San Juan Solstice 50 Mile
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San Juan Solstice 50 Mile Run : Lake City, Colorado
The San Juan Solstice is a trail ultramarathon of 50 mile distance held in Lake City, Colorado, around the summer solstice. The event uses high alpine terrain and includes multiple creek crossings, steep snowfields in some years, and aid stations such as Williams Creek and Alpine Gulch.
The field is capped at 300 runners. Registration for the 2026 race opens January 15 and closes January 31; entries are managed by a lottery and waitlist system. Lottery results and the waitlist posting occur February 1. Runners placed on the waitlist are not charged until they move onto the active roster; at that point they may accept or decline the invitation.
Because creek crossings on the narrow Alpine Gulch trail can create congestion, the course has been adjusted in recent years. The Williams Creek cutoff time has been extended, and three marked route options are offered for the third and fourth crossings in Alpine Gulch. Those options follow short creek crossings or a steeper scramble, with route lengths near 175 to 225 feet and measured times within about nine seconds. MAProgress live tracking has been used for entrants and trackers must be carried and registered with MAProgress.
Participation prerequisites include being at least 18 years old and having completed a prior trail ultra. Runners are expected to have substantial high mountain experience and to be comfortable in that environment. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
