Leadville Trail 100 Run
Leadville, Colorado · August · 100 mi
- Distance
- 99.7 mi (161 km)
- Out and back
- Climbing
- 4,722 m (15,490 ft)
- Hilly: 29 m per km (155 ft per mi)
- Overall cutoff
- 30 hours
- 18:00 per mi (11:11 per km) average
- Finish rate
- 53%
- of starters in 2025
Why runners love it
- Hope Pass at about 3,810 m (12,500 ft) is crossed twice on an out-and-back from Leadville.
- Pacers allowed from mile 61.8 (99.5 km), one at a time, any number over the race.
- Drop bags at five stations; crew at three points, each visited twice.
- Open lottery with no qualifier, plus guaranteed routes for members, camps, coaching and charities.
- Big buckle under 25 h, small buckle under 30 h.
Watch out for
- Cutoffs stop about half the field: Winfield, mile 52.2 (84 km), closes 14:50 into the race.
- Start is at 3,109 m (10,200 ft) and the whole course stays above 2,800 m (9,200 ft).
- Winfield allows no crew or pacers; Twin Lakes crew access is shuttle only, with wristbands.
- Normal course has 4,722 m (15,492 ft) of gain; the 2026 fire reroute had 4,071 m (13,357 ft).
- Large field, a crowded Hope Pass and commercialization concerns from locals.
Race
How runners feel about it, how well it is run, and the community around it. Counts for 25% of the overall score.
Toughness for its distance: Extreme
- Runner satisfactionLoved4.2
Runners praise the pass and the finish, RaceRaves rates it 5.0 from four reviews, but crowding and commercialization draw complaints. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.7
Large, well-produced event that handled a wildfire reroute in 2026; older reports cite crew shuttle failures and poor cell coverage. · Low confidence
- Community and vibeWarm3.7
Volunteers and the cutoff team are warm and the town is invested; a longtime volunteer says the intimate feel faded as the race grew. · Medium confidence
Support
Aid stations, crew access, drop bags and pacer rules. Counts for 25% of the overall score.
- Aid stationsStandard3.3
12 stations, mostly 5 to 10 mi (8 to 16 km (9.9 mi)) apart, but the final gap on the 2026 course is 15.5 mi (24.9 km). · Medium confidence
- Crew accessSome points3.2
Three crew points, each reached twice; Twin Lakes is shuttle only, Winfield and Hope Pass have no crew. · High confidence
- Drop bagsSome stations3.4
Five drop bag stations of 12. · High confidence
- PacersMuch of the race3.6
One pacer at a time from mile 61.8 (99.5 km), about 38% of the race; none at Winfield. · High confidence
Course
Course marking, scenery, and how runners rate the trail itself. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Course markingClear3.8
One 2019 reviewer got off course and another in 2023 said it was well marked. · Low confidence
- ScenerySpectacular4.7
Rocky Mountain lakes, Hope Pass at 3,810 m (12,500 ft) and high alpine terrain; reviewers call it spectacular. · High confidence
- Trail experienceGreat4.0
Mix of runnable jeep roads and a brutal crux over Hope Pass; some bottlenecks on the pass. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- FootingModerate3.3
Largely jeep road and trail, with rocky technical sections and a steep, rocky Hope Pass. · Medium confidence
- RunnabilityMixed3.4
Much is runnable per reviewers; Hope Pass is a power hike and altitude limits running. · Medium confidence
- ClimbingRolling hills2.6
Climbs 155 ft per mi (29 m per km), from the official elevation gain. · High confidence
Conditions
Race-day temperature and how predictable the weather is. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- Race-day temperatureWarm or cold3.2
No official temperatures; a 2023 report mentions heat at aid stations, and the official page urges warm clothing for Hope Pass. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.6
Mountain weather and a 2026 wildfire reroute; the sources give little weather detail beyond heat at 2023 aid stations. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- AltitudeHigh altitude1.0
Start at 3,109 m (10,200 ft), low point 2,806 m (9,206 ft), Hope Pass 3,810 m (12,500 ft), all above 2,800 m (9,190 ft). · High confidence
Cutoffs
How generous the overall and intermediate cutoffs are for the terrain. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Overall cutoffNormal2.6
30 h for 99.7 mi (160 km) at 2,800 to 3,800 m (9,200 to 12,500 ft) with 4,722 m (15,492 ft) of gain; 53% finished in 2025. · Medium confidence
- Intermediate cutoffsTight1.7
Winfield (mile 52.2 / 84 km (52.2 mi)) closes at 14:50 elapsed; a cutoff volunteer says about half the field is stopped, 37 at Winfield in 2026. · High confidence
Intermediate cutoffs (2026)
| Where | Distance | Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| Turquoise Lake Dam (out) (mile 20.5) | 33 km (21 mi) | 6:15 elapsed (10:15 AM) |
| Outward Bound (out) (mile 26.0) | 42 km (26 mi) | 7:15 elapsed (11:15 AM) |
| Half Pipe (out) (mile 31.8) | 51 km (32 mi) | 8:15 elapsed (12:15 PM) |
| Twin Lakes (out) (mile 40.3) | 65 km (40 mi) | 10:15 elapsed (2:15 PM) |
| Hope Pass (out) (mile 45.4) | 73 km (45 mi) | 12:45 elapsed (4:45 PM) |
| Winfield turnaround (mile 52.2) | 84 km (52 mi) | 14:50 elapsed (6:50 PM) |
| Twin Lakes (in) (mile 64.0) | 103 km (64 mi) | 19:00 elapsed (11:00 PM) |
| Half Pipe (in) (mile 72.6) | 117 km (73 mi) | 22:00 elapsed (2:00 AM Sun) |
| Outward Bound (in) (mile 78.3) | 126 km (78 mi) | 23:45 elapsed (3:45 AM Sun) |
| Turquoise Lake Dam (in) (mile 84.2) | 136 km (84 mi) | 25:30 elapsed (5:30 AM Sun) |
| Finish, 6th Street Leadville (mile 99.7) | 161 km (100 mi) | 30:00 elapsed (10:00 AM Sunday) |
Not part of the score
- First timer friendlyDemanding2.2
Altitude above 2,800 m (9,200 ft), tight cutoffs and a 53% finish rate in 2025; some first-timers finish with minutes to spare. · Medium confidence
- Getting inSells out2.5
Open lottery with no qualifier, plus member, camp, coaching, charity and qualifier-coin routes; odds and slot counts are not published. · Low confidence
Stay and travel
Getting there, places to stay, race-day logistics and value. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Travel easeFair2.6
Remote mountain town; Denver is the likely gateway but distance is not on the official page. · Low confidence
- Places to stayLimited2.4
Small town; one reviewer used the Leadville Hostel; no detail on official page. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.4
One start/finish and crew points in town, but Twin Lakes needs a shuttle and wristbands and Winfield is closed to crew. · Medium confidence
- ValueFair2.8
$495 entry before crew and altitude travel; critics cite commercialization, supporters praise buckle and jacket. · Low confidence
Key facts
Checked against the 2026 edition on the official race site. Rules change, so confirm before you enter. Blank means the race does not publish it.
- Location
- Leadville, Colorado, United States
- Region
- Mountain West
- Typical month
- August
- Latest or next date
- 21 August 2027
- Start time
- 04:00
- First held
- 1983
- Distance
- 99.7 mi (161 km)
- Course shape
- Out and back
- Surface
- Mixed: Dirt and jeep roads, Colorado Trail singletrack and some pavement; start and finish on 6th Street in Leadville.
- Footing
- Normal course (2025, official): 99.7 mi (160.5 km), +15,492 ft (4,722 m), low 9,206 ft (2,806 m), high 12,526 ft (3,818 m) at Hope Pass; the 2027 page says "over 15,000 ft". The 2026 Willow Fire reroute was also 99.7 mi but +13,357 ft (4,071 m). Start 10,200 ft (3,109 m). Hope Pass is crossed twice. Jeep roads are runnable; Hope Pass and the Colorado Trail have rocky, technical sections.
- Elevation gain
- 4,722 m (15,490 ft)
- Climbing rate
- 29 m per km (155 ft per mi)
- High point
- 3,818 m (12,530 ft)
- Overall cutoff
- 30 hours
- Pace to make the cutoff
- 18:00 per mi (11:11 per km)
- Cutoff notes
- Official page lists these cutoffs for 2026 and repeats them on the 2027 page ("subject to change"); the 2025 normal course had earlier cutoffs and a Mayqueen station (7:45 AM out, 6:30 AM Sunday in). Cutoffs use gun time; buckles use chip time. Big buckle under 25 h, small buckle and official finish under 30 h. A cutoff volunteer says about half of starters are stopped at cutoffs; 37 runners ended at Winfield in 2026.
- Aid stations
- 12
- Longest gap between aid
- 25 km (15 mi)
- Drop bags
- Some stations
- Crew access
- Some points
- Pacers
- Allowed from Twin Lakes inbound (mile 61.8 / 99.5 km per the rules; the overview says mile 64), one at a time, any number overall; none at Winfield
- Support notes
- 12 stations in 2026 (2025 had 11). Longest gap is the last stretch from Turquoise Lake Dam inbound (mile 84.2) to the finish at 99.7 mi, 15.5 mi (24.9 km), computed from the published mile markers. Drop bags at five: Turquoise Lake Dam, Outward Bound, Half Pipe, Twin Lakes and Winfield (clear bags, drop Friday at 316 Harrison Ave). Crew points: Outward Bound, Pipeline Alternate and Twin Lakes Village (shuttle only, wristband required); runners reach each twice. Crewing outside official spots can lead to disqualification. Winfield allows no crew or pacers (2024/2025 guide).
- Water notes
- Official page does not mention water crossings.
- Night running
- Most runners run through one night
- Mandatory gear
- No mandatory gear list. Official page strongly recommends warm, protective clothing for Hope Pass.
- Entry
- Lottery
- Entry fee
- About $495
- Entry notes
- Open lottery Dec 1 to 15, 2026 (results Jan 6 or 7, 2027) with no qualifier needed. Guaranteed routes: Club-Access Life Time members (limited number), camp or coaching packages, charity slots, and qualifier coins from the Leadville Trail Marathon, Silver Rush 50 and Austin Rattler (at least 35 coins each). Odds and slot counts are not published.
- Finish rate
- 53% of starters in 2025
- Weather notes
- Official page gives no temperatures. Reports: crowded aid stations with runners lying down from heat in 2023, a 4 AM start in the cold, thin air above 3,000 m (9,800 ft) the whole way. A first-time finisher struggled to hold pace without heart-rate spikes.
- Nearest airport
- DEN
- Stay notes
- Start/finish in the small town of Leadville at 10,200 ft (3,109 m). A 2023 reviewer stayed at the Leadville Hostel in a shared dorm. Official page gives no lodging details.
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What runners and reviewers say
- La Sportiva, Jeff BeechamRaced 2023 · blog · Mixed
First-time 100 miler finished in 29:47. Altitude spiked his heart rate and Hope Pass was the make-or-break section: he had to return to Twin Lakes before the 10 PM cutoff and finished with 23 minutes to spare. Aid stations were crowded and hot, crew and three pacers carried him, and the field thinned sharply late.
“Either I would be back by 10 PM or my race was over.”
- La Sportiva, Anton KrupickaRaced 2021 · blog · Positive
Third place in 2021. Started conservatively, hit a dark low on Hope Pass and nearly dropped at Winfield, recovered and passed runners on the return. Mayqueen was lively, Twin Lakes crowded and chaotic, and he leaned on pacers from Twin Lakes onward.
“I wasn't there to explicitly beat anybody.”
- iRunFar, Ashley ArnoldRaced 2010 · article · Mixed
Third woman in her first 100. Ran out of water near the top of Hope Pass on the first ascent, felt nauseous and found the second crossing crowded. Describes the route from Turquoise Lake to Twin Lakes, Winfield and back to a 6th Street finish, with crew and three pacers.
“I wasn't ready for a 100 in any sense of the word 'ready'”
- Dartmouth run tales, Sean SmithRaced 1996 · blog · Mixed
1996 finish in 28:24 (83rd). Route over Sugarloaf Pass, past Twin Lakes, over Hope Pass to Winfield and back via trail, dirt road and some pavement. Stomach trouble after Twin Lakes made the second half a long, cold walk.
“The first fourteen hours were a blast. The second fourteen were hell.”
- RaceRaves, Leadville Trail 100 RunRaced 2023 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 5.0 from four reviews with difficulty 4.3 and scenery 4.8. Praise for volunteers and scenery; complaints about crew logistics, cell coverage, a 2019 shuttle failure for pacers, a bottleneck on Hope Pass and the constant fear of cutoffs. Nearly 500 starters packed the 4 AM start line in 2023.
Show 3 more
- Rocky Mountain PBS, cutoff volunteer featureRaced 2026 · article · Mixed
Profile of the volunteer who enforces cutoffs. Roughly half the field is removed at cutoffs; 37 runners were stopped at Winfield (6:50 PM cutoff) in 2026. She is warm with runners, and says the town-centered feel of earlier years faded as the race grew.
- Leadville Herald, 2026 LT100 coverageRaced 2026 · article · Mixed
Leadville Herald: 657 started and 391 finished (59.5%). The Willow Fire reroute doubled back from Turquoise Lake to Outward Bound, dropping Hagerman Pass Road, Sugar Loaf and Powerline. The paper cites about 4,131 m (13,552 ft) of gain; the official page says 4,071 m (13,357 ft). Hope Pass stayed in the course.
- GoAndRace, Leadville Trail 100 Run listingRaced 2024 · aggregator · Mixed
Event listing for the 2024 race: out-and-back with over 18,000 ft (5,490 m) of gain, 10 aid stations with Skratch hydration, and crew limits (no crew at Hope Pass or Winfield, none at Mayqueen). Winfield pacers and crew were banned from 2021 to reduce Hope Pass congestion.
Ran Leadville Trail 100 Run? Your notes on the footing, cutoffs and aid stations help the next runner decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings.
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