The Rut Mountain Runs

The Rut Mountain Runs A true Montana mountain running celebration
2026 SEPT 11-13
Registrations open JAN 6th, 2026, 8am MT
VK, 11K, 21K, 28K, 50K, & 1K Runt Run
Big Sky, Montana

09/05/2026

Your journey towards Middle-earth of Big Sky Resort awaits.

Pack your Lembas bread and don't forget your Skratch Labs: Fuel + Hydration fuel. Elevenses will be alllll day long. Pack for the long haul.

It's time to get ready for The Rut.

How old is your oldest GARMIN device? Could you be holding onto one of the oldest GARMIN devices still in the Rut Commun...
09/04/2026

How old is your oldest GARMIN device?
Could you be holding onto one of the oldest GARMIN devices still in the Rut Community?
OLDEST TO NEWEST is Back for 2026!

Bring your oldest GARMIN device to the GARMIN booth at The Rut on Saturday at 2:00 PM for your chance to win a brand new inReach® Mini 3 Plus.

Garmin Outdoor is bringing back its popular "Oldest to Newest" challenge, where participants can showcase their oldest Garmin watch or handheld device.

The owner of the oldest eligible device will walk away with the prize!

📍 GARMIN Booth
🗓️ Saturday, September 12th
⏰ 2:00 PM
🎁 Prize: GARMIN inReach® Mini 3 Plus

Dig through your gear bins, dust off those vintage devices, and join us.

You might be sitting on a piece of GARMIN history... and seriously upgrading to the newest tech!

See you at the booth!

Come and join us as a 2026 Rut Volunteer! The Rut would not be possible without the support of hundreds of dedicated vol...
08/30/2026

Come and join us as a 2026 Rut Volunteer! The Rut would not be possible without the support of hundreds of dedicated volunteers who join us in Big Sky each year.

We're still recruiting for some specific help race weekend including:
Gear check - Thursday Afternoon
21K aid Stations - Friday
Handing our finishers medals - Saturday, and Moonlight and Shedhorn Aid Stations for 50K - Sunday.

As a token of our gratitude, every 2026 Rut volunteer will receive:

👉Priority registration for the 2027 Rut Mountain Runs, giving you early access before it opens to the public.

👉A stylish 2025 Rut Volunteer T-shirt to commemorate your participation.

👉Grab-and-go food options to keep you well fueled for the job.

👉A scenic lift ride pass for Big Sky Resort lifts,

👉A complimentary beverage from Big Sky Brewing

👉The priceless experience of supporting and celebrating Rut runners as they chase their potential up, down, and around Lone Peak.

Head to the link in bio to see all available roles and sign up!

And THANK YOU in advance to all our amazing volunteers!

08/27/2026

Sometimes taking a moment to pause, hold on to a rock, take in the view, grab your breath and reset is the best race day trick in the book.

We run up mountains for many reasons and the scenery is one of them so don't let it pass without taking in the views of Big Sky Resort during The Rut.

Almost time to make ourselves feel small again, against the landscape of We love these scenes at The Rut. It puts it al...
08/20/2026

Almost time to make ourselves feel small again, against the landscape of

We love these scenes at The Rut. It puts it all into perspective.

Dropping stoke from Headwall Ridge. It's either the views, the tallus, the on course energy, race day vibes or the good ...
08/17/2026

Dropping stoke from Headwall Ridge.

It's either the views, the tallus, the on course energy, race day vibes or the good company that has people so hyped on this topic section of trail.

Can't wait for everyone to experience it all again soon!

Hello Rut Community,We are thrilled to introduce you to the 2026 Rut Grantees! We were blown away by the response to th...
08/14/2026

Hello Rut Community,

We are thrilled to introduce you to the 2026 Rut Grantees! We were blown away by the response to this first-year program, created to support the people, places, and ideas that bring life to the sport of trail running. This year, we received more than 65 applications requesting over $145,000 in funding for projects across the trail running community.

The proposals were incredibly inspiring, but with just $16,500 available to distribute, selecting the awardees was no easy task. Ultimately, we landed on a diverse group of projects, including youth trail running programs, organizations helping more people find belonging in the sport, trail stewardship efforts, and storytelling initiatives.

A huge shoutout to our friends and partners at The North Face for matching our financial commitment, and to an anonymous individual who chipped in an additional $500 when we needed it. Together, we are over the moon to support the individuals and organizations below as they work to create meaningful and lasting impact in our sport and our communities.

Have a swipe through this carousel and individual captions and be sure to look into the incredible work of our 2026 Grantees.

Feeling the inspiration,
The Rut Team.

Indigenous Culture Site and Trail Restoration - Crow Agency, MT
The project will restore trails for youth, elders, and visitors of the area by making them more visible, safe, and usable.

GRM Neurodivergent Trail Support Project - Missoula, MT
Go Run Missoula's Neurodivergent Trail Support Project trains and supports buddy coaches so neurodivergent youth can experience confidence, connection, and belonging through inclusive trail running and outdoor adventures.

BSCO Youth Trail Running Program - Big Sky, MT
Introducing trail running to Big Sky youth presents an opportunity to foster both athletic development and community connection. This summer, BSCO is facilitating an 8-week youth trail running program to be held once a week for youth ages 13-18 years old to inspire teenagers in the joy of trail running on our local trails throughout Big Sky.

Analyzing Equity of Community Access to Trail Running - Missoula, MT
Many communities lack equi

We posted a job for an Events and Operations Manager earlier this year, and we were blown away by the response from this...
08/09/2026

We posted a job for an Events and Operations Manager earlier this year, and we were blown away by the response from this community. It took a while to work through such a strong group of candidates, but we couldn’t be more excited to welcome Kati Burton to the team.

Kati is a Montana-based trail runner who has spent years showing up for this community, volunteering, supporting events, and being a steady, positive presence in the sport.

We’re really excited to have Kati on board. She brings the operational capacity we’ve needed as we grow our calendar and build more events and programming in the years ahead.

Join us in welcoming Kati to the team!
And be sure to say hello 👋 at The Rut this September!

CALL TO ACTION for a chance to score the ultimate deal for your feet: Socks for life. Seriously. Seven pairs of socks f...
08/07/2026

CALL TO ACTION for a chance to score the ultimate deal for your feet: Socks for life.

Seriously. Seven pairs of socks from our friends at ; one for each day of the week. It’s all you’ll ever need because they’re Guaranteed for Life.

All you have to do is comment on this post and we will pick THREE lucky winners at the end of next week, Friday, August 14th.

We know our Rut Runners need socks as tough and durable as they are, and for that reason, we are thrilled to partner with Darn Tough again for The Rut 2026!

05/28/2026

Registration for the Rut Training Runs, August 1st in Big Sky, are open!
The Rut Training Runs are designed to offer you the chance to get acquainted with sections of the Rut courses in a supported and non-competitive environment.

Full details and registration via our link in bio

We offer a 6-mile route which highlights the latter half of the 21K course, an 8.5-mile route which showcases the Lone Peak climb and descent used by the 28K and 50K, and a longer 13.5-mile option which mostly follows the last half of the 50K. Each route will be marked with Rut flagging and have aid stations for you to get the nourishment you need along your run.

At a glance:
📅Date: Saturday, August 1, 2026

📍Location: Big Sky Resort | Big Sky, Montana

💲Cost: $30 (Until July 29th) | $37 (July 29th – August 1st)

What is included in your registration

👉A marked course to follow from start to finish.
👉Aid stations are staffed by friendly volunteers and stocked with nutrition products and drinks.
👉The opportunity to familiarize yourself with sections of your Rut race course in a non-competitive and supported environment.
👉The confidence gained from experiencing the course before race day!
👉Finish line aid station with snacks and beverages.
👉The North Face Shoe Demos

Schedule
7:00-9:00 am: Runner Check-in in Big Sky Resort Plaza
8:00 am: Lone Peak and Andesite Zone 13.5 Mile Route Start
8:30 am: Lone Peak Climb and Descent 8.5 Mile Route Start
9:00 am: Andesite Zone 6 Mile Route Start

Register via our link in bio.

Address

50 Big Sky Resort Road
Big Sky, MT
59716

Website

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