Grand Traverse Mountain Run

The Grand Traverse Mountain Run is a point-to-point ultra marathon from Crested Butte to Aspen, Colorado.

The course follows the route of the Grand Traverse Backcountry Ski race. In total, runners travel 40 miles across the Elk Mountains with over 6,000′ of elevation gain.

The Grand Traverse is operated as a fundraising event for Crested Butte Nordic, a 501(c)(3) recreational non-profit organization.

The Grand Traverse History
The Elk Mountains Grand Traverse was conceived by Jan Runge in the 1990s. The race’s genesis was partially based on the historical mail routes that connected the Colorado mining towns of Crested Butte and Aspen in the 1880s. It also drew inspiration from the Patrouille des Glaciers, a point-to-point ski race in Switzerland which Runge had become familiar with in the 80s. In 1998, with the help of the community, Runge sent a brave field of competitors from Crested Butte, over the Elk Mountains, to Aspen. It worked, and the Extraordinary Backcountry Ski Race was born. In 2012, event ownership was transferred to Crested Butte Nordic. The race is now a major fundraiser for the organization. In 2014 the Grand Traverse summer events were launched. Now the Grand Traverse features a winter ski race, a summer mountain run, and a mountain bike race.