Leadville Trail 100

Starting at 10,152 feet on Harrison Avenue in historic Leadville, the Leadville Trail 100 Run sends you on an out-and-back trek across the high-alpine terrain of Colorado's Sawatch Range. The route blends wide dirt roads, forested doubletrack, and technical singletrack as it navigates around Turquoise Lake, descends toward the Arkansas River Valley near Twin Lakes, and cuts deep into San Isabel National Forest. While the first 40 miles feature runnable sections that can lure you into an unsustainable pace, the course's ultimate test lies in the double crossing of Hope Pass.

Hope Pass takes you up to 12,600 feet on loose, rocky switchbacks with dramatic grade shifts before plunging into the turnaround at Winfield. Reversing this journey requires you to climb the brutal north face of the pass on tired legs. Accumulating roughly 15,000 to 18,000 feet of total vertical gain, the sheer elevation represents the central obstacle: the entire course never drops below 9,200 feet, which significantly impairs oxygen uptake and makes steady pacing, continuous fueling, and relentless hydration essential for reaching the finish back on Harrison Avenue.

Most runners traveling by air land at Denver International Airport, located roughly 120 miles east, and drive via Interstate 70 and Highway 91 or Highway 24. Regional alternatives include Eagle County Regional Airport and Colorado Springs Airport. Because Leadville's base elevation sits above 10,000 feet, proper altitude acclimatization is vital. Plan to arrive several days early or consider spending time at an intermediate elevation like Denver, Silverthorne, or Frisco to minimize the risk of acute mountain sickness.

Lodging in Leadville is quite limited, making nearby Summit County towns such as Frisco and Copper Mountain popular alternatives for accommodations. Race logistics require careful preparation: athlete check-in typically takes place near 6th Street and Harrison Avenue, with athlete meetings held locally at facilities like Lake County High School. Note that event organizers prohibit parking directly at the start line on race morning, instead designating athlete and spectator parking at the high school and Community Fields lots with shuttles into town. Late-August weather can fluctuate wildly, with chilly early mornings in the 30s, midday heat in the 70s, and high risk of sudden afternoon mountain thunderstorms, so pack layers suited for exposed alpine conditions.