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Leadville 100 MTB 2027 lottery: dates, qualifiers and every way in

Last checked: Oct 26, 2026 against the official Lottery & Qualification page. Dates can change; we'll update this page as they do.

Want the race itself? The Leadville Trail 100 MTB race page has the date, entry fee history and a map of places to stay in Leadville.

Key dates

How the Leadville lottery works

One draw covers both the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and the LT100 Run. Here's what the official rules say:

• It's free to enter. You give a card when you apply. It's charged only if you're selected (the race fee, a processing fee and any add-ons you chose) or if you choose to donate. A donation doesn't improve your chances.
• Individual entries only. The team option was removed in 2025, so you and your friends each apply on your own. It's one application per person.
• Already in? You can't enter. Athletes who already hold a 2027 entry can't apply.
• Card declined? If you're selected and the charge fails, you get a follow-up email and one week to fix it.
• Changed your mind? Email a withdrawal request by 11:59 PM MST on Dec 15, 2026. After that, fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
• Must be 18+. The minimum age is 18 on race day.

What are the odds?

Nobody outside Life Time knows. The organizer doesn't publish how many people apply or how many lottery spots there are, so be wary of any percentage you see quoted. What you can control is how many ways in you try: the routes below don't depend on the draw.

Life Time members: guaranteed spots and double entries

Members who've held a Life Time Club-Access membership for at least 6 months before the registration date "may be eligible" for a limited number of guaranteed spots. They go first come, first served from Nov 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM MST, and the number depends on the race's permit. If you're eligible but miss out, you're entered in the lottery twice. Check your eligibility with Life Time before Nov 24; the page doesn't spell out more than that.

Every way into Leadville without the lottery

Qualifier race coins

Six mountain bike races hand out Leadville coins: Sea Otter Fuego XL, the Lutsen 99er, Silver Rush 50 MTB, the Leadville Stage Race, Little Sugar MTB and Austin Rattler MTB. Each gives out at least 35. Coins go first to the top 3 men and women overall, then to the top finisher in each category (rolling down if someone passes), and the rest go in a lottery drawn from finishers' tear-off tabs. You have to race the longest distance, be 18 or older on LT100 race day and be at the awards. Registration for the qualifiers opens Jan 7, 2027, first come, first served. Fuego XL is the MTB race at Sea Otter in Monterey; the Sea Otter gravel race on the same weekend is an Unbound qualifier instead.

Charity entry

Charity spots skip the lottery. Each charity partner sets its own fundraising minimum, and it covers a guaranteed 2027 spot plus registration and service fees. Partners include the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation, the Life Time Foundation, the Challenged Athletes Foundation, Livestrong, the Colorado High School Cycling League, Cloud City Wheelers, the Chris Klug Foundation, Colorado Outward Bound School and First Descents. Spots are first come, first served. You'll see one dollar figure quoted around the web; it's not on the official page, so ask the charity directly.

Camp + Entry

The LT100 MTB Training Camp runs Jun 10-12, 2027 in Leadville, and the Camp + Entry package opens Dec 1, 2026 alongside the lottery. 2027 pricing isn't posted yet (the 2026 package was $2,200, camp only $950). Camp-only registration opens in January.

Coaching + Entry

Boundless Coaching sells a coaching package that includes a race entry. The price isn't on the Leadville page, so ask Boundless before you count on it.

Deferral (2026 entrants only)

If you held a 2026 entry and deferred, register Nov 1-15, 2026. Under the deferral policy it's a one-time deferral to the following year only, and LT100 MTB deferrals pay 100% of the next year's fee.

If you're selected

• Your card gets charged for the race fee, a processing fee and any add-ons. The 2027 fee isn't posted yet; the 2026 LT100 MTB fee was $525.
• Book a bed early. Leadville is a small town and race week is busy. Book something refundable; the map below shows places to stay for the nights around Aug 14.
• Start training for altitude. The race starts at 10,152 ft. Our first 50 or 100 training plan is a good base, and plan to arrive early to acclimatize.

If you're not selected

You still have options. Qualifier registration opens Jan 7, the day after results, so pick a qualifier and sign up quickly; Silver Rush 50 MTB is right in Leadville. Charity spots, Camp + Entry and Coaching + Entry are first come, first served, so check what's left.

Or take on another hard 2027 race: SBT GRVL in Steamboat Springs runs its own lottery, and so does Unbound (read our Unbound 2027 lottery guide). See every lottery on our 2027 lottery races page, or check what's opening soon.

The race and the course

The Leadville Trail 100 MTB first ran in 1994 with 150 riders. It's an out-and-back of about 100 miles that starts at 10,152 ft in Leadville and turns around at Columbine Mine. The official race page gives about 12,000 ft of climbing. It lists the high point at Columbine three ways (12,424, 12,500 and 12,600 ft), so expect roughly 12,500.

The 2026 race was rerouted around the Willow Fire, skipping Hagerman Pass Road, Sugarloaf Mountain and Powerline. The organizer says to "stay tuned" for the 2027 course, so we'll add 2027 distance and climbing once they're published. The official page says 2027 belt-buckle times are subject to change, so we're not printing cutoffs yet.

FAQ

Sources: official Leadville Race Series pages (lottery & qualification, LT100 MTB, charity entry, deferral policies, training camp), checked Oct 26, 2026. The Gravel Stash isn't affiliated with Life Time or the Leadville Race Series.