The 2025 Ortholite TransRockies Run will be the race’s final event. After 17 years, the race, which traverses some of the most scenic mountain landscapes in the state, is indefinitely shutting down. Rising costs and challenges associated with permits put the nail in the coffin for this popular annual event.
“We are incredibly proud of what TransRockies Run has achieved over the years,” said Kevin “Houda” McDonald, Director of Operations for the TransRockies Race Series. “This event has fostered a sense of community among runners and showcased the stunning beauty of our trails. As we prepare for our final year, we are committed to making it a memorable celebration for all.”
According to the TransRockies Race Series brand, the 120-mile race usually sells out, drawing 350 runners annually. It starts in Buena Vista and ends in Beaver Creek, passing numerous Collegiate and Sawatch Range fourteeners along the way.
For 5 nights, a moving camp follows runners. It sets up at the end of each stage of the race. The camp greets the athletes with a welcome place to relax, recover, and socialize. It is fully supported with tents, luggage service, a mobile shower truck, catered meals, and massages. Organizers of the event call it a “running vacation” or “summer camp for adults.”
“Whether you’ve run with us before or are considering joining us for the first time, we invite everyone to be part of this unforgettable year,” McDonald said. “Let’s make the final chapter of TransRockies Run one for the books.”
While 2025 is the last year for the TransRockies Run, the race will look no different from previous years. Hopeful participants can sign up for the event now on the TransRockies Run webpage. It will be hosted on August 4-9, 2025.
The Final Chapter: TransRockies Race
As in previous years, the run takes place at elevations between 7,400 and 12,600 feet. And 87% of the race is between 8,000 and 11,000 feet, so runners are at altitude for most of the route. They run on dirt and gravel roads, non-motorized single and double trails, four-wheel drive and motorized trails, and also paved roads and pathways.
“Having a ‘moving village’ of around 500 people each day makes this event unique,” McDonald told GearJunkie. “350 runners and 150 volunteers packing up each day and moving to a new location, having beers around the campfire at night, meeting people from around the world, and everyone has a common goal: Crossing that finish line at Beaver Creek.”
In the past, the route has been subject to change due to permitting challenges with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). Ultimately, rising expenses to host a race of this size and magnitude, as well as the challenges associated with securing permits from the USFS, caused the TransRockies Race Series Brand to call this race off going forward.
The press release said the organization did not make the decision lightly.
“It seems every year, there are more permits and more restrictions to execute the event how we want to,” McDonald said.
The brand also said it’s “doubling down” on its other stage races, The Moab Run the Rocks and The Golden Ultra. The brand also hosts the TransRockies Gravel Royale. McDonald said that 3-day events seem to be more approachable for most runners and that they’ll probably add another 3-day race “in the future.”
So, 2025 won’t be the last time to run with this race series brand. It’s just the last time to run its flagship race.
