Bridger Ridge Run

The Ed Anacker Bridger Ridge Run is a remote and aesthetic ~20 mile foot-race along the crest of the Bridger Mountains, near Bozeman in Southwest Montana.  It is a not-for-profit event enabled by about as many volunteers as participants. 

The Bridger Ridge Run is put on & sponsored by the Big Sky Wind Drinkers, which is a premier running club for runners of all ages and abilities.  Some videos, photos, and history of this event can be found on this Big Sky Wind Drinkers webpage.

Essentially the entire route involves unstable footing, challenging ascents, brutal descents, and unpredictable weather along an exposed ridge.  Experience with mountain running is important.  

No part of the route can be accessed by a road.  All supplies, including water, are hauled to Aid Stations through human volunteering.  Aid Stations will carefully track each participant's progress, and will have limited medical teams, supplies, and snacks.  Except for water, we expect each participant to carry what they think they'll need.

• Note: the race is "cupless" (ie, Aid Stations will not have cups). We expect each participant to carry a water vessel, which can be filled at each Aid Station. 

This entire event is enabled through volunteer effort.  We offer a diversity of volunteering opportunities -- some well in advance of the event, and some during the event.  Check out our Volunteer page for specific opportunities. 

Our registration process is designed to reward and incentivize volunteering for this event.  Volunteering within a given season is a promising way to all-but-ensure entry into the following season's event.

(See the Registration Process page for more details.)

The number of participants is limited to 250, as per the permit we receive from the US Forest Service.  So we developed an application process intended to offer broad participation in this special event while also rewarding volunteering, local non-profit organizations, and general commitment to our community.  We intend for this process to be fair and supportive of the spirit of the Bridger Ridge Run.

Anybody seeking to register for this event must submit an application to our lottery.  This amounts to answering a series of prompts and entering a valid credit card.  If an applicant is not selected through the lottery process, their card will not be charged.  All applicants will be notified of their status before the close of May, shortly after the registration window closes.

• Note: we do not use a "Wait List".  

We will send periodic emails to registered participants with detailed instructions, information, and policies about the event.  We expect registered participants to receive and read such emails.

If, for any reason, a registered participant cancels their participation in the race after they sign up, they will not be granted a refund.

This event is committed to complying with governmental guidelines.  For instance, we may impose strict rules of participation, or cancel the event altogether, due to a forest fire or due to CDC guidelines. If, for some reason, we cancel the race, registered participants will have these options:

1. “Roll-over” their registration to the following year.
2. Donate their registration fee (and still get swag).
   • Note: as a non-profit event, all unused proceeds are donated to Big Sky Wind Drinkers and to the Gallatin Valley Land Trust, both of which are non-profit organizations that enable trail use and stewardship in the area, as well as other regional non-profit organizations.  

Participants, especially first-timers, are strongly advised to attend the pre-race meeting which will take place at 5:30pm the Friday before the Start at the Fish Hatchery (ie, Finish Line, near the Drinking Horse Trailhead).  This meeting will cover all sorts of specific information, including the following:

• Up-to-date conditions and weather prediction.  Discussion of lightning hazard, and how to mitigate it.
• Description of the route, and answers to questions or concerns thereabout.
• Race rules, including disqualification policies.  
• Description of Aid Stations, including the medical support and snacks and water present at each.
• Discussion of race-day logistics, including how to arrive at the Start Line.  
• Much more ... this meeting is an opportunity to ask questions, and connect with other participants -- it is informative and energizing!

The race starts at 6:30am at the Fairy Lake Trailhead, which is a 45-minute drive from the Finish, the final 25 minutes of which is along a dirt road requiring a high-clearance vehicle. 

Each participant must arrange their own transport to the Start Line.  There is no shuttle to the Start line from either the Finish Line or the parking area at HRDC.  After the race, there is no shuttle from the Finish Line back to the Start Line.  All participants are encouraged to park their vehicles at HRDC (206 E Griffin Dr), and self-organize carpooling to the Start Line from there.  The pre-race meeting can serve as a good place to arrange such logistics with other participants.  

Start Waves! 

• Given the nature of the trail, registered participants will be grouped into Start Waves, each spaced 5 minutes apart.  Come mid-July, registered participants will be assigned a wave number.  Such wave assignments will be announced to registered participants by email, and will be posted here:
  • Wave Assignments
• Registered participants are assigned to a wave based on information they provide through their registration process: the wave they request, the finish time they estimate, and whether or not this is their first time participating in the event.  We do our best to meet wave requests, subject to balancing wave sizes. Except for special circumstances, we do not accommodate requests to change wave assignments.
• Each participant's finishing time will be recorded according to when their assigned wave starts.
  • Note: overall winning awards are determined according to the first three men, first three women, and first three non-binary finishers to cross the finish line.

Here is a link to a downloadable GPS file of the route, including aid stations and other information.

• Note: distances generally run short in this GPS file, due to its sampling method.

The route embarks from Fairy Lake parking area (elevation 7,600'), which is forested.  From there it follows a clearly defined trail that steeply climbs well above tree line into a granite basin to gain a pass, then to Sacagawea peak (elevation 9,650') at which there is a minimal Aid Station with water only.  The route continues along a vague trail to Naya Nuki peak, then down a steep loose shoot to gain the Foothills Trail.  The route then follows the Foothills trail South-bound to Ross Pass (elevation 7,650') where there is an Aid Station and medical team.  The route then follows a vague trail that steeply ascends along the Bridger ridge.  The route continues to be rocky, sometimes braided difficult to follow precisely, and sometimes exposed, to the top of Bridger ski lift (elevation 8,500') where there is an Aid Station and a medical team.  This nature of the route continues along the ridge up Saddle peak (elevation 9,150').  After Saddle peak, the route becomes less technical as it rolls along the ridge to Baldy Mountain (elevation 8,900') where some limestone blocks require a bit of scrambling.  Then the route becomes smooth to Baldy peak (elevation 8,680'), where there is an Aid Station and medical team.  The route then follows a clearly defined trail that steeply descends to a brief respite of descent (elevation 7,100') where there is a minimal Aid Station.  The route continues steeply descending to the M parking area. From the M parking area, participants are directed through the Drinking Horse tunnel, to the Finish Line at the Fish Hatchery (elevation 4,900').  

We impose the following cut-off times.  Any participant who arrives at one of these spots after its accompanying cut-off time is automatically disqualified, and can join the volunteers' transit back to the Finish Area.  

• Sacagawea -- 8:05am
• Ross Pass -- 9:40am
• Bridger -- 11:05am
• Finish -- 2:30pm.

If a participant drops out of the race, it is imperative that they do so at an Aid Station and that they clearly notify the Aid Station Lead.  (If a participant is unaccounted for, we assume the worst and we commence an open search for them across the Bridger mountain range.)

The Finish Line is at the Fish Hatchery, by the Drinking Horse Trailhead, which is across the highway from the M Trailhead.

Participants will be clearly directed from the M Trailhead through the Drinking Horse tunnel to the Fish Hatchery.

The Finish Area will have a medical team, snacks, and aid for participants.  All drop-bags from the Start Line will be laid out at the Finish Area.

Awards will be given to top three overall finishers in each gender category, as well as in each 10-year age division.  These awards will be announced and given as each award category is filled -- so the "award ceremony" will be rolling through the Finish Area Party.

Everybody is invited to hang around the Finish Area, where shade, BBQ, beverages, and good spirits can be found.  The Finish Area will have very limited parking.  A shuttle bus will be operating roughly 9am-4:30pm to take anybody (participants, friends/family/supporters) between the Finish Area and HRDC.  (Note: there will be a port-a-potty at the HRDC parking.)  Here's a link to a map:

• Map: HRDC to Finish Area

Muddy Dog Sports does the timing for the race.

Results can be found on My Race Results.

Ready to test your limits? The Bridger Ridge Run brings a highly anticipated 32K to Bozeman on August 14, 2021. Expect a fantastic route right in the heart of Montana.