late September in Crested Butte brings highly variable conditions. Daytime temperatures at race elevation are typically in the 40–60°F range, cooler on exposed ridgelines above 10,000 feet. Overnight lows can dip below freezing. Afternoon thunderstorms are possible, and early-season snowfall is not unheard of in late September. Runners should prepare for conditions to change rapidly throughout the day; back-of-pack 50 Mile runners will likely finish after sunset.

High Altitude

Entire course runs above 8,800 feet; 50 Mile peaks at 11,291 feet on exposed ridgelines

Rapid Weather Changes

Late September Colorado mountain weather can shift from sunny to snow within hours

Cold/Hypothermia Risk

Nighttime temperatures regularly drop below freezing above treeline; back-of-pack runners will finish after dark

Lightning/Thunderstorm Risk

Afternoon thunderstorms common on exposed ridgelines in late summer/early fall

Gear Rules

Required Gear

No required gear specified

Recommended Gear

No recommended gear specified

Race Reports

I Need a Break from Running: Crested Butte Ultra Race Recap
By CS Instant Coffee • 2025

Race reports from other Crested Butte Ultra events

Crested Butte Ultra 55K Race ReportCrested Butte Ultra 55K
By Boulder Sports Chiropractor • 2019

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Register•September 26, 2026