Rut Race Adds 25K Sky Distance Race at Big Sky Resort

Elite runners from 15 countries and 42 of the United States of America will descend on Big Sky Resort for the third annual Rut Vertical, Sky and Ultra Running distance races on September 4-7, 2015. New this year is the 25 kilometer Sky race in addition to the popular 50 kilometer, 11 kilometer, and Lone Peak Vertical Kilometer races. The Rut, organized by Runner’s Edge, is sponsored by Salomon and is part of the International Skyrunner Federation 2015 Skyrunner World Series.

The Rut 50k will have a 10,000 foot gain in elevation, testing runners with off-trail exposed ridgelines, forested single-track trails, rugged jeep roads and the lofty summit of an iconic Lone Peak. The Rut 25k, will climb the same 10,000 foot elevation and cover the difficult terrain of Lone Peak and Andesite Mountain of the 50k. Participation for the 50k sold out in a few days at 600 runners and the 25k sold out at 400 runners with no wait list.

The Lone Peak Vertical Kilometer race covers rise over run with 5k distance climbing up 3,200 vertical feet to the summit of Lone Peak at 11,166 feet. The Lone Peak Vertical Kilometer is sold out with a cap of 200 racers. The Rut 11K will gain 2,100 vertical feet and loop along single-track trails of Andesite Mountain through subalpine alpine pine forests. There are 150 spots left in this race which is capped at 500 racers.

The Rut, a world class style race, is the brainchild of race directors and professional ultra-trail runners, Mike Foote and Mike Wolfe, both of Missoula, Montana and athletes for The North Face ultra-running team. Spectators are welcome; Lone Peak Expedition tours as well as Swift Current and Ramcharger chair lifts will be available to get up on the mountain to cheer on runners.

Visit bigskyresort.com/rut for more information, race times, and course maps.

Please click here for the complete list of more than 1,480 runners.

About Big Sky Resort: Big Sky Resort, established in 1973, is located in the Northern Rockies of southwest Montana between Bozeman, Montana and Yellowstone National Park. Big Sky Resort is the Biggest Skiing in America with 5,800 acres offering an average of two acres per skier and 4,350 vertical drop. Big Sky Resort is owned by Boyne Resorts, a Michigan-based corporation and the largest family-run four-season resort company in North America. Boyne Resorts also owns Cypress Mountain near Vancouver, British Columbia; Boyne Mountain, Boyne Highlands, and The Inn at Bay Harbor, all in Michigan; Brighton in Utah; Crystal Mountain and The Summit at Snoqualmie in Washington; Loon Mountain in New Hampshire; Sugarloaf and Sunday River Resort in Maine; and Gatlinburg Sky Lift in Tennessee.