RideMorrow
COURSE PREVIEW · MOUNTAIN BIKE · LUTSEN, MINNESOTA

Lutsen 99er course preview

The Lutsen 99er course is 96.8 mi (155.8 km) and finishes where it starts, with 5,412 ft of climbing. RideMorrow finds 18 distinct climbs and 19 descents; the listed climbs account for 52% of the total ascent, and the rest comes from shorter rollers. The hardest climb by FIETS score starts at 3.0 mi: 2.01 mi at an average 5.3%, peaking at 9.1% over 100 m. The first quarter holds the most climbing (37%).

The organizer publishes one standing official course rather than a course for each year.

CourseClimbsStart
Distance
96.8 mi155.8 km
Elevation gain
5,412 ft1,650 m
Climbs
1819 descents
Steepest 100 m
15.0%On a listed climb
Corners
26898 technical
High point
1,821 ftLow 660 ft

Elevation profile

Shaded: every listed climb. Numbered: the hardest.
First quarter2,002 ft0 mi–24 mi
Second quarter940 ft24 mi–48 mi
Third quarter1,049 ft48 mi–73 mi
Final quarter1,425 ft73 mi–97 mi

The 5 hardest climbs

Ranked by FIETS score
  1. 1
    Climb 1 · from 3.0 mi2.01 mi · 558 ft up · 5.3% average, 9.1% steepest
    0.9
  2. 2
    Climb 11 · from 54.3 mi0.64 mi · 238 ft up · 7.0% average, 12.9% steepest
    0.5
  3. 3
    Climb 2 · from 5.1 mi0.75 mi · 230 ft up · 5.8% average, 10.2% steepest
    0.4
  4. 4
    Climb 9 · from 48.0 mi0.77 mi · 201 ft up · 4.9% average, 9.6% steepest
    0.3
  5. 5
    Climb 18 · from 92.2 mi0.74 mi · 191 ft up · 4.9% average, 9.3% steepest
    0.3

Every climb, in ride order

18 climbs · top 5 highlighted
ClimbStarts atLengthElevation gainAvg gradeSteepest 100 mFIETS
13.0 mi2.01 mi558 ft5.3%9.1%0.9
25.1 mi0.75 mi230 ft5.8%10.2%0.4
36.2 mi0.39 mi73 ft3.6%7.6%0.1
46.8 mi0.43 mi68 ft3.0%7.2%0.1
57.9 mi0.24 mi71 ft5.7%7.4%0.1
68.6 mi1.59 mi234 ft2.8%5.6%0.2
717.4 mi0.47 mi87 ft3.5%6.6%0.1
843.9 mi0.52 mi76 ft2.7%5.1%0.1
948.0 mi0.77 mi201 ft4.9%9.6%0.3
1051.9 mi0.52 mi76 ft2.8%8.5%0.1
1154.3 mi0.64 mi238 ft7.0%12.9%0.5
1255.6 mi1.07 mi164 ft2.9%8.8%0.1
1376.9 mi0.40 mi66 ft3.1%5.1%0.1
1483.8 mi1.17 mi182 ft3.0%7.1%0.2
1587.9 mi0.40 mi131 ft6.2%11.3%0.2
1689.8 mi0.38 mi75 ft3.8%7.0%0.1
1791.5 mi0.34 mi102 ft5.8%15.0%0.2
1892.2 mi0.74 mi191 ft4.9%9.3%0.3

Descents

19 descents drop 2,897 ft in total. The steepest:

  • Descent 7 · from 43.5 mi 0.34 mi at 5.3% average, 13.1% at its steepest
  • Descent 15 · from 82.8 mi 0.90 mi at 4.3% average, 10.1% at its steepest
  • Descent 19 · from 93.2 mi 3.61 mi at 4.4% average, 10.1% at its steepest
  • Descent 12 · from 50.7 mi 0.62 mi at 3.5% average, 8.9% at its steepest
  • Descent 6 · from 30.3 mi 0.78 mi at 3.4% average, 8.8% at its steepest

Corners

268 corners detected from the course geometry, 76 of them on a descent.

  • 50 Very technical
  • 48 Technical
  • 93 Moderate
  • 77 Gentle

Technical corners on descents

  • 0.1 mi 79° left bend on a 6.2% approach · Very technical
  • 0.1 mi 52° right bend on a 4.4% approach · Technical
  • 0.3 mi 93° left turn on a 4.8% approach · Technical
  • 17.0 mi 38° left bend on a 5.4% approach · Technical
  • 17.1 mi 36° right bend on a 7.6% approach · Technical
  • 18.5 mi 68° right bend on a 4.5% approach · Technical

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

Lutsen 99er course FAQ

How much climbing is in the Lutsen 99er?

5,412 ft (1,650 m) over 96.8 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 Lutsen 99er have?

18 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 2,825 ft.

What is the hardest climb in the Lutsen 99er?

Climb 1, starting at 3.0 mi: 2.01 mi gaining 558 ft at an average 5.3%. Its FIETS score is 0.9.

What is the longest climb in the Lutsen 99er?

Climb 1, 2.01 mi from 3.0 mi, averaging 5.3%.

How steep does the Lutsen 99er get?

The steepest 100 m on a listed climb averages 15.0%. 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.lutsen99er.com/99er), retrieved 2026-10-12. Organizers change courses, so check their site before the event.

Source and method

Course: 99er Official Course, 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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