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Copper Kings 100 | June 26-27, 2026 | Butte, Montana

My family has a long history in Butte, Montana. Both my parents were born and raised there while my dad’s dad worked in the underground mines of Butte, and my mom’s dad was a county commissioner and a well-known insurance agent. My cousins still ranch around Butte, and I have three wonderful and hilarious aunts living in the area. I spent many summer vacations visiting Butte, and it has a very special place in my heart. It is a beautiful place to run too!

The idea of this run started as a way to honor my family’s connection to Butte by making a long run for myself to connect special places from my family’s history.

-Wes Plate

The 100 mile loop course starts and ends at the Belmont Mine in Butte and includes 63 miles of the wonderful Continental Divide Trail. The elevation at the start is 5,650 ft, the highest point is at 8,400 feet, and you will enjoy a total of 13,960 feet of vertical gain and loss.

  • Bib pickup 2:00-4:00pm Thursday June 25, 2026

  • Mandatory run briefing 4:00-5:00pm Thursday June 25, 2026

  • Race start 4:00am Friday June 26, 2026

  • Final cutoff 8:00pm Saturday June 27, 2026

  • 40-hour cutoff

  • Fully inclusive including a nonbinary division

Sounds awesome. Is it hard?

Most of the runners who have run this course have said it is harder than it looks. The elevation gain is concentrated between the first aid station and the last aid station, making the nearly 14,000 feet of gain feel more than it is. And most of the time you’re more than 6,500 feet above sea level.

Additionally, some of the aid stations are far apart, with the longest segment being over 17 miles.

The Copper Kings 100 is “tough but doable” as one runner called it. The 40 hour cutoff wasn’t established because the course is hard and you need that much time, we set this cutoff to give more back of the pack runners time to complete the loop.

The fastest finish in 2025 was 18:29:07 amongst the men and 22:12:23 in the women’s race.

Registration will open December 7, 2025

Since the Copper Kings 100 runs the same weekend as Western States, we will open registration the day after the WSER lottery draw so that you can celebrate not getting into Western States again by running with us.

Proceeds from this event will benefit:

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Withdrawal Policy for Copper Kings 100

We understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise, and we strive to provide a refund policy that balances the needs of our runners and the costs incurred in organizing the race. Please review the following policy carefully:

Refunds are available on a tiered basis based on the time of your cancellation request:

  • 90+ Days Before Race Day: 75% refund of the registration fee.

  • 60–89 Days Before Race Day: 50% refund of the registration fee.

  • 30–59 Days Before Race Day: 25% refund of the registration fee.

  • Less Than 30 Days Before Race Day: No refunds will be issued.

Regardless of whether a pregnancy is planned or unplanned, or whether it comes to an expected or unexpected conclusion, proper time for healing and recovery is essential for health and well-being. At Onward Endurance, we are dedicated to treating everyone with fairness and understanding. Participants facing these circumstances are eligible for a full UltraSignup race credit, valid for two years from the date it is issued.

The Copper Kings 100 takes place in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, and in Butte-Silver Bow and Jefferson counties. The event is fully permitted through the United States Forest Service, Butte-Silver Bow County, Jefferson County, and the Montana Department of Transportation.