Top 100 Mile Ultra

Leadville Trail 100

High alpine tundra above Twin Lakes near Leadville, Colorado, the Leadville Trail 100 course

“Race Across the Sky” since 1983 — an out-and-back where Hope Pass gets climbed twice, and the silver-and-gold belt buckle is the whole point.

Quick facts

  • Location: Leadville, CO (start/finish), out-and-back to Winfield through the Sawatch Range on San Isabel National Forest land
  • Date: August 22, 2026
  • Distance: 100 miles out-and-back
  • Website: leadvilleraceseries.com
  • Contact: leadville@ltevents.zendesk.com · LRS Retail Store, 316 Harrison Ave., Leadville, CO 80461
  • Registration: Lottery, typically open December 1–15 for notification the following January; entry fee $195–$225 depending on registration window

Course description

Founded in 1983 by miner Ken Chlouber to bring attention to Leadville after the Climax Mine closed. An out-and-back starting and finishing in Leadville at 10,200 feet, running out through May Queen, along Turquoise Lake, over the steep Powerline climb, across the Colorado Trail, down to Twin Lakes, and up and over Hope Pass to the turnaround at Winfield — then back the way you came, meaning Hope Pass gets climbed twice. Mostly forest trail and mountain road.

Elevation change

Roughly 15,744 feet of cumulative gain. Low point 9,200 feet; high point 12,600 feet at Hope Pass, crossed twice.

Aid stations

11 aid stations spaced roughly every 10–13 miles. Key stops: May Queen (mile 13.5), Fish Hatchery/Outward Bound (mile 23.5), Half Pipe (mile 30.5), Twin Lakes (mile 39.5, major crew station, visited outbound and return), and Winfield (mile 50, the turnaround). The same stations repeat in reverse on the way back.

Special conditions & average temps

Altitude is the defining factor — the entire course sits above 9,200 feet, with two trips over 12,600-foot Hope Pass. August afternoons can bring thunderstorms and lightning on exposed sections; nights get cold even in summer. The Powerline climb is a steep, uneven, eroded stretch that catches runners on both the way out and the way back.

Recent results — top 3, men & women

2025

  • Men: 1. David Roche 15:12:30 (course record) · 2. Justin Grunewald 18:06:34 · 3. Patrick Cade 18:25:23
  • Women: 1. Anne Flower 17:58:19 (course record) · 2. Imogen Ainsworth 19:36:42 · 3. Lea Mulligan 20:39:04

2024

  • Men: 1. David Roche 15:26:34 · 2. Adrian Macdonald 15:56:34 · 3. Ryan Sullivan 17:21:39
  • Women: 1. Mary Denholm 18:23:51 · 2. Zoe Rom 21:27:41 · 3. Julie Wright 21:48:57

2023

  • Men: 1. JP Giblin 17:07:25 · 2. Luke Paulson 17:47:55 · 3. Scott Traer 17:54:12
  • Women: 1. Jacquie Mannhard 21:24:55 · 2. Lucie Hanes 23:16:51 · 3. Madeline Wighardt 23:32:57

Registration deadline & how to get in

Lottery via leadvilleraceseries.com, application window typically December 1–15, with notification in early January. Entry fee is tiered — lower for early registration, higher for late. Check the site’s current eligibility requirements before applying, since qualification standards can change year to year.

Traveling to this race? Find lodging near the venue via Hotels.com.