4:30 - 4:50 a.m. Mandatory runner check-in at the starting area, (Race officials must know who is on the course)
5:00 am. - 50 Mile race start
9:00 p.m. - 50 Mile race finish

THE AWARDS AND POST RACE CELEBRATION WILL BE AT THE FINISH AREA BEGINNING AT 7:30 PM . 

Packet pick up will take place from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. There is no medical check, the waiver you signed on the entry form indicates that you are in good health and physically able to complete the event.

Your entry fee includes a prerace dinner for you and one guest, beginning at 5:00 p.m.   Dinner for additional guests is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for children, payable during packet pick up.

Aid Stations/Cut Off Times/Drop Bags:

There is a cut off time of 16 hours.  Runners finishing after 16 hours will not receive an award.  Runners not meeting the cut off time noted below for the Tepee Creek  aid station will be ask to drop by aid station personnel.  

Aid stations will be manned by volunteers and stocked with food, beverages, first aid supplies, etc.  Please keep in mind that our ability to put on this event depends on our ability to convince people that spending one of our short Montana summer weekends waiting on ultrarunners will be a rewarding experience.  Abuse of aid station volunteers will not be tolerated, and will result in disqualification. If you have a problem, please bring it to the attention of race management.  As ultrarunning race directors, we obviously enjoy abuse.

DROP BAGS

Drop bag service will be available at the Start/Finish area aid station, which runners will pass at the 20 mile point in the race.  The other drop bag aid station will be at Tepee Creek (2^nd time only) aid station which runners will pass through at the 39 mile point.  (Please note:  Drop bags for Tepee Creek will have to be packed in and out a little over a mile from the nearest trailhead by our volunteers. The volunteers packing your drop bag will likely be the same volunteers manning the aid station and we don’t want them so worn out from carrying heavy drop bags that they cannot assist runners. For everyone’s sake, we ask that these drop bags be kept light.) Race Management reserves the right to remove heavy items from drop bags.  Drop bags must be left in the designated areas at the Start/Finish line the morning of the race. Drop bags will be returned at the post race awards celebration.  Later finishers may have to pick up drop bags on Sunday morning.

Many people donate their time and energies to help make all of the aid stations as efficient, effective and as friendly as possible.  The picture to the left shows the enthusiasm that the Shriners put into the aid station that they man each year.

Start/Finish Area Directions:
The race starts and finishes at the Crystal Creek campground. Primitive camping is available at the start/finish area.  From Montana City follow the same directions as to Elkhorn Fitness Retreat except continue on McClellan Creek Road at the driveway to the Fitness Retreat.  Approximately ½ mile past the driveway to the Fitness Retreat you will see the Campground on the right (do not turn left towards East Helena ).  Additional parking is available on the left side of the road.

Transportation to Start Area:
We will be able to provide very limited transportation from Helena to the starting area on race morning, on a first come first served basis.

Race Morning Check In:
All participants must check in with race management between 4:30 and 4:50 a.m. on race morning.  We need to verify who is actually on the course so that someone will look for you should you get lost.  Any participants who do not check in on race morning will not be considered official participants and are not eligible for finisher’s awards.

Post Race Dinner/Awards:

The post race celebration and award ceremony will commence at 7:30 p.m. at the start finish area.  Your entry fee includes the post race dinner and refreshments for you and one guest.  Dinner for additional guests is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for children under 18, payable at the awards ceremony.  (There will be food and beverages available for runners as they finish the race.)

All runners finishing under the 16 hour cut off time will receive a finisher’s award.  Male and female age group winners for all age divisions will receive awards.

 Weather:
Early August weather in Montana is generally comfortably cool at night and hot and dry during the day.  Precipitation in late July is generally due to afternoon thunderstorms, and the Elkhorn Mountains are thunderstorm magnets. Portions of the course have high exposure to lightning.

It is the runner’s responsibility to be aware of conditions and take appropriate actions to ensure personal safety.

Typically, in early August one should expect temperatures at the start of the race to be in the 45-55 degrees F range, and warming to the 85-95 degree F range during the afternoon.

Area Information:

For area information, events, dining and motel information, etc. please log onto www.helenachamber.com and www.downtownhelena.com.

LODGING within six miles of the Elkhorn Mountain Endurance Runs.

Click on the logo to visit the Travel Montana web site to obtain more information on other exciting things to do while you are in Montana .