Race in the Clouds - Alma Dirt Festival 2026

The Burro Buster 5k is a fun, family friendly, 5k in one of America's highest incorporated towns. Join us in Fairplay on the 4th of July on our run through town! The course lies inside of the town limits and starts and finishes in front of the historic Hand Hotel & Emporium. Your terrain will include asphalt, dirt, rocks, stairs, and some hills. You will also enjoy great views, a river, historic buildings, lack of oxygen (9,953' above sea level!) and fun! There will be NO water station on course. Water will be available at the beginning and end of the race.

This event benefits the Town of Fairplay Scholarship Fund.

Start your morning the Alma way — with a little fresh mountain air, some movement, and a big stack of pancakes.

Join us for the Firefighter 5K, a laid-back community run where everyone is welcome. Bring your kids, your dog, your friends — run, jog, walk, or just saunter your way through beautiful Alma. This event is all about getting outside, having fun, and kicking off the day together.

After the run, head over to the NW Fire Protection District Fire Station for a delicious pancake breakfast hosted by IAFF Union Local 5227.

Even better, proceeds from the race entry fees will support the Firefighter Union’s selected charity, so every step you take helps support a great cause.

Come for the run.

Stay for the pancakes.

Celebrate community in the highest incorporated town in North America.

The first year of the World Championship Pack Burro Race in 1949 saw 21 entrants with only 8 finishing the race. These days there are nearly 100 racers and burros that take on this historic challenge. Some choose the “lower altitude” short course of approximately 12.3 miles while others take on the long course and attempt the grueling climb to the top of Mosquito Pass and back, 29+ miles and an elevation change of 3,232'! The racers start at 9,953 feet in Fairplay with long course runners hitting their halfway point at the top of Mosquito Pass, elevation 13,185'!

Short Course Map

Long Course Map

***Disclaimer: Staff are currently discussing a time limit for each course. Racers will have until a certain time to reach a specified checkpoint. If they reach the checkpoint after the required time, they will be directed to turn around and will receive a DNF.

Free race photos provided by Pack Burro Racing Photographers at PBRphotos.org

The Human Potential Running Series Presents:

The Sheep Mountain Trail Runs @ Fairplay, CO

Come ready my friends, this mountain throws everything it has at trail and ultra runners alike, challenging you from start to finish at an average elevation over 10,600′. You’ll run amongst these “beautifully difficult” mountains and hills lining the western slope of the South Park Valley. This is the race where you carry #Adversity on your back, if you can handle the burden, you can win the day! Runners looking for a wilderness experience, stunning views, opportunities for technical terrain mixed with remote forest service roads… will fall in love with this course. The Sheep Mountain 50 mile and 50k promises to provide runners with an unforgettable experience that celebrates the history, and rough and tumble nature of this mountain region. The Sheep Mountain Half Marathon is a wonderful introduction into trail running for those looking for a more mellow day. The course features flowing dirt county roads and USFS Fire Road (some of a little rocky).