Hurl Elkhorn
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About the race
HURL Elkhorn is a series of trail races held in the Elkhorn Mountains near Helena, MT. Runners follow remote, roadless backcountry trails with no pavement and limited vehicle access. The event includes multiple distances:
- 50 Mile
- 50K
- 13.1 Mile
The 50 mile course includes about 37 miles of technical single track, roughly 13 miles of primitive or double track jeep road, and about 1 mile of maintained dirt Forest Service road. It lists approximately 13,400 feet of elevation gain and a maximum elevation just under 9,000 feet. The course crosses forests, meadows, creeks, a mountain lake, and passes a historic ghost town and cemetery. There are eight aid stations and the longest distance between stations is 7 miles.
The 50K course is described as roughly 27 miles of technical single track plus about 3 miles of primitive jeep road, with approximately 7,900 feet of elevation gain and a maximum elevation near 8,000 feet. It includes five aid stations and a longest aid gap of 8 miles.
The 13.1 mile course is entirely technical single track with creek crossings, about 3,300 feet of elevation gain and a maximum elevation around 7,200 feet. It has two aid stations and a longest aid gap of 6 miles.
Wildlife commonly seen on course can include deer, elk, moose, bear, coyote, mountain goat and bovines. Packet pickup is listed for the day before the races at the Montana City Volunteer Fire Department with course briefings that day. Organizers note the remote, rugged nature of the event and that conditions such as fire restrictions or smoke could require format changes or cancellation. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
