High Lonesome 100 2025: Course, Runners, and Live Coverage

July 18–19, 2025 | Sawatch Range, CO

High Lonesome 100 2025 returns for it's eighth edition. This rugged 100-mile loop with 23,500 feet of climbing slices through Colorado’s Sawatch Range and tops out above 13,100 feet. The course hits the Continental Divide, the Colorado Trail, and two ghost towns, St. Elmo and Hancock, while cresting five alpine passes. It’s a high-altitude sufferfest with the soul of Hardrock and the racing fire of Western States.

What Makes High Lonesome 100 Unique

• High altitude from start to finish: average 10,600 ft with long stretches above 11,000–13,000 ft. Thin air and exposure define the course.

• Scenic & historic: sweeping views of the Collegiate Peaks and ghost town visits.

• Trail mix: 66% singletrack, loose rocks, alpine passes, & a few old mining roads.

• Community fuel: aid stations with unforgettable themes, staffed by enthusiastic volunteers.

• Remote: the segment from Hancock to Monarch (miles ~41–64) is technical, open, and possibly storm‑tossed, “among the hardest sections of running I’ve ever experienced.”

Past Legends & Records

• Men’s Course Record: Jimmy Elam, 19:42:03 in 2023 (first sub‑20 hour finish).

• Women’s Record: McKendree Hickory, 22:19:22 in 2024 (first sub‑24 hr by a woman)

• Inaugural 2017 run took over 25 hrs in the men’s winner; now the bar has been drastically raised. High Lonesome demands grit and offers a coveted cowboy buckle for all finishers within a 37 hr cutoff.

Elite Men to Watch

• Alex Nichols @axelnichols (CO) – two-time runner‑up (2019, 2024), Western States podium, knows the course inside-out. With a pro-entry this year and a 21:06 last finish, he’s a front-runner. 

• Jeff Colt @easy_dog (CO) – pro entry, speedster with a 3rd at CCC and Bandera 100K winner.

• Jeff Browning @gobroncobilly (AZ) – legendary, 52, placed 4th last year in 21:49, Altra-sponsored, with unmatched altitude savvy. 

• Ryan Smith @ruggin (CO) – leadville 100 champion (2019), returning strong after winning local qualifier.

• Scott Traer @runfastah (AZ) – Leadville ’23 3rd in 17:54, excels on runnable terrain—watch for late-course charge.

• Also in mix: Chad Piala, Anthony Miller, Luke Webster, Chris Nagy

• Notably absent: defending champ Chris Hammes and Tyler Green.

Elite Women to Watch

• Addie Bracy @addiebracy (CO) – former US mountain running champion, backyard advantage, ultrarunning rising star with serious mental toughness credentials.   

• Devon Yanko @fastfoodie (CO) – lupus warrior, Leadville ’17 champ, 4th at HDL 2022, vet grit. 

• Jacquie Mannhard @jmannhard (CO) – Leadville ’23 champ (21:24), Boulder mom breaking out in 100‑mile scene.

• Careth Arnold @i.careth – hot off a Bear 100 women’s record and solid Canyons 100K showing—Altra pro.

• Rachel Entrekin @rachel__entrekin – back‑to‑back Cocodona 250 champ, stepping down to 100-mile for speed & stamina face-off.

• Jenna Bensko @jenucan – rising Boulder talent, first Colorado 100, coming off strong Black Canyon 100K.

• Also in field: Silke Koester (legacy runner since 2019), Miranda Williamson, Amanda Bonnie, and newcomer Amelia Boone (obstacle-racing legend) via lottery.

High Lonesome 100 2025 Course Details

• Start/Finish: County Road 321, Mt. Princeton, CO

• Distance: 100 miles

• Total Elevation Gain: 23,300'

• Average Elevation: 10,426'

• High Point: 13,100'

• Low Point: 8,200'

• Cut off: 37 hours

• Course type: 66% single-track, 27% mining road, 3% gravel, and 4% paved

Weather Outlook & Conditions

Expect highs around 80 °F (25–29 °C) in valleys, cooler in the 60s °F at altitude, dropping to mid‑40s °F overnight. Thunderstorms expected with a typical ~40–50% chance each afternoon.

Course will be mostly dry; possible mud in talus. Smoke risk low. Acclimatization is vital—oxygen is ~30% lower at 10,000 ft+.

Watch the 2025 High Lonesome Course Flyover

How to Watch

We’ve got you covered.

✅ Live runner tracking

✅ Embedded livestream video

✅ Leaderboard + course map

✅ All in one place

We’ll drop a separate post with everything you need to follow the action in real-time, no scrambling for links. So if you haven't already, sign up for PaceSetR alerts (it’s free), and we’ll text it straight to you when the race goes live.

Final Take

High Lonesome 2025 offers stunning scenery, grueling terrain, and now the fastest field to date. Settle in for a wild mountain ride, and celebrate the grit of every runner chasing that buckle.