About This Race
The Kendall Mountain Run is a historic 12-mile high-altitude challenge in Silverton, Colorado, that tasks runners with a brutal 3,750-foot vertical ascent to a 13,066-foot summit. Dating back to a legendary 1908 bar bet, the course follows rugged Jeep roads before concluding with a technical high-altitude scramble and a breakneck descent back to town.
What Makes It Unique
- Bar Bet Origins: The race commemorates a 1908 wager where a Silverton miner bet he could summit the peak and return in under 90 minutes, establishing it as one of the oldest mountain running traditions in the United States.
- Vertical Intensity: Participants climb nearly 3,800 vertical feet in just 6 miles, starting at 9,318 feet and finishing the ascent with a precarious, technical scramble over loose scree and talus to reach the 13,066-foot summit marker.
- The Mountain Duo Challenge: The race is a centerpiece of a premier trail weekend, where athletes can earn the 'Mountain Duo' title by completing a 50K ultramarathon on Saturday followed by the steep Kendall peak run on Sunday.
Media Coverage
Race Directoring
iRunFar
A column by pro runner Dakota Jones that provides an evergreen historical account of the Kendall Mountain Run's origins, from the apocryphal 1908 miner's bet to the modern-day course route.
US Skyrunning Series Announced
iRunFar
An editorial announcement profiling the Kendall Mountain Run's inclusion in the Skyrunning series, detailing its 13,066-foot summit and the 'Run Steep Get High' philosophy.
Featured Trail Town - Durango, Colorado
American Trail Running Association (ATRA)
A regional spotlight that profiles the Kendall Mountain Run as a bucket-list event for its lung-busting climb and historic Silverton atmosphere.
Mini Hardrock: Silverton's Kendall Mountain Run
Trail Runner Magazine
This editorial explores the race's origins from a 1908 bar bet and its reputation as a 'mini Hardrock,' detailing the climb to the 13,066-foot summit.