Preparation guide · Leadville Trail 100 MTB
Leadville Trail 100 MTB 2027: how to prepare it and what to eat and drink
The next edition is on Saturday 14 August 2027 (provisional date: the organisers haven't confirmed it yet; in 2026 it was held on 15 August. Start time is indicative), starting in Leadville (Colorado, USA) at 6:30. Here you have the route of Leadville 100 MTB (163 km), its climbs, the usual weather and how much to eat and drink for your target time.
Leadville 100 MTB (163 km): route
Official route on RideWithGPS / Garmin (event website).
Official profile and track on the organisers' website.
The climbs and key sections, one by one
| Climb or section | Length | What it's like and how to ride it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Leadville → St. Kevins → Carter Summit km 0 | 17.1 km | Neutral roll-out on tarmac and the first dirt climb, St. Kevins, in a crowd and above 3,000 m. Everyone climbs too fast: you, by heart rate and able to talk. At altitude, early excess never comes back. |
| 2. Sugarloaf and the Powerline descent km 17.1 | 18.8 km | The Sugarloaf climb and the Powerline descent: steep, broken and rutted. Descend with your weight back and no sudden braking; if in doubt, walk a few metres. Reach Outward Bound (km 35.9) in one piece. |
| 3. Outward Bound → Twin Lakes km 35.9 | 25.6 km | Fast dirt roads and some tarmac along the valley, with wind: this is group riding. Get on a group, eat solid food and drink. Fill everything at Twin Lakes (km 61.5): Columbine is next. |
| 4. Columbine Mine km 61.5 | 19 km | The big climb: about 1,000 m of ascent up to nearly 3,800 m, the last kilometres above the treeline, steep and often walked. Easy gear, a pace you can hold for 2 hours and eat every 20 minutes even if you aren't hungry (altitude kills appetite). At the top, at the turnaround (km 80.5), cover up for the descent. |
| 5. Columbine descent → Twin Lakes km 80.5 | 19 km | A long descent with riders still climbing the same track. Stay in your lane: those climbing have priority. Drink on the fast sections and refill at Twin Lakes (km 99.5). |
| 6. Twin Lakes → Outward Bound km 99.5 | 24.6 km | The valley on the way back, often into a headwind in the afternoon. In a group and eating: what you eat here is what you'll have on Powerline. |
| 7. Powerline climb km 124.1 | 18.8 km | The most feared climb on the way back: very steep, loose pitches that almost everyone walks, followed by false flats. Pushing the bike is normal: do it with rhythm and without stopping. A gel before it starts and another at the top. |
| 8. Carter Summit → finish in Leadville km 142.9 | 20.1 km | The St. Kevins descent, tarmac and the final climb («the Boulevard») to the finish in Leadville. The Boulevard feels endless: cadence, water and think of the red carpet. |
Route keys
- The start in Leadville is above 3,000 m: altitude takes power away from the first kilometre. If you don't live at altitude, arrive with days of acclimatisation and start with fewer watts.
- It's an out-and-back route: you pass the same stations twice (Carter Summit, Outward Bound and Twin Lakes) and the turnaround is at Columbine Mine, the highest point. The Columbine climb is long and hard, and done with over 80 km in your legs.
- Every station has drinks, gels, bars, snacks and fruit; the seven stations are 17 to 26 km apart. Fill your bottles at every one and eat something every 20–30 minutes, without waiting to be hungry.
- At altitude the weather changes fast: it can be cold and stormy in the afternoon. Carry a light waterproof and check the forecast for the days before in WinWatts.
3 more keys in WinWatts: with the forecast for the days before, the wind and heat section by section, and on which climbs to eat and drink.
Leadville 100 MTB (163 km): what to eat and drink
How much a typical rider (72 kg) needs depending on their time. From 2–3 hours on, what matters most is eating carbs regularly (every 20–30 minutes) and drinking before you're thirsty.
| Total time | Carbs per hour | Total carbs | Drink per hour | Total drink | Sodium per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 h | 75 g/h | 515 g | 450 ml/h | 3.6 l | 300 mg/h |
| 9 h | 75 g/h | 585 g | 450 ml/h | 4.1 l | 300 mg/h |
| 10 h | 75 g/h | 660 g | 550 ml/h | 5.5 l | 450 mg/h |
| 11 h | 75 g/h | 660 g | 550 ml/h | 5.6 l | 450 mg/h |
More than 60–90 g of carbs per hour only if you've trained it. Don't try on race day what you haven't tolerated in training.
Feed stations
Out and back through the same points: Carter Summit km 17.1 and 142.9; Outward Bound km 35.9 and 124.1; Twin Lakes km 61.5 and 99.5; Columbine Mine (turnaround) km 80.5. At all of them: drinks, gels, bars, snacks and fruit.
Without the official track loaded we don't work out the section-by-section plan. In WinWatts, with your GPX, you see how much to eat and drink between each feed station at your pace on every climb.
Leadville 100 MTB (163 km): weather in mid-August
What the weather was like in mid-August in recent editions (in Leadville, not at the highest points):
| Year | Low | High | Rain | Max wind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6 ºC | 24 ºC | 0.0 mm | 6 km/h |
| 2023 | 7 ºC | 21 ºC | 0.1 mm | 6 km/h |
| 2024 | 2 ºC | 25 ºC | 0.0 mm | 13 km/h |
| 2025 | 5 ºC | 21 ºC | 0.0 mm | 14 km/h |
Your Leadville Trail 100 MTB, tailored to you
This guide uses a typical rider. In WinWatts we calculate it with your data:
- Your time, average power and finish time from your FTP and weight.
- The race-day forecast for each section, and what to wear.
- Your food and drink plan kilometre by kilometre, with your gels, bars and bottles.
- Your training plan until Saturday 14 August 2027, adjusted every week to how you're doing.
WinWatts is not affiliated with the organisers of the Leadville Trail 100 MTB. Dates, routes, schedules and registration: official website. Distance, climbing and feed stations from the official website (2026 edition); weather from past editions (Open-Meteo). For guidance only: it doesn't replace advice from a health professional.