Cactus to Cloud Sky Race 2026
Alamogordo & Cloudcroft, NM, NM
Registration open
- Entry price
- $100–$170
Weather
This is a multi-climate course — conditions differ along the route, so we show weather by point rather than a single city average.
| Point | Avg high / low | Band |
|---|---|---|
| Start — Oliver Lee State Park | 41–61°F | Cool |
| Finish — Cloudcroft | 30–58°F | Cool |
Historical averages for planning — not a forecast. Always check conditions before race week.
Route & course
32K Cloud Run
Point-to-point · Trail · starts 8:00 AM- Elev gain
- —
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- —
- Low point
- —
- Start and finish are in different locations
- Plan shuttle, drop-off, or two-car logistics
- Conditions can differ from start to finish
Starts at high elevation and follows mountain trails to Cloudcroft.
Sky Run 50K
Point-to-point · Trail- Elev gain
- 9,000 ft
- Elev loss
- —
- High point
- 9,200 ft
- Low point
- 4,400 ft
- Start and finish are in different locations
- Plan shuttle, drop-off, or two-car logistics
- Conditions can differ from start to finish
Starts at Oliver Lee State Park (4,400 ft), climbs Dog Canyon via the 'Eyebrow' trail (~5,000 ft gain), reaches Sunspot Solar Observatory (9,200 ft), then runs the Rim Trail through pine/aspen to Cloudcroft finish. Hard cutoff 6:59:59 PM. Shuttle to start included.
Travel
- Base town
- Alamogordo
- Nearest airport
- ELP · 100 min
- Rental car
- Recommended
- Rideshare
- Poor
- Lodging
- Limited
- Facilities
- Limited
- Trip length
- 2 nights
- Travel complexity
- 6.5/10
ELP is the logical hub (~86 miles / ~1.5 hrs to Alamogordo); rental car is essential as there is no public transit or reliable rideshare to Oliver Lee State Park or Sunspot. Cloudcroft is a small mountain village — book lodging well in advance.
The Lodge at Cloudcroft offers runner discount rates and is steps from the finish. Cell service is spotty between Cloudcroft and Sunspot — download offline maps before race day.
Best for / avoid if
Best for
- Experienced trail runners comfortable with big elevation gain
- Runners seeking a desert-to-alpine point-to-point adventure
- Sacramento Mountains Ultra Series completionists
- Altitude-ready runners chasing a unique New Mexico course
- experienced trail runners
- altitude runners
- climbing enthusiasts
Avoid if
- Not acclimatized to elevations above 8,000 ft
- Uncomfortable on exposed canyon walls or rocky single-track
- Expecting reliable cell service on course
- New to trail ultras — the 50K is extremely challenging
- first-time ultra runners
- altitude sensitive runners
First-timer mistakes
Underestimating the thermal gradient on the 50K: it can be 45°F at the desert start and drop back into the low 50s at the mountain finish — carry layers even if it feels warm at Oliver Lee. Poles are worth the weight on Dog Canyon.
Community reports — 2026
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