Course Overview

Start Points

100 Mile events will start at the Custer YMCA
50 Mile event will start at the DMTM Exchange Aid Station
30 Mile event will start at the Mystic Aid Station
20 Mile event will start at the High Country Aid Station

100 Mile Turn Around Point

Turn around points will be marked with signs on both sides of the trail for the 100 mile events:
100 Mile events will be located at the DMTM Exchange Aid Station.

Course Restroom Facilities

All 10 aid stations will have restrooms
Mountain Aid Station – Out House Facility
Orville Aid Station- Port-A-Pot
Hill City Aid Station – Modern Bathroom Facility
High Country Aid Station – Port-A-Pot
Horse Creek Aid Station – Port-A-Pot
Mystic Aid Station – Out House Facility
Gimlet Aid Station – Port-A-Pot
Rochford Aid Station – Out House Facility
Nahant Aid Station – Port-A-Pot
DMTM Exchange Aid Station – Port-A-Pot

Course Elevation

100 Mile Start: 5,316 ft. Max: 6,262 ft. Total Climb: 7,162 ft.
50 Mile Start: 6,218 ft. Max: 6,262 ft. Total Climb: 3,116 ft.
30 Mile Start: 5,015 ft. Max: 5,874 ft. Total Climb: 2,202 ft.
20 Mile Start: Start: 5,391 ft. Max: 5,874 ft. Total Climb: 1236 ft.

100 Mile Detailed Course Information

The 100 Milers will start at the Custer YMCA at 644 Crook Street. You will progress East on Crook Street. You will runner for blocks at this time you will meet up with the Mickelson Trail. You will turn North onto the Mickelson Trail.

Once on the Mickelson Trail you will head North along the trail. There is a short section of pavement on the trail leaving Custer. After about a mile into the race you will pass by the Custer Football/Track complex which will be the finish area of all of the event.

You will have a steady climb until you reach the Mountain Aid Station. In this section you will be away from everything, running through one of my favorite sections of the trail. It is a beautiful mountain valley that you will climb. At the Mountain Aid Station there is a restroom.

After you leave the Mountain Aid Station the climb flattens out, but continues until you reach the entry of Crazy Horse Monument. There is about a 1.5 mile section of the course where you will have a great view of the Crazy Horse Monument on your right. After passing through a tunnel under the entry for the monument, you will have a gradual descent to Hill City. You will then reach the Orville Aid Station. This aid station is the first Drop Bag location.
You will continue the descent to Hill City. Once you reach Hill City, you will again run on a stretch of pavement through town, the trail turns onto a sidewalk. We use the trailhead as the Hill City Aid Station. It is located one block off of the trail. This aid station has a restroom with running water.

Once you leave the Hill City Aid Station you will follow the trail along the 1880 Train Station for about 0.60 miles where you will have to cross Highway 16/385. This is a busy intersection. You will return to the gravel trail at this point and begin to climb again on your way to the High Country Aid Station. The High Country Aid Station is located just outside out the High Country Guest Ranch.

You will continue the climb leaving High Country Aid Station but it will flatten out about halfway to Horse Creek Aid Station. You will be leaving the view of highways as the trail meanders through a mountain valley were you will begin to see more mountain streams and ponds, which all help to keep the air temperature cooler.

At the Horse Creek Aid Station we will have a Port-a-Pot. This will be the second Drop Bag location.

Now you will be running in my favorite part of the course. The trail will head down hill until you reach the Mystic Aid Station. You will travel through two former railroad tunnels, pass by several old mining camps/sights and see the true beauty of the Black Hills. The Mystic Aid Station does have a restroom and again is a trailhead.

Leaving Mystic Aid Station you will follow Castle Creek for several miles. The trail will stay flat to slightly up, but again the beauty of the area will help to take your focus off of the trail. You will travel through the third tunnel on your journey and will see several small waterfalls in Castle Creek along the trail as you approach the Gimlet Aid Station. This aid station is located at the intersection of Mystic Road and Rochford Road.

The gradual climb will continue to the Rochford Aid Station. The trail will follow near Rochford Road for most of this section and will cross several roads, so please be careful for crossing traffic. The aid station will be located at the trailhead just before the town of Rochford. You will need to turn off of the trail to enter the aid station. (Signs will be posted). There is a restroom at this aid station and it’s the third Drop Bag Location.

Following the next section of the course you will again leave the road side and work your way along a mountain valley with Rapid Creek running along the trail. And yes, the course still has a gentle climb through this section. You will pass through the last tunnel on the course in the middle of this section. There is a restroom located in this section at the Montana Mine sight (an information sign marks the location). The restroom is set just East of the trail near the dam. At this point the valley opens up on your approach to the Nahant Aid Station.

The course will again follow the highway through the open valley to the DMTM Exchange Aid Station. The trail still climbs at this point, reaching the highest point of the course just short of the aid station. We will have a Port-A-Pot there along with the fourth Drop Bag location. The DMTM Exchange Aid Station will be your turn-around point of the 100 mil event.

You are now on your way back to Custer. We hope that you enjoy the return trip to the finish. We will follow the same course and instructions as provided above.

As your approach Custer you will again meet up with the pavement. You will have the Custer Football/Track complex on your Left. You will leave the Mickelson Trail at this point. You will cross through a short section of grass, then you will turn Right into the parking lot. Again a short journey across the parking lot and then you will turn onto the track and will make a 1/2 lap around the track to the finish area. We will have signs, flags and cones leading you to the finish line.

5 Person Relay Information

The Lean Horse 100 wants to bring you into the sport of ultra running with the support of friends and family in “bite size” chunks of running. We are offering runners the option to participate in a 5 person relay team.

If this is your first time venturing in to the distance relays, then you’re in for a real treat. Imagine you and a group of your closest friends (or newest friends) running through the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota on the George Mickelson Trail. Traveling through the scenic Black Hills in a van with 4 other people, running on one of the most scenic trails around and developing memories and stories that you will share for a life-time. Then we have no doubt that this will be an experience you’ll never forget.

5 Person Team

Most of the teams in the race will be in this category. It is the most doable and definitely the most fun. If you have completed a half marathon, than you will be more than ready to handling the legs in the 5 person relay. Each member of the team will run 4 legs of varying lengths (see Relay Legs Chart below). As one person is running, the others will leap frog to the next aid station, where they will be ready to cheer you in. You will make your relay exchanges at each of the aid stations along the the course. The legs will very from 3.5 miles to 6.6 miles. With the shortest relay spot being 18.8 miles with the longest relay spot being 21.0 miles. Get your five person team together today and Register.

Team Captains & Race Registration

Most of the teams in the race will be in this category. It is the most doable and definitely the most fun. If you have completed a half marathon, than you will be more than ready to handling the legs in the 5 person relay. Each member of the team will run 4 legs of varying lengths (see Relay Legs Chart below). As one person is running, the others will leap frog to the next aid station, where they will be ready to cheer you in. You will make your relay exchanges at each of the aid stations along the the course. The legs will very from 3.5 miles to 6.6 miles. With the shortest relay spot being 18.8 miles with the longest relay spot being 21.0 miles. Get your five person team together today and Register.

Relay & Awards

All relay team members will receive a finisher’s medal upon finish of the event. Each team member of the following winning team category will receive a trophy (as a note 2 and 5 Person Relays are considered different events, so they will have separate awards). The categories are as following:

• First Place Male Team
• First Place Female Team
• First Place Co-ed (5 Person Relay can be made of any combination of male/female participants as long as there is a least one male or female on each team)