Sawatch Ascent

Sawatch Ascent

A classic, high-alpine, vert-heavy Colorado 50k! Get some miles on the Colorado Trail and run all the way to 13,150' feet in elevation! Starting and finishing at the base of Mount Princeton, runners are treated to panoramic views of the Sawatch Range and the gorgeous Arkansas River Valley. The race runs in a large lollipop and is essentially one long 7000' foot climb and one long 7000' descent. The beginning and end have a mix of dirt and paved roads, but the middle is 25 miles of uninterrupted singletrack, including 12 miles on the Colorado Trail. Yet, despite the amount of vert this course is surprisingly runnable, especially for a runner with mountain experience. Add in the changing aspen leaves and the (usually) perfect fall weather and you've got yourself one hell of end-of-the-season race.

Key details:

• When: Sunday, September 28th, 2025 at 7:30am MDT
• Where: Nathrop, Colorado (coordinates: 38.74275, -106.15964)
• Course: 33 miles, 7000' of vert, 8200' low point to 13,150' high point, average elevation 9800'
• Trail type: 26 miles of singletrack, 4.5 miles of pavement, 2.5 miles of gravel roads
• Cutoff: 11 hours

Extra challenge: Sawatch 50/50!

Pricing:

• January Pricing: $120 (No Frills), $140 (General)
• February-August Pricing: $145 (No Frills), $165 (General)
• September Pricing: $160 (No Frills), $180 (General)