Leadville Trail 100 MTB presented by Kenetik returns for a 32nd edition and, for the first time, has a modified route. Organisers Life Time were able to continue with planning for this year's mountain bike endurance race after Colorado wildfires caused a large swath of the area in Lake County to be evacuated and then closed through the end of September. By early August, just two weeks before the race, Life Time was able to confirm a 102-mile route, or 101.3 miles on the Strava map, reduced by less than three miles from previous years.
The climb to Columbine Mine, elevation 12,424 feet above sea level, remains the main pinnacle on the out-and-back course, as it has since the first race in 1994. This year, this climb, and the tricky descent with rough double-track dirt and two-way traffic, will be even more pivotal as the finishing climbs were removed. With no Powerline climb with 20 miles to go, and its menacing sections above 20% gradient, the new return to Leadville will be about positioning and proper hydration once at the bottom of Columbine with 43 miles to go.
The opening half of the race is where riders face 60% of the total 9,897 feet of elevation gain, thanks to the nearly seven-mile ascent of Columbine. There's still St. Kevin's climb, which is gravel on the outbound direction, but in total nearly 4,500 vertical feet of climbing is gone.
The route goes on the east side of Turquoise Lake this year, so it takes out Hagerman Pass Road, Sugarloaf Mountain and the leg-burning Powerline final climb. The reroute now has more pavement in this area for a reconnection with St. Kevin's, a gravel climb on the way out and a paved climb on the return side.
There is still room for drama on three miles of uphill gravel on County Road 36 leading to the sharp right turn on pavement for the finish in downtown Leadville, at 10,152 feet.
Elite riders will have two designated Feed Zones this year, completely separate from age-group riders. Each can be accessed twice, from outbound and then inbound directions.
These Elite Feed Zones were established by Life Time for safety, and a parking pass is required for access. All riders must take feeds from the right side, for both outbound and inbound feeds, meaning the crews will have to transition to the opposite side of the area for the second half of the race.
Feed Zones at 2026 Leadville Trail 100 MTB for elite riders
- Pipeline at mile 26.1 outbound, mile 742. Inbound
- Lost Canyon at mile 42.5 outbound and mile 58.7 inbound
Subscribe to Cyclingnews for unlimited access to our gravel cycling coverage in 2026. We'll be on the ground at the biggest races of the season, bringing you breaking news, expert analysis, in-depth features, and much more. Find out more.
