After a seven-year hiatus, the Skyrunner USA Series returns in 2026 with a four-race series stretching from Alaska to New York. While the Skyrunner World Series — which in 2026 comprises 19 races around the world, including the SkyMasters series final — has been a long-standing fixture on the global circuit, this is the first time since 2019 that the U.S. has hosted a national series.
Skyraces are known for their steep, technical terrain and airy, above-treeline aesthetic. In a few instances, racers must wear helmets and use fixed ropes and cables to safely navigate the course. The skyrunner international and national races are administered by the International Skyrunning Federation, the governing body for the sport of skyrunning.
The Whiteface SkyRace returns with the new U.S. National Skyrunner Series. Photo: Ian Golden
The original version of the Skyrunner USA Series featured many well-known races, including the Speedgoat 50k, The Rut, and Flagstaff Skyrace, now called the Flagstaff Sky Peaks Mountain Runs. Starting with a three-race series in 2014, the original Skyrunner USA Series grew steadily until it disappeared at its peak after 2019. Does the return of the series indicate an increased interest in the sport once again?
The 2026 U.S. series will run alongside 10 other skyrunner national series, including in Austria, Portugal, Spain, the U.K., and Ireland. The 2026 U.S. series is significantly scaled down from its peak in 2019, when it consisted of 10 races. This year, the series is:
- July 4 – Whiteface SkyRace – New York
- August 1 – Beast of Big Creek – Washington
- August 30 – Skeetawk Skyline Scramble – Alaska
- September 13 – Kismet Cliff Run – New Hampshire
The Kismet Cliff Run is the last of the four-race series. Photo: Tom Hooper
Additionally, the Beast of Big Creek is part of the Skyrunner World Series, and the Whiteface SkyRace event, which was part of the original U.S. series between 2015 and 2019, will also host a vertical kilometer (VK) as part of the Skyrunner VK Open World Cup. The U.S. races range from 21k to 37k, with the Alaska event having 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) of climbing.
The top three men and women in the U.S. series will qualify for the SkyMasters event, the final of the Skyrunner World Series. This year, it will be held at the Marató dels Dements, in the Serra d’Espadà mountains of Spain.
Views from the Beast of Big Creek in Washington. Photo: Mathias Eichler
