Montana City, MT, United States · Saturday, August 1, 2026

Fixed Distance 50 mi

HURL Elkhorn 50 Mile Endurance Run

Race completed

80 km Distance

4,000 m Climbing

10.0 Grit · Elite / extreme

46.5377° N, 111.9328° W© OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

What the course asks

Climbing rate 50 m / km Mountain. Significant climbing. Steep sections will require power hiking.

Field size ~40 Small. Long stretches with nobody in sight.

DUV results for the 2026 edition (50mi) — 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 25°C

Night low 9°C

Rainfall Mostly dry

Daylight 14 h 54 m of light

Regional 2001-2020 average for August — NASA POWER, grid elevation 1650 m. Not a forecast.

The Aid Station

Course-specific beta from the community

⛰️ terrain

This is a mountain course. Poles are highly recommended for the sustained climbs.

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 80 km of trail with 4,000 m of ascent.

Trail Running Shoes50 m of climb per kilometre — grip and rock protection before cushioning.
Race Nutrition80 km of self-supported fuelling between aid stations.
Hydration VestsPole attachment and chest-strap stability on steep ground.
Trekking Poles4,000 m of ascent to walk up.
Headlamps80 km almost certainly means running into the night.

Salomon

Aero Glide 4 Grvl

$159.95 ★★★★★ 4.5

Asics

Trabuco Max 3

★★★★★ 4.6

Tailwind

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

Komperdell

Carbon Ultralight Vario 4

4-section folding carbon poles with compact pack size for mandatory gear.

$160 ★★★★★ 4.5

Nitecore

UT32

Dual-beam trail running headlamp (1100 lumens) with spot and flood beams.

$100 ★★★★★ 4.5

All gear guides →

Course Notes

Spectacular Montana scenery, lots of vertical opportunity, miles of challenging single track trail, primitive roads, dirt, rocks, forests, meadows, and cold, clear creeks to splash through.

Similar races

Other 50 mi trail ultras, closest in distance first.