By Maria Wyllie explorebigsky.com Editorial Assistant
BIG SKY – Utramarathon runners Mike Wolfe and Mike Foote of Missoula are bringing Montana’s first world-class running event to Big Sky – The Rut 50K and 12K mountain runs, set to take place Sept. 14, 2013, at Big Sky and Moonlight Basin resorts.
Starting and finishing at the Big Sky Mountain Village, elevation 7,510 feet, the 50K course covers 31 miles, gaining and losing 8,200 feet over its entirety. It will challenge runners with single-track trails, rugged jeep roads, off-trail terrain and the 11,166-foot summit of Lone Peak.
The 12K race covers 7.5 miles of the resort’s lower and middle mountain single-track trails, gaining and losing 2,300 feet.
Race directors Wolfe and Foote are both on The North Face Ultra Running Team and have competed in mountain races in the U.S., Europe, South America and beyond.
Foote also brings three years of experience working as race director at The Runner’s Edge, a running shop in Missoula and official organizer of the Rut, where he works year round organizing almost a dozen races and events in western Montana. He encourages runners to become familiar with course terrain before registering.
As of press time, May 15, 65 people have registered for the 50K and 22 for the 12K.
For registration and event details, visit runtherut.com. A more in-depth story on the race will be featured in the summer 2013 Mountain Outlaw.
