2 running events in Crested Butte, Colorado
From big races to Saturday morning group runs—find running events and connect with the local endurance sports community.
Crested Butte
2 events in Crested Butte-
Sun, Mar 29, 2026 at 12:00 AMSee full details
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.
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Sat, Jul 11, 2026 at 8:00 AMSee full details
The Grin & Bear It is Crested Butte’s oldest trail challenge. Historically presented as a sprint to Green Lake and back, this classic event has evolved to offer a 25k Loop competition while still maintaining the traditional 15k race.
New in 2025, the Grin and Bear it BIKE! This route will follow the 25k run route, excluding the .7 miles to Green Lake and back. This challenging route is roughly 14.83 miles with just under 4k feet of climbing.
Note- there is minimal swag and no podium awards for this event.