Guides

Practical, independent guides for Leadville and the high country around it. Written for people who are actually coming here: to race, to hike, to fish, or just to breathe the thin air. Updated as conditions and seasons change.

Altitude

Acclimatizing to 10,152 feet: the day-by-day schedule, what's normal, and what isn't.
Acclimatization for racers: the two-weeks-early vs. 48-hours question, and why the middle loses.

Race weekend

Course weather, hour by hour: every waypoint at its own elevation, for the entire window the course is open.
Leadville 100 crew & pacer resources: the curated index of guides from people who've actually run, crewed and coached this race, plus our race-day data.
Leadville 100 MTB crew resources: the MTB-side index, from the race's own crew checklists to Wiens and Rusch answering questions, with the reroute caveats stated.
16 years of race-weekend weather: every third Saturday of August since 2010.

The trip

Where to stay: in town vs. Twin Lakes, Copper, Frisco and Buena Vista, and how early to book.
Getting to Leadville: airports, the mountain approaches, and what winter changes.
Leadville in winter: the skiing on Tennessee Pass and around town, the cold in real numbers, and what the traction law means for the drive.

Getting in

Leadville 100 entry and lottery: the seven published ways into the Run and the MTB, the calendar as last run, and an honest answer about the odds.

Questions

Answered from the source: specific Leadville questions, each traced to a primary source and dated. Currently: the Willow Fire reroute, the 2026 aid stations, Pipeline, and the elevation-gain figures.

Exploring

Mosquito Pass: the 13,185 ft road, when it opens, and the burro race.

More coming: a full lodging directory. The live dashboard is always the front door.