COURSE PREVIEW · MOUNTAIN BIKE · LEADVILLE, COLORADO

Leadville Trail 100 MTB course preview

The 2026 Leadville Trail 100 MTB course is 105.2 mi (169.2 km) and finishes where it starts, with 11,923 ft of climbing. RideMorrow finds 23 distinct climbs and 23 descents; the listed climbs account for 90% of the total ascent, and the rest comes from shorter rollers. The hardest climb by FIETS score starts at 45.4 mi: 6.57 mi at an average 8.8%, peaking at 19.5% over 100 m. The second quarter holds the most climbing (37%).

Get your free ride briefing Official course

CourseClimbsStart

Distance: 105.2 mi169.2 km
Elevation gain: 11,923 ft3,634 m
Climbs: 2323 descents
Steepest 100 m: 21.3%On a listed climb
Corners: 360146 technical
High point: 12,503 ftLow 9,174 ft

Elevation profile

Shaded: every listed climb. Numbered: the hardest.

First quarter2,693 ft0 mi–26 mi

Second quarter4,468 ft26 mi–53 mi

Third quarter1,351 ft53 mi–79 mi

Final quarter3,411 ft79 mi–105 mi

The 5 hardest climbs

Ranked by FIETS score

1
Climb 12 · from 45.4 mi6.57 mi · 3,037 ft up · 8.8% average, 19.5% steepest
8.1
2
Climb 18 · from 81.6 mi2.78 mi · 1,063 ft up · 7.2% average, 15.1% steepest
2.3
3
Climb 17 · from 80.5 mi0.91 mi · 539 ft up · 11.2% average, 21.3% steepest
1.8
4
Climb 2 · from 6.1 mi2.32 mi · 828 ft up · 6.7% average, 16.9% steepest
1.7
5
Climb 4 · from 14.1 mi4.80 mi · 1,177 ft up · 4.6% average, 9.0% steepest
1.7

Every climb, in ride order

23 climbs · top 5 highlighted

Climb	Starts at	Length	Elevation gain	Avg grade	Steepest 100 m	FIETS
1	3.4 mi	0.55 mi	75 ft	2.6%	3.8%	0.1
2	6.1 mi	2.32 mi	828 ft	6.7%	16.9%	1.7
3	9.5 mi	0.72 mi	207 ft	5.4%	12.2%	0.3
4	14.1 mi	4.80 mi	1,177 ft	4.6%	9.0%	1.7
5	22.8 mi	0.43 mi	91 ft	3.9%	8.9%	0.1
6	29.9 mi	0.35 mi	75 ft	4.0%	8.9%	0.1
7	31.2 mi	0.57 mi	88 ft	3.0%	4.9%	0.1
8	32.6 mi	0.47 mi	87 ft	3.5%	6.6%	0.1
9	37.4 mi	0.91 mi	233 ft	4.9%	7.9%	0.3
10	40.9 mi	0.76 mi	273 ft	6.8%	11.4%	0.6
11	44.0 mi	1.18 mi	220 ft	3.5%	8.1%	0.2
12	45.4 mi	6.57 mi	3,037 ft	8.8%	19.5%	8.1
13	60.6 mi	1.60 mi	318 ft	3.8%	10.3%	0.4
14	63.7 mi	1.81 mi	318 ft	3.3%	6.8%	0.3
15	69.1 mi	1.96 mi	426 ft	4.1%	9.6%	0.5
16	78.9 mi	0.80 mi	133 ft	3.2%	5.9%	0.1
17	80.5 mi	0.91 mi	539 ft	11.2%	21.3%	1.8
18	81.6 mi	2.78 mi	1,063 ft	7.2%	15.1%	2.3
19	89.8 mi	2.29 mi	656 ft	5.4%	8.4%	1.1
20	92.2 mi	0.88 mi	233 ft	5.0%	8.1%	0.4
21	94.7 mi	0.23 mi	109 ft	9.0%	14.8%	0.3
22	101.8 mi	0.85 mi	140 ft	3.1%	14.5%	0.1
23	102.8 mi	2.39 mi	377 ft	3.0%	8.0%	0.3

Descents

23 descents drop 10,531 ft in total. The steepest:

Descent 7 · from 21.9 mi 0.92 mi at 11.1% average, 19.8% at its steepest
Descent 10 · from 33.3 mi 0.37 mi at 6.4% average, 19.5% at its steepest
Descent 14 · from 52.1 mi 6.47 mi at 8.9% average, 19.5% at its steepest
Descent 23 · from 94.9 mi 2.34 mi at 6.7% average, 16.8% at its steepest
Descent 6 · from 18.9 mi 2.78 mi at 7.2% average, 15.1% at its steepest

Corners

360 corners detected from the course geometry, 130 of them on a descent.

77 Very technical
69 Technical
123 Moderate
91 Gentle

Technical corners on descents

0.8 mi 92° right turn on a 7.2% approach · Very technical
8.6 mi 56° right bend on a 14.4% approach · Technical
8.6 mi 64° right bend on a 13.2% approach · Very technical
9.4 mi 32° right bend on a 13.6% approach · Very technical
10.3 mi 88° left turn on a 4.8% approach · Technical
10.8 mi 33° right bend on a 3.4% approach · Technical

Corners describe the line on the map, not road conditions. Sightlines, grip and traffic aren't known.

Leadville Trail 100 MTB course FAQ

How much climbing is in the Leadville Trail 100 MTB?

11,923 ft (3,634 m) over 105.2 mi, measured from the organizer's course file with the elevation smoothed and small fluctuations ignored. Other tools may show a different total because they count every small rise.

How many climbs does the Leadville Trail 100 MTB have?

23 climbs of at least 300 m with 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade, plus shorter rollers. Together the listed climbs gain 10,705 ft.

What is the hardest climb in the Leadville Trail 100 MTB?

Climb 12, starting at 45.4 mi: 6.57 mi gaining 3,037 ft at an average 8.8%. Its FIETS score is 8.1.

What is the longest climb in the Leadville Trail 100 MTB?

Climb 12, 6.57 mi from 45.4 mi, averaging 8.8%.

How steep does the Leadville Trail 100 MTB get?

The steepest 100 m on a listed climb averages 21.3%. Grades are measured over 100 m, so short ramps can be steeper.

Where does this course data come from?

From the course Life Time publishes on its official site (https://www.leadvilleraceseries.com/mtb/leadvilletrail100mtb/), retrieved 2026-10-12. Organizers change courses, so check their site before the event.

Source and method

Course: LT 100 MTB, published by Life Time. Retrieved 2026-10-12. RideMorrow is not affiliated with the event. Organizers change courses, so check the official site before the event.

Elevation comes from the route file, resampled every 10 m and smoothed. Climbs and descents need at least 300 m of length, 20 m of elevation change and a 2% average grade. Grades are measured over 100 m. Climbs are ranked by FIETS score: height² ÷ (length × 10), both in metres, without the index's high-altitude bonus. A score of 1 is a solid climb; 5 and above is a mountain pass. Weather, surface conditions, traffic and closures are not included.

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