Buena Vista, CO, United States · Saturday, May 2, 2026

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Collegiate Peaks 50 Miles

Race completed

83 km Distance

not publishedn/a Climbing

4.2 est Grit · Challenging

Calculated from 83 km alone — the organiser has not published an elevation profile. Read 4.2 as a floor, not a verdict.

38.8422° N, 106.1311° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Time limit 12 hours 8:40 min/km average. Comfortable. Room to walk the climbs and stop at aid. Climbing is unpublished, so this pace is a ceiling on the effort, not a measure of it. Among the tightest 50 mi cut-offs we track. Measured against 455 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~55 Small. Long stretches with nobody in sight.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (51.4mi) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, May

Daytime high 11°C

Night low -3°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 13 h 50 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for May — NASA POWER, grid elevation 3226 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 83 km of trail.

Trail Running Shoes83 km of trail — cushioning that is still there in the last quarter.
Race Nutrition83 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsFlask capacity for 83 km, without the bounce.
HeadlampsA 12 h limit puts you out there after dark.
GPS WatchesBattery life first — a 83 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

La Sportiva

Prodigio Pro

RunRepeat found the La Sportiva Prodigio Pro to have a secure, locked-in fit due to its premium upper, and also praised the shoe's energetic ride, particularly…

$225 ★★★★★ 4.6

Salomon

Ultra Glide 4

$159.95 ★★★★★ 4.6

Tailwind

Endurance Fuel

All-in-one calorie and electrolyte drink mix. 200 calories per serving.

$25 ★★★★★ 4.8

Nathan

VaporKrar 12L

12L race vest co-designed with ultra champion Rob Krar, with insulated bladder pocket.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.6

Petzl

NAO RL

1500-lumen reactive lighting headlamp with 15-hour runtime. Automatic brightness adjustment.

$150 ★★★★★ 4.7

COROS

APEX 2 Pro

GPS running watch with 75-hour GPS battery, topo maps, and training metrics.

$500 ★★★★★ 4.7

All gear guides →

Course Notes

Beginning and ending near the Arkansas River in Buena Vista, the course primarily follows single-track and jeep trails along part of the old historic Midland Railroad as well as through other scenic areas north and east of town.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.