[Author’s Note: This is the eighth article in an 11-part series celebrating legendary aid stations. You can read about the series here.]
Final yr, as a part of my Beneath the Radar Races sequence, I wrote a couple of unbelievable point-to-point race within the Loopy Mountains of Montana, the Loopy Mountain 100 Mile. The Loopy Mountain 100 Mile celebrated its fourth version final month, and it has rapidly and quietly cemented itself as one of many unsung, old-school heroes of the North American extremely scene. Boasting over 23,000 ft of climbing on among the most unspoiled land within the contiguous U.S., the occasion is a real journey.
The course crisscrosses distant cattle ranches and deep wilderness within the sparsely populated south-central Montana, offering runners with a 100-mile tour of excessive alpine peaks and in depth prairie grasslands. Runners move by means of the Cow Camp assist station twice, first at mile 33 after which once more at mile 55 after a grueling journey up and over Conical Peak, the excessive level on the course.
The Cow Camp assist station within the Loopy Mountain 100 Mile. All pictures: Loopy Mountain 100 Mile
Based on long-time assist station volunteer Kelly Meeker, with a view to present runners with help deep within the backcountry, “Cow Camp assist station combines the experience of cowboys/cowgirls, outdoor individuals, and grizzled ultrarunners to create a horse- and mule-supplied wilderness assist station that serves scorching pizza, chilly sodas, and ass-shaking dance strikes.”
The statistics with respect to what the help station supplies are dizzying, as every year roughly 15 volunteers and 10 horses pack in over 1,000 kilos of provides, together with satellite tv for pc dishes, Sodastreams, a whole bunch of kilos of ice, photo voltaic panels, vacation lights, and stereo audio system. The horseback trek to the help station is over 10 miles every approach on distant trails, and the volunteers arrange camp for 3 days. To entertain the runners, Meeker notes, “The volunteer staff creates a ‘legen-dairy’ assist station in a [traditional] high-country rancher’s camp, which incorporates cow costumes, cow puns, and ample cow decor.”
Over 1,000 kilos of ice, meals, and equipment is packed into the Cow Camp assist station.
Three-time Loopy Mountain finisher Stuart Chutter had this to say in regards to the Cow Camp assist station: “You would possibly envision an assist station that needs to be packed in on horseback could be minimalist and easy. Not at Loopy Mountain! Should you thought ultrarunners had been loopy, wait until you meet the volunteers at Cow Camp. The help station alone is price operating 100 miles for.”
The 2026 Loopy Mountain 100 Mile is scheduled for July 24 and is proscribed to 200 runners. It can actually replenish quick, so in case you are all in favour of becoming a member of the legendary enjoyable of the Cow Camp assist station, register on December 14, 2025!
Bottoms up!
Cow Camp volunteers subtly embrace the cow theme.
AJW’s Beer of the Week
This week’s Beer of the Week comes from Loopy Mountain Brewery in Denver, Colorado. Colfax Pale Ale is a basic American pale ale brewed with simply the correct amount of hops balanced with sweetness. Weighing in at 6.5%, Colfax is the right strategy to finish an extended day within the Loopy Mountains, or any mountains!
Name for Feedback
- Have you ever visited the Cow Camp assist station? Is it as enjoyable as described?
- Have you ever been moooo-ved to attempt the Loopy Mountain 100 Mile?
