About This Race
The Pikes Peak Ultra is a premier high-altitude trail race held in Colorado Springs that traverses the rugged backcountry of the Front Range. Runners face a grueling course featuring nearly 12,000 feet of elevation gain, technical single-track, and a scenic summit of the 11,893-foot Mt. Rosa. This event offers a challenging alternative to the traditional Pikes Peak Marathon, showcasing the diverse beauty of the Cheyenne Canyon trail system.
What Makes It Unique
- Mt. Rosa Summit: While many regional races focus on Pikes Peak itself, this ultra summits the 11,893-foot Mt. Rosa, providing runners with spectacular and rarely-seen views of the Pikes Peak massif from the southern ridges.
- Mandatory Bib Punching: In a nod to old-school trail racing traditions, participants must physically punch their race bibs at high-altitude turnaround points like Mt. Rosa and Almagre to verify they reached the summit.
- Crushed Granite Terrain: The course is famous for its 'Pikes Peak granite' surface—a specific type of decomposed gravel trail that offers a unique, rolling running experience distinct from the jagged rocky paths common in other mountain ranges.
Media Coverage
This Week In Running: July 31, 2023
iRunFar
Editorial recap by Justin Mock that contextualizes the Pikes Peak Ultra within the broader trail running landscape, listing key results across multiple distances.
Pikes Peak Ultra 30k: A Coach’s Course Guide
NEO Endurance Sports & Fitness
A detailed technical breakdown of the Pikes Peak Ultra course segments, including pacing strategies and elevation analysis for the 30k and 50k distances.