Two days, two distances
The 50K runs Saturday with 7,500 feet of gain, and the 25K runs Sunday with 3,500 feet, letting runners choose one distance or, for those chasing a full weekend, tackle both across the two days.
⏵ Course guide · North Georgia mountains
Sky to Summit Course Guide
Sky to Summit packs 7,500 feet of climbing into its Saturday 50K near Sky Valley, Georgia, billed as the state\'s highest and most scenic trail race, with a 3,500-foot 25K running the next day. I will walk you through what is verified about the course first, then give you a pacing and fueling plan built for serious north Georgia vertical. There are free calculators along the way to dial in your own numbers.
⏵ At a glance
Sky to Summit quick facts
- Dates
- October 24-25, 2026 (50K Saturday, 25K Sunday)
- Location
- Sky Valley, Georgia (north Georgia mountains)
- Distances
- 50K (Saturday), 25K (Sunday)
- 50K
- 7,500 ft of elevation gain, 11 hour cutoff
- 25K
- 3,500 ft of elevation gain, 5.5 hour cutoff
- Organizer
- Run Bum Tours
These facts come from the official Run Bum Tours event page. Detailed aid station and terrain information is published in the race\'s own Maps & Aid Charts and Runner Handbook. Check the current year details before you commit; race logistics change year to year.
The course: Georgia\'s highest trail race
Run Bum Tours markets Sky to Summit around its billing as Georgia\'s highest and most scenic trail race, run out of Sky Valley in the north Georgia mountains over a weekend of two distances.
Real vertical density
At roughly 240 feet of climbing per mile, the 50K carries some of the steepest vertical density of any race in the Southeast trail calendar. This is a race built around sustained climbing rather than distance for its own sake.
Pull the official course details before race day
Specific aid station locations, exact course routing, and terrain detail beyond the elevation and cutoff figures live in Run Bum Tours' own Maps & Aid Charts and Runner Handbook. Download those directly from the race site so your race-day plan is built on the current year's specifics.
Pacing strategy for 7,500 feet in 11 hours
With roughly 240 feet of climbing per mile on the 50K and an 11 hour cutoff, this course leaves real but not generous margin.
Grade-adjusted pace for serious vertical
A course with this much climbing per mile does not run at anything close to a flat-ground pace. A grade-adjusted pace target gives you an honest number for the climbs, so your early miles do not eat into the buffer you need for the back half of 7,500 feet of gain.
Check your projection against the 11 hour cutoff
A vert-aware finish prediction, built off the published 7,500-foot gain figure, is a far better guide than a flat 50K time here. Check it against the 11 hour cutoff early, and pull the official cutoff sheet from Run Bum Tours for any intermediate checkpoints along the way.
⏵ Free tools to pace this course
- Grade-adjusted pace calculator to set an honest target for 7,500 feet of north Georgia climbing.
- Race-time calculator for a finish prediction you can check against the 11 hour cutoff.
- Ultra cutoff calculator to see your real buffer once you have the official aid station splits.
Fueling strategy for a late-October mountain climb
Late October in the north Georgia mountains typically runs cool, especially at elevation, but 7,500 feet of sustained climbing still burns through glycogen fast.
Carbs: fuel for the vertical
Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour. Cool October air does not change the energy cost of climbing 7,500 feet, so keep your intake consistent from the start rather than assuming the mild temperatures mean lighter fueling.
Sodium: a moderate baseline for cool fall weather
Sodium in the 300 to 500 mg per liter range is a reasonable starting point for a cool late-October mountain day. Adjust upward only if conditions run warmer than typical for the season and elevation.
⏵ Build your fueling plan
Get a carb, sodium, fluid, and caffeine plan per hour built for your weight, your goal time, and a cool north Georgia October day with the free ultra fueling calculator. Browse the rest of the free running tools at the tools hub.
⏵ Train for it with Summit Line
Get a race-day plan built around YOUR fitness, this exact 7,500-foot north Georgia climbing profile, and your projected splits. Summit Line reads your real training, builds a plan for sustained mountain vertical, and rehearses your fueling so race day is something you execute, not guess at.
Sky to Summit FAQ
How hard is Sky to Summit?
The 50K packs 7,500 feet of elevation gain into a single day in the north Georgia mountains, with an 11 hour cutoff. That works out to roughly 240 feet of climbing per mile, real mountain running, and Run Bum Tours markets the race around its billing as Georgia's highest and most scenic trail course.
How much climbing is in Sky to Summit?
The 50K carries 7,500 feet of elevation gain, and the 25K carries 3,500 feet, both published figures from the official race page. That is a serious vertical density for either distance, on par with the toughest mountain races in the Southeast.
How should I fuel for Sky to Summit?
Late October in the north Georgia mountains typically runs cool, especially at elevation, but 7,500 feet of climbing on the 50K still demands real fueling regardless of temperature. Aim for roughly 60 to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour, and sodium in the 300 to 500 mg per liter range given the likely cooler fall conditions. Pull the official Maps & Aid Charts and Runner Handbook from Run Bum Tours for exact aid station locations before race day. Build your general numbers with the free ultra fueling calculator.
What are the cutoff times for Sky to Summit?
The 50K carries an 11 hour cutoff, and the 25K a 5.5 hour cutoff. Given 7,500 feet of gain on the 50K, that cutoff leaves real but not generous margin, roughly 21 minutes per mile average pace including all the climbing.
Where is Sky to Summit held?
The race is based in Sky Valley, Georgia, in the north Georgia mountains. Earlier marketing for the race referenced nearby Dillard, GA, but the official race page now lists Sky Valley as the location, so use that for your travel planning.
Is Sky to Summit a good first mountain 50K?
7,500 feet of gain is a demanding introduction to mountain ultra racing, more vertical density than many established 50K mountain races. If you are newer to serious climbing, the Sunday 25K, at 3,500 feet, is a more approachable way to sample the same terrain before committing to the full 50K in a future year.
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<a href="https://runsummitline.com/guides/sky-to-summit">The Sky to Summit course guide</a>This guide is independent and for planning only. The course details, dates, cutoffs, and aid stations come from public sources and can change year to year, so confirm the current specifics with the official race before you register or run. The fueling and pacing advice is general and not medical advice.