Experience the amazing Colorado fall colors, fast and flowing singletrack of Rampart Reservoir and the spectacular sweeping views of America’s Mountain, Pikes Peak, in the annual Above the Clouds Ultra! You definitely do not want to miss out on this Colorado fall classic!
Runners’ journey begins in the beautiful “City Above the Clouds” of Woodland Park, CO and ascends Lovell Gulch to the top of Rampart Range Road. The ultra runners continue south on Rampart Range Road where they are greeted with some of the most spectacular views of Pikes Peak the region has to offer! The adventure continues in a counter clockwise direction around the fast and furious singletrack of Rampart Reservoir and eventually connects to the rarely traveled 700.A National Forest trail. From here, runners continue North along the quiet National Forest roads that provide incredible panoramic views of some of Colorado’s most beautiful mountains. Finally, runners descend the second half of the Lovell Gulch Loop back down to Merit Academy where they are cheered to the finish line by family and friends!
6:00am • Packet Pickup Begins on MS Track
7:00am • 50k Start
8:00am • 10k Start
6:00pm • Course Closes
| AID STATION | TOT. | SEG. | CUTOFF | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start: Merit Academy | 0 | 3.6 | - | - |
| Lovell Gulch | 3.6 | 4.6 | - | No Crew |
| Rainbow | 8.2 | 7.1 | - | Crew Accessible |
| Dam | 15.3 | 4.5 | 11:00am | Crew Accessible Drop Bags |
| Rampart Ridge | 19.8 | 6.8 | 1:00pm | No Crew |
| Lovell Gulch | 26.6 | 3.7 | - | Crew Accessible |
| Finish: Merit Academy | 30.3 | - | - | - |
| AID STATION | TOT. | SEG. | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start: Merit Academy | 0 | 3.3 | - |
| Lovell Gulch | 3.3 | 3.6 | No Crew |
| Finish: Merit Academy | 6.9 | - | - |
All aid stations will be well stocked with Tailwind, Muir Energy Gels, sweet and salty snacks, fruit, and soda. The Rainbow Gulch and Rampart Ridge aid stations will also be cooking bacon, quesadillas, potatoes and other warm options!
Friday, October 4th, 2024
Saturday, October 5th, 2024
Closes on October 2nd, 2024. All registrations include:
From Colorado Springs: Head west on Highway 24 for approximately 18 miles then turn right on South Baldwin Street. Follow Baldwin St. for 1.5 miles. Continue straight through the four-way stop to the Merit Academy where you will be greeted by a parking attendant.
Merit Academy will play host to the event. There is plenty of parking and vehicles will be directed by a parking attendant. The start/finish line in located on the track north of the school.
Pacing is prohibited. Crewing is available for 50k runners at crew accessible aid stations only. Crew accessible aid stations are easy to locate and within a short drive from the Merit Academy. The crew accessible aid stations are as follows:
Rainbow Gulch Aid Station
From the Merit Academy, follow Rampart Range Rd for approximately 2 miles. When the road splits, stay right at Loy Creek Rd. At the top of the pass, turn right onto Rampart Range Rd. Follow Rampart Range Rd for approximately 2.3 miles. The aid station will be on the right in the parking lot of Rainbow Gulch Trailhead.
Dam Aid Station
This aid station is located beyond a pay station. The fee to enter is $10. From the Rainbow Gulch Aid Station, continue south on Rampart Range Rd. for approximately 1.5 miles. Turn left on National Forest Rd. 306 and follow the signs for Rampart Reservoir. Continue on 306 for 2.5 miles. There is security gate before crossing the dam. The aid station will be on the right in the parking lot.
Rampart Ridge Aid Station
This is not a crew accessible aid station. From Rainbow Gulch Aid Station, head north in the direction of the Start/Finish Line for 2.3 miles. At the four-way stop, turn right on Loy Creek Rd. Continue on Loy Creek through private property and the USAFA property for 2.8 miles. The aid station will be on the right. Please drive slowly and carefully through the private property.
Flying
Colorado Springs Municipal Airport: Colorado Springs has the closest and most convenient airport. It takes about 55 minutes to drive from the airport to the event.
Denver International Airport: The Denver airport is not as close as the Colorado Springs airport, but will usually offer more direct flight options. It takes about 2 hours to drive from the airport to the event.
Camping
Mueller State Park offers 132 campsites and are by reservation only. The various campsites can accommodate walk-in tent campers to full hook-up RVs. There are cabins available to rent within the park.
Trails:
Devil’s Playground (664A) to Northwest summit of Pikes Peak: This approximately 14 mile out and back summit of Pikes Peak is one of the most spectacular trails in the Front Range. The summit to “America’s Mountain” is significantly less crowded than Barr Trail and offers spectacular views of the Great Divide course.
The Crags Trail (664): This 4.5 mile out-and-back is popular with families and offers incredible views of Pikes Peak and the Great Divide course! The magnificent rock formations at the turnaround are uniquely stunning and definitely worth the trip.
Breweries:
Bierwerks: Located in Woodland Park. Although Bierwerks specializes in German beers, they have a wide variety of delicious beer. There is usually a couple of food trucks serving lunch and dinner. Indoor and outdoor seating is available.
Paradox Brewing: Located in Divide. Overlooking Pikes Peak, Paradox specializes in sour beers! They offer indoor and outdoor seating.
