Date: Sunday, October 20, 2024. The race begins at 7 am.
Start/Finish Location: Dornblaser-Lewis and Clark Stadium – University of Montana
Parking: There are multiple parking lots near Dornblaser Field on the corner of South and Higgins avenues. Please see the parking map. Please do not park in University of Montana housing parking lots or along Cinnabar Drive.
Training Plans: Upon registration, all participants will receive optional City to Sky custom training plan(s) from coach Elliot Bassett of Mountain Endurance. There are four 18-week plans to choose from, two specifically written for those living in and around Missoula.
Swag:
- Custom City to Sky Finishers Medal
- Custom Boco Performance Bucket Hat
- Official City to Sky Finishers T-Shirt
- HydraPak Speed-Cup
- Custom Bib
- City to Sky Specific Training Plan
Timing: City to Sky uses chip timing and multiple splits with live tracking on the Competitive Timing app and personal results print out at finish line. For split and app information, please see our Course page.
Mandatory Gear to be Carried During Race: Headlamp (start is before sunrise), reusable cup (provided at packet pickup), waterproof + breathable hooded jacket, space blanket, 32 oz. water carrying capacity (don’t have to carry that much, just have capacity). *IMPORTANT* Please bring your pack with mandatory gear to be carried during the race to bib pickup.
Recommended Gear: Hat/neck gaiter, gloves, extra top layer, rain pants, sunscreen, whistle (many packs come with them), phone, reserve food, bear spray.
Drop Bags: You will be issued a custom C2S drop bag when you pick up your bib. Bring it to the start line and we’ll have it ready for you at the halfway aid station at the Pattee Canyon picnic area.
Course Snackies: We’ll have GU gels, GU hydration drink, Sport Beans, quesadillas, pickles, broth, chips, fruit, Oreos and other treats for you. Not necessarily in that order or at every aid station. More deets to follow on gel flavorings.
Course Safety: After exiting the Barmeyer Trailhead, you must run AGAINST Traffic down Pattee Canyon Drive (left side of road). Do not to cross until you are cleared by a course marshal at the trailhead next to the gas pipeline. If you cross before the course marshal gives you the OK, you will be disqualified. It’s a busy road with a blind corner. DON’T CROSS EARLY! We aren’t trying to be mean about it; we just want make sure runners are as safe as possible here.
Pengelly Ridge Trail: Please run up Pengelly Ridge Trail (about mile 2-3.5) single file except to pass. It’s a braided trail and land managers have requested we run the beaten path… not the least.
Post-Race Celebration: We’ll offer hot food and cold Big Sky Brewing beer at our finish line – jam out to tunes and celebrate your accomplishment!
Awards: Awards for top 3 female, nonbinary and male.
Cupless Event: All runners will receive a HydraPak Speed Cup to fill at aid stations and the finish line. The cup is super lightweight, collapsible and easy to carry. As this is a challenging course, we do suggest you carry and fill your own hydration devices at the aid stations.
Packet Pickup: You must pick up your bib on Saturday, October 19 from 3 – 6 pm at Run Wild Missoula in downtown Missoula. There is no race day packet pickup. *IMPORTANT* Please bring your pack with mandatory gear to be carried during the race.
Shirt Exchange: If you’d like to exchange your race shirt for another size, you can do so after finishing the race or at the RWM office the week following the race.
Age Requirement: City to Sky recommends participants be at minimum 14 years old. Should your child under 14 years wish to race, please contact the race director.
Cutoff Times: Please see our Course page.
Poles: You may use trekking poles.
Pacers: Pacers are not allowed for the entirety of the course.
Dropping Out: Runners may only drop out of the race at an aid station. To drop out, have an aid station captain call in your drop. The M Trailhead, Pattee Canyon Picnic Area and Skyline Ridge Trailhead aid stations all have public road access, so you may arrange your own ride or wait for a ride with a race volunteer. Dropping out at the more remote University Mountain beacon and Top of Woodsy Trail aid stations is not recommended as there is no public road access; dropping may require walking to a nearby trailhead. At all aid stations, rides with race volunteers may not be available until the aid station closes
Headphones: Please, no headphones or speakers. For your safety we request you leave them at home, enjoy the sounds of the landscape and be able to listen to instructions from course marshals and volunteers.
Bibs: Bibs must be visible on the front of the body for the entirety of the race. If wearing layers, be prepared to adjust your bib as needed.
Dogs: Please, no dogs, including at the start/finish area, on course and at aid stations.
Assisting a Runner in Need: If you encounter a runner in distress you must stop to assist them. Time spent rendering assistance to a fellow runner will be considered by race organizers to adjust finishing time.
Refund Policy: Please consult our Registration page.
Race Cancellation: Please consult our Cancellation Policy.
Transgender Athlete & Gender Inclusion Policies: Please refer to the Run Wild Missoula Gender Inclusion Policy.
Land Stewardship: Montana Trail Crew and its parent organization Run Wild Missoula, are committed to being good stewards of the land and keeping Montana’s outdoor spaces, communities, residents and visitors safe. We have a long history of land stewardship through financial giving, membership/participant education and trail work. City to Sky crosses lands managed by multiple agencies, but recreating responsibly should be a priority throughout the landscape. Let’s protect and enjoy Missoula’s front country recreation together. We hope you enjoy the course, but leave it as you found it!
- Leave No Trace – Pack your garbage out and dispose of it properly, stay on marked trails, respect wildlife and be considerate of others.
- Trail work days – Participants will be advised of local trail work days in the spring and fall and encouraged to volunteer. Trail work is not required to register for the race.
Safety Commitment: The safety of our participants and volunteers is a top priority of City to Sky Race organizers. We also want to stress the opportunity to be good stewards of the land. Deviation from the race guidelines can result in disqualification at the sole discretion of the race organizers. Thank you!