Leadville Trail 100 Shortens Course Due to Willow Fire

Gunnison —Brent Goldstein is preparing for his 19th Leadville Trail 100. He knows the traditional route — hundreds of miles of singletrack, steep climbs, and high altitude. But this year, the course has changed.

The Willow Fire forced Life Time to adjust the path for the 2026 race, scheduled for Aug. 15. The new out-and-back route is 102.1 miles long, shaving less than two miles off the traditional 104-mile distance. It also reduces elevation gain to 9,916 feet from more than 12,000 feet.

Goldstein, of Edwards, didn’t complain about the pivot. He told Vail Daily that organizers “did the best they could under the circumstances.”

The trade-off is clear. The new course puts more pavement on the table, removing Hagerman Pass Road, Sugarloaf Mountain, and a section of Powerline that were impacted by the fire.

“This is now more of a roadie’s race because of a lot of extra pavement and no [singletrack on those sections],” Goldstein said.

To hear the race series director tell it, the math holds up for safety and logistics. Tamira Jenlink told PinkBike.com that athletes will rejoin the original course at the bottom of the Powerline Descent. From there, they head into the Outward Bound aid station at mile 22.7 before ascending the iconic Columbine climb and heading back to town on the famous out-and-back stretch.

The decision came after months of uncertainty. The Willow Fire began on June 28, forcing the cancellation of the Silver Rush 50 weekend in July. It also triggered an adjusted course for the stage race held at the end of last month.

Fire conditions have stabilized enough to make this revised route viable. The Leadville Herald Democrat reported that the fire’s last growth was noted on July 21. As of this writing, it remained at 7,196 acres with 67% containment. All evacuation zones were downgraded to pre-evacuation status on July 30.

Kim Hemanway, public information officer for the Wyoming Incident Management Team, told the Herald Democrat that no buildings have been damaged and there have been no serious injuries. The number of personnel working the fire has dropped from more than 800 at its peak to around 30. A local Type 4 management team is replacing the Wyoming Incident Management Team, a Type 3 group.

Locally, the impact extends beyond just cyclists on bikes. The race series noted in a social media post that they worked closely with local authorities to create the route. The goal was ensuring riders could safely take on the historic race while avoiding areas impacted by the fire.

There are 39 Eagle County cyclists registered for the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Another 14 are slated to participate in the Trail 100 Run a week later.

Keegan Swenson, course-record holder and five-time winner of the race, will be navigating this adjusted path. While he isn’t quoted on the specific course changes in these reports, his presence anchors the event’s prestige. The question for Goldstein and his peers is whether the extra pavement slows them down or if the reduced elevation gain makes it easier.

Life Time Leadville Race Series stated in their announcement that they want to thank participants for adapting to the uncertainty. The course looks different, but the race remains historic.

Goldstein is ready to prove it.