Crested Butte, CO, United States · Saturday, August 29, 2026

Fixed Distance 50 mi

Grand Traverse Mountain Run

Race completed

65 km Distance

1,900 m Climbing

6.1 Grit · Hardcore

38.8697° N, 106.9878° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 29 m / km Rolling. Moderate undulations. Requires consistent effort across varying grades.

Field size ~237 Large. Rarely out of sight of another runner.

DUV results for the 2025 edition (65km) — finishers only. Starters are not published, so the field was at least this big and no finish rate can be given.

Typical conditions, August

Daytime high 19°C

Night low 4°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 13 h 12 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for August — NASA POWER, grid elevation 3268 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a rolling course. Expect fast, runnable sections where rhythm is key.

By UltraHub Expert

👟 gear

With trail terrain, choose a shoe with moderate cushioning for optimal performance.

By UltraHub Expert

Gear for this race

Chosen for 65 km of trail with 1,900 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes29 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition65 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsPole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles1,900 m of ascent to walk up.
GPS WatchesBattery life first — a 65 km day outlasts most full-GPS modes.

Salomon

Sense Ride 5

RunRepeat found the Salomon Sense Ride 5 to have immaculate lockdown and a smooth and stable ride, making it confident on moderate trails and steep downhills. I…

★★★★★ 4.5

Adidas

Endurance Fuel

All-in-one calorie and electrolyte drink mix. 200 calories per serving.

$25 ★★★★★ 4.8

Salomon

ADV Skin 12

Industry-standard 12L race vest with front flask pockets and minimal bounce.

$180 ★★★★★ 4.8

Black Diamond

Distance FLZ

Lightweight folding trekking poles with FlickLock Z adjustment. 340g per pole.

$170 ★★★★★ 4.7

Garmin

Enduro 3

Ultra-endurance GPS watch with solar charging and 300+ hour battery in GPS mode.

$900 ★★★★★ 4.8

All gear guides →

Course Notes

Point-to-point ultra marathon from Crested Butte to Aspen, Colorado. The course follows the route of the Grand Traverse Backcountry Ski race. In total, runners travel 40 miles across the Elk Mountains with over 6,000′ of elevation gain.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.