Leadville Race Series (Life Time)
Leadville Trail 100 Run
Leadville, CO
Race guide
Updated 19 July 2026
The Leadville Trail 100 Run is one of the most iconic ultramarathons in the world, covering 161 km through the high Colorado Rockies with 3,852 m of total climbing and a high point of 3,799 m. Starting and finishing in Leadville, CO at 3,058 m above sea level — one of the highest incorporated cities in the United States — the race never drops below 2,800 m, meaning altitude stress is constant from the first step to the last. The course is an out-and-back along a mix of dirt roads, double-track, and trail, running west from Leadville to Winfield and back, with the brutal double crossing of Hope Pass as the unambiguous centerpiece. Runners have from Saturday morning until Sunday at 10:00 to complete the journey — a 30-hour overall cut-off that demands consistent forward movement from every finisher.
Course & Terrain Overview
The Leadville 100 begins in the town of Leadville and immediately sends runners out on wide dirt roads and double-track toward Turquoise Lake, reaching the first major checkpoint at May Queen (20.3 km, 3,036 m) after a circumnavigation of the lake's southern shore. From May Queen the course continues on varied terrain — road, jeep track, and trail — descending toward the Outward Bound checkpoint at 37.8 km (2,906 m), which represents one of the lower points on the course. Runners then climb back up to Half Pipe (46.7 km, 2,971 m) and continue descending to Twin Lakes (61 km, 2,827 m), the last major crew point before the mountains. The terrain throughout the first half is generally runnable — wide, moderate gradient — but the altitude means aerobic demands are consistently elevated. On the return leg the same ground is covered in reverse, this time in darkness for most runners, with fatigued legs navigating the same jeep roads and lakeside trail that felt manageable outbound.
The Decisive Climbs: Hope Pass — Where the Race Is Won and Lost
Hope Pass is the heart and soul of the Leadville 100. From Twin Lakes (2,827 m) the course climbs sharply to the summit at 3,663 m outbound (70 km) — a gain of roughly 836 m in under 10 km, with the upper portion above treeline on steep, loose trail. The cut-off at the outbound summit is 16:00 Saturday, giving a clear signal of how aggressively this section must be managed. After descending to Winfield (80.5 km, 3,124 m) — the turnaround with an 18:00 cut-off — runners face the return crossing of Hope Pass, summiting at 3,713 m (91 km) with a cut-off of 20:15. This means completing the double crossing of Hope Pass — outbound ascent, descent to Winfield, and return ascent — in roughly 6.25 hours or you're pulled. Power-hiking the climbs is not optional; it's the correct strategy. The descent back to Twin Lakes (100 km, 2,824 m) by 22:00 is the next critical gate and marks the psychological halfway point of the return journey. Runners who bank time before Hope Pass and execute a controlled, conservative ascent on both crossings give themselves the best chance at a buckle.
Pacing Strategy
The out-and-back format and the hard cut-offs at every checkpoint make pacing straightforward in principle but genuinely difficult at altitude. The cut-off at May Queen outbound (Sat 07:45) requires leaving Leadville at 04:00 and covering 20.3 km in 3 hours 45 minutes — a pace that is very achievable but should not be run hard; treat it as a warm-up. The Outward Bound cut-off (Sat 10:00) at 37.8 km gives another 2 hours 15 minutes, and the Half Pipe cut-off (Sat 11:45) at 46.7 km a further 1 hour 45 minutes. These early gates are generous for mid-pack runners but the margins compress dramatically at Hope Pass. The Winfield turnaround cut-off (Sat 18:00) is the defining checkpoint: runners who arrive there with less than 30–45 minutes of buffer are in serious trouble on the return. For the back half, bank every minute you can at Twin Lakes (back) by 22:00 because the Half Pipe (back) cut-off at 01:15 Sunday and the long slog back through Outward Bound (03:00) to May Queen (06:30) require sustained movement through the coldest hours of the night. The final 19.6 km from May Queen to the finish has a 3.5-hour window to the 10:00 Sunday cut-off — walkable, but only just.
Fueling & Crew Strategy
With 13 checkpoints including crew-access points at May Queen, Outward Bound, Twin Lakes, Winfield, and the corresponding return stations, Leadville is a pacer- and crew-friendly race. Use Twin Lakes (outbound, 61 km) as a major resupply: take on food, fresh pack contents, and a clear plan for Hope Pass. Many runners use a pacer from Winfield (80.5 km) back to the finish, which is strongly recommended given the night-time navigation and the psychological grind of the return. At altitude, appetite suppression is real — plan to eat by schedule rather than hunger, targeting easily digestible carbohydrates throughout. Caloric needs for a 24–30 hour effort at 3,000 m+ are significant; aim for 200–300 calories per hour once moving well. Hydration must account for the dry Colorado air and the intensity of the Hope Pass climbs. May Queen (back) at 141.3 km with a 06:30 cut-off is the last crew point — use it to reassess gear for the final 19.6 km push into Leadville.
Conditions to Expect
The Leadville 100 is held in August, but the high-altitude Colorado environment means conditions can be dramatic at any hour. Daytime temperatures on the exposed sections and dirt roads can reach the mid-20s Celsius, while nights at 3,000 m+ drop sharply, often into single digits or below. The Hope Pass crossings — particularly the return crossing in darkness — will be cold and potentially windy above treeline. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the Colorado Rockies in August, and exposed high-alpine terrain at 3,600–3,799 m is genuinely hazardous in lightning; carry a waterproof and be prepared for rapid weather changes. Altitude acclimatization is non-negotiable: runners who arrive the week before the race rather than the day before consistently perform better and suffer less. Expect thin, dry air that makes any sustained running effort feel significantly harder than at sea level — the entire course sits between 2,800 m and 3,799 m, and even the 'low' valleys offer no meaningful altitude relief.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-05) · official source
0 km · 3058 m · —
20 km · 3026 m · Sat 07:45
37.5 km · 2906 m · Sat 10:00
47 km · 2980 m · Sat 11:30
61 km · 2827 m · Sat 13:30
69.4 km · 3582 m · Sat 16:00
80.1 km · 3136 m · Sat 18:00
91.2 km · 3673 m · —
99.5 km · 2811 m · Sat 22:15
113.1 km · 2991 m · Sun 01:15
122.6 km · 2903 m · Sun 03:00
140.3 km · 3051 m · Sun 06:30
160.9 km · 3053 m · Sun 10:00
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