Our Story

The Rut was founded in 2013 by professional trail and ultrarunners Mike Foote and Mike Wolfe.  After traveling and racing in many corners of the world, we wanted to create a world-class mountain running event in our own backyard that had the energy of some of the largest races in the world we enjoyed so much.

We also knew the event should have a rugged and wild Montana flare to keep it authentic to its place. From the start, we knew it needed a name that felt real and raw. Given the location and time of year, The Rut was a perfect fit. Lone Peak at Big Sky Resort was also the perfect fit with its dramatic and alpine terrain, with world-class infrastructure and lodging at its base.

We’ve always aimed for the event to feel well-organized but still have character and a sense of humor. We invest heavily in our safety and medical teams — and also in our tattoo artists. We care about having a well-marked, thoughtfully designed course, but also one that’s as challenging as possible. The flow of packet pickup and race-week communication is a priority, but so is starting a race with an elk bugle, giving free mullets at the finish line, and handing out prize money entirely in $1 bills. You could say we’re serious about not taking ourselves too seriously.

The Rut has since grown into one of the largest trail running events in North America, with roughly 4,500 registered runners in 2025. The races draw hundreds of spectators to aid stations and key points on the course, bringing an energy few U.S. trail races have. Yet, in the alpine sections, it still feels wild, remote, rugged, and exposed.

In the first year, it felt essential to have a mechanical bull at the post-race party. It was a statement about the kind of event we hoped to create. Two years later, we thought it would be fun to offer free tattoos at the finish line and give free entry the following year to anyone who got the Rut logo inked on their body. We figured if even one person took us up on it, it’d be worth it. That year, dozens did. We quickly realized we didn’t need to offer free entry for people to line up for it. Now, there are roughly 800–1,000 people walking around with Rut antlers on their skin, a constant reminder of how special this event has become.

From the very beginning, The Rut has been about gathering the community. Over the years, we have heard stories of people spreading he ashes of loved ones on the course, witnessed finish-line proposals, and seen people’s perception of what they thought was possible change and expand. We feel an ownership in stewarding that experience and collective memory making alongside everyone in The Rut’s gravitational pull. Thanks for going on the journey with us! It pushes us to keep working and make the event better each year.

Some notable highlights over the years:

  • In 2013 the event began with two distances – the 50K and 12K.
  • In 2014 we introduced the Rut VK.
  • In 2015 we added the 28K. We like to say it’s like the 50K — but harder. It covers all the gnarliest parts of the 50K, just in a shorter distance.
  • In 2015 we also added the Headwaters ridge section of the 50K as well as 28K
  • In 2015, with the VK, 28K and 50K existing on three separate days, folks began signing up for all three. The Trifecta was born. We started to award a daily leader’s jersey for these ambitious and slightly crazy runners.
  • In 2016 we had snow on the 50K day and had to pivot to the plan B. Many people said it was even harder than the original course
  • In 2020 we had to pivot to offering a virtual option to our runners due to the pandemic. It was difficult and stressful for everyone, of course, but we felt so supported by the community, which truly helped us get through.
  • In 2023, we added the 21K to bridge the gap between the 11K and 28K. On its own, it’s truly one of the best half-marathon trail running courses in the country. Beyond its aesthetic appeal,  it was our hope that the race would pull more folks into the weekend and give them new challenges to take on in future years. Someday, we hope to see someone complete the Runt Run, VK, 11K, 21K, 28K, 50K, and the Trifecta in a single weekend.
  • Lastly, while all our events have their charm, everyone knows the Kids Runt Run is one of the true highlights of the weekend. We have hundreds of Rut Runts in attendance, cheered on by friends, family, and some of the sport’s best athletes, who help course marshal and hand out awards at the finish. It’s a joy to see these kids, who are the future of our sport, taking part in the weekend.