UPDATES 6/16/ 2025

PACKET PICKUP DETAILS

We’ve got multiple options for you to grab your race packet—and trust us, you’ll want to get your hands on those goodie bags early this year (discounts for the local bakery, coffee shop, saloon, and Al-Mart included!).

Friday, July 11 | 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Alma Town Hall. 59 E Buckskin Road

Come grab your packet early and check out the Kids’ Race, starting around 1:30 PM—it’s seriously the cutest 15 minutes in sport!
This is also a great time to connect with other racers and explore town before the weekend kicks into high gear.
 
Saturday, July 12 (Race Morning) | 6:00 AM – 7:30 AM
Start/Finish Line (the meadow) – to get to the meadow head west on Buckskin Road roughly a mile – the meadow (you can’t miss it) is on your right. If you hit Kite Lake you have GONE WAY TOO FAR!

For those camping on site, this is a super convenient option right near your tent.
We’ll be ready bright and early to get you checked in before the first race begins at 7:30 AM.
 
Top Secret Early Check-In
If you’re arriving Thursday and want to get your packet (or claim your camping spot early), we’ll be out in the meadow setting up.
Call or text 310-923-0586 and we’ll sneak you your stuff.

Pro Tip:
The earlier you pick up your packet, the sooner you can start using those awesome local discounts—and the less you’ll have to think about logistics on race morning.

COURSE UPDATE:

We got out on the course last weekend, and it's fabulous! Even with all the recent rain, the trail was surprisingly dry—though we do have a few fun stream crossings to keep things interesting. The usually Grand Canyon-esque ruts on Forest Service Road 450? This year, they’re more like mellow little canals—totally navigable.

That said, let’s be real: this race is a legit workout—for your body and your brain.

Because the Forest Service decommissioned a section of the original route, we’ve reimagined the course into something new: a fast, scenic, and mentally engaging loop. Think of it as a figure-eight turned sideways, where the full "Race in the Clouds" loop is 13 miles and made up of two smaller loops.

Here’s the twist:
After each small loop, you’ll return to the start/finish area (cue cheering, cowbells, and hootin’ and hollerin’), but you can’t cross the finish line until you’ve completed all loops.

To help you stay on track:

·         Each time you pass through the start/finish, one of our fabulous volunteers will hand you a colored rubber bracelet.

·         Toss it on your handlebars, tuck it in your jersey pocket, or wear it on your wrist—just hang onto it!

·         If you start wondering “Where am I?” just check your bracelets.

And speaking of getting lost—we learned a lot last year about signage, so you can expect better course marking to keep you confidently rolling.

For folks with GPS here is the Strava (you can download the TCX or GPX for the route) for all mountain bike courses (13 mile (1 big loop); 26 mile (2 big loops) and almost 40 mile (3 big loops) and the Trail Half Marathon: https://www.strava.com/routes/3369804684243801016

For the Trail 10K: https://www.strava.com/routes/3354641406061466258

For the Off Road Duathlon: https://www.strava.com/routes/3369826533426718492

Off Road Duathlon Mtn Bike: https://www.strava.com/routes/3369804684243801016

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE- RACE DAY JULY 12:

• Mandatory Pre-Race Briefing for 40ish Mile, 26 Mile, Trail 1/2 and Off Road Duathlon: 7:15 am (Start Line)
• National Anthem: Jordan Lane 7:25 AM

• Race Start Times 
  40ish Mile: 7:30 AM
  26 Mile: 7:40 AM
  Trail 1/2 and Du: 7:45 AM

• Mandatory Pre-Race Briefing 13 Mile/7 Mile Bike 8:00 AM
• 13 Mile: 8:15 AM
  13 Mile and 7 Mile Junior: 8:30 AM
  Trail 10K 9:30 AM
• First Finisher expected: 10:30 AM
• Post Race BBQ 10:30 AM - 3:00 PM
• Awards - beginning when the top 3 in each race distance are finished. Estimated at noon

*************************************************************************************

Get ready for a day of exciting outdoor activities at 10,600 feet in beautiful Alma, Colorado!

Our dirt festival has something for everyone: mountain bike racing, trail running, a free kids' bike race, an OFF-Road Duathlon (Run + Bike) and camping in a stunning meadow surrounded by 14,000-foot mountain peaks.

What are the courses like??

Well.. the courses feature a mix of single-track, forest service roads, and graded county roads. Each loop includes two big climbs and fun, fast descents. We are working to add even more single-track in 2025 so the course is currently a work in progress. We will have the final course along with GPX files by March, 2025. NOTE: The 5K Fun Run and Doggie Dash is being moved to the following weekend during the Festival in the Clouds.

What to expect?

Expect that we will take you back to your "grassroots" with our "weird" little race. Expect awesome awards, homemade post-race food, and beer from our sponsor, High Side Brewing! Expect a community excited to host you and expect that with a higher altitude, you will have less air!

Camping! Yep some of the best in Colorado

We encourage you to camp for the weekend. We've moved the start and finish line to a beautiful meadow just half a mile from town and the Town of Alma has agreed to let us camp there! Imagine waking up race morning at the start line and watching the sunset over the finish line  - you'll be at the heart of the action when you camp. Race on Saturday, then spend Sunday exploring the area. Camping officially opens on Friday, but if you'd like to arrive earlier, just let us know, and we'll provide you with a camping pass. Athletes can get discounted camping (50% off) with their race entry. NOTE: This is dispersed camping. We will have porta potties and trash containers on site (and we will try and provide some water but please bring everything you may need to be comfy, happy campers!

Family and Dog Friendly (well-behaved on leashes):

Don't forget to bring your family along. We're hosting a free kids' (12 and under) bike and running race at Town Park on Friday afternoon.

Award and Race Categories:

Race Categories and Divisions:

Overall awards - First Overall Men/Women/Non-Binary in each race format
Age Group Awards - Men and Women in each race format:
U23
24-49
50-59
60+

High School/Middle School: Our High School and Middle School divisions were such a big hit in 2024 we are going to offer them again! And last year we encouraged coaches and parents to race with their young athletes and it was a huge success!! So if you're a coach or a parent of a young racer, you don't care about age group awards, and you don't mind jumping into the High School/Middle School wave, you can race with your kiddos for free - send us a note after your athlete registers, and we'll send you a code to register yourself. 

Volunteers ready to give back??

We need volunteers! If you or a family member is willing to volunteer, you can earn a free entry to our 2025 event or a future event with the Alma Foundation. Volunteers also get free camping. You can sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050B4CAEAB2AA1F58-52519411-volunteer. Reach out to Liz at raceintheclouds@gmail.com for the free race entry code or free camping pass!