Westcliffe, CO, United States · Saturday, September 26, 2026

Fixed Distance 50K

Sangre de Cristo Ultra 50 km Race

10 days to go

50 km Distance

2,000 m Climbing

5.5 Grit · Challenging

38.1347° N, 105.4658° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 40 m / km Mountain. Significant climbing. Steep sections will require power hiking.

Time limit 16 hours 19:12 min/km average. Generous. Walkable throughout for most of the field. Among the most forgiving 50K cut-offs we track. Measured against 1007 races of the same distance. Cut-off calculator →

Field size ~37 Small. Long stretches with nobody in sight.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (50km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, September

Daytime high 22°C

Night low 6°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 12 h 03 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for September — NASA POWER, grid elevation 2542 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a mountain course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 gear

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

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 50 km of trail with 2,000 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes40 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition50 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsPole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles2,000 m of ascent to walk up.
HeadlampsA 16 h limit puts you out there after dark.

Brooks

Catamount 3

RunRepeat found the Brooks Catamount 3 to have a cozier upper that enhances the overall fit, though breathability and durability could be better. iRunFar noted…

★★★★★ 4.5

Adidas

Terrex Agravic Speed Ultra

★★★★★ 4.5

Skratch Labs

Sport Hydration Mix

Clean electrolyte drink mix with real fruit flavor. Low sugar.

$20 ★★★★★ 4.5

Salomon

ADV Skin 12

Industry-standard 12L race vest with front flask pockets and minimal bounce.

$180 ★★★★★ 4.8

Black Diamond

Distance FLZ

Lightweight folding trekking poles with FlickLock Z adjustment. 340g per pole.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.7

Petzl

NAO RL

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

$150 ★★★★★ 4.7

All gear guides →

Course Notes

Run beneath the watchful eye of these gorgeous, and ominous, mountains. You may even think to yourself, ‘what a wonderful world’. This race is full of festivities, friends and challenge.

Similar races

Other 50K trail ultras, closest in distance first.