Running Up for Air | Mt Sentinel

Who's ready to run or hike laps up Mt. Sentinel... in February?! Tackling air quality and climate issues is a figurative mountain of a challenge. There's no better way to start tackling those issues while building community than by climbing a literal mountain. From that concept, RUFA was born. 

Running Up for Air (RUFA) Mt. Sentinel is a 3, 6, 12 or 24-hour winter endurance challenge on Mt. Sentinel (5,158’ elevation), the iconic mountain on the edge of Missoula, that turns your physical effort into funding that supports clean air and local climate solutions right here in our valley.  

Missoulians are lucky enough to have some of the best access to trails and wild places in the country. However, our beautiful valley is often plagued by poor air quality - from wildfire smoke in the summer and wintertime inversions, to year-long air pollution from transportation, buildings, waste management and more. Participants of RUFA Mt. Sentinel will attempt to summit the mountain as many times as possible to raise awareness and money to address air quality issues affecting our valley and home. With each registration, a fundraising page will be created on your behalf. Participants are encouraged to gather pledges from friends and family for each lap completed up the mountain.  

All proceeds from this event go to Climate Smart Missoula and their efforts to improve air quality and health for all Montanans. This Missoula-based nonprofit has over 10 years of experience building and accelerating local climate solutions, from helping folks keep their indoor air clean during wildfire smoke season and planting trees, to transitioning methane-gas powered systems to efficient electric ones and going solar! 

RUFA Mt. Sentinel is a part of the Up For Air Series, which states, "working for clean air is an endurance sport. Whether you’re accruing vert in one of our races, volunteering your time to make our events unforgettable, donating to fuel the cause, or becoming part of our incredible family of sponsors, RUFA is all about taking action. Every contribution makes a difference, so come be a part of something special and help us breathe new life into our communities."

Let's do this! 

Past race photos by Anastasia Wilde:

2024, 2023, 2022

Aid Stations
There will be a very small aid station atop Mt. Sentinel to provide light fare for participants. Expect a few snacks. There will be extremely limited water, please carry enough water to complete a full lap. At the start/finish area there will be a large heated tent with a fully-stocked aid station. There will be an area to leave a drop bag with extra layers. Please bring a reusable cup/mug/plate/bowl to help us reduce our trash waste!

Base Area Aid Station Fare:

Water
Electrolyte drink (TBD on brand)
Skratch gummies
Pretzels
Gummy Bears
M&M’s
Trail Mix
Chips
Oreos
Coke/Sprite
Broth/soup
Other solid food rotated throughout the day

Race Course
The race begins at the M-Trail parking lot and climbs the switchbacks to the M. The route then climbs the steep Northwest Ridge Trail to the summit of Sentinel. A small aid station awaits on top. Head over the summit and descend back down to the base area on the Boy Scout Trail, then the M Trail. While only 4 miles long, each lap on this classic route has ~1,900’ of elevation gain. Repeat this route as many times as possible or until you Refuse To Continue (RTC). The time of year (February!) is intentional as it coincides with reduced winter air pollution but is safely before the summer fire season.

Because the M Trail receives so much use, erosion is a constant management issue.  The Friends of the M Trail asks all hikers and runners to stay on well-established trails. To support the maintenance of the Mt. Sentinel trail system, consider a donation to the Friends of the M Trail here.

RUFA Mt. Sentinel is a cupless event! Please plan on bringing a bottle, cup, and/or mug for use at the base area (we’ll have coffee, cocoa, broth, water, electrolyte drink, etc.). We will have compostable bowls and spoons, but bringing your own is STRONGLY encouraged. Thank you for your understanding.

In addition to being a cupless event, we will have a compost bin and recycling available at the base area. Please put your waste in the appropriate bin and don't hesitate to ask if you have questions!

Given the time of year the route is very likely to be either muddy, icy, entirely snow-covered, or a combination of these conditions. As a result, traction devices (such as Kahtoola Microspikes) will be required and staying on-trail at all times will be MANDATORY.

24 hour: space blanket, headlamp with extra batteries, and traction are MANDATORY

Be prepared for ice, snow, wind, cold, rain, mud, and sun. There is a strong likelihood you will encounter all of these conditions on race day! Be ready for anything and bring appropriate layers to leave in your car or in a drop bag at the base aid station. Layers will be very important!

12hr participants will need a headlamp for the first 1.5-2 hours of the event.

Sunset will be at 5:47pm, civil twilight at 6:19pm. Sunrise will be at 7:51am, civil twilight at 7:20am.

Climate Smart Missoula

We are proud to raise money for Climate Smart Missoula, our local nonprofit partner. All fundraising dollars and 100% of race process go to supporting Climate Smart Missoula and the work they do to address climate and air quality issues. 

Climate Smart Missoula is a local nonprofit organization working to catalyze efforts to reduce our carbon footprint and build a resilient and equitable Missoula. Since launching in 2015, they have grown their signature "Summer Smart" initiative to help Missoula and the surrounding region better respond to changing conditions, particularly wildfire smoke and extreme heat. Climate Smart continues to grow efforts to educate people about the risks of wildfire smoke & unhealthy air and how to stay healthy. A key component of this encourages the indoor use of HEPA Portable Air Cleaners, and via donated funds, they provide these free of charge to those most in need. The best time to begin to prepare for summer smoke is in the winter! More at missoulaclimate.org.

Location & Parking

Start Location

We strongly encourage all participants and volunteers to carpool, walk, or bike to the event! There will be parking available at the M Trail trailhead for all volunteers and participants. In the afternoon parking will likely fill up in the M Trail lot! Please arrive early enough that you can utilize one of the other parking areas at the university if needed.

Format/Schedule
Complete as many laps on Mt. Sentinel as possible! Whether it’s one lap or a five, test yourself and have a blast on Missoula’s favorite mountain and most popular trail while taking a stand in the fight for improved air quality.

Friday, February 6th

4:00pm - 7:00pm packet pickup at the base area
6:00pm - 24 hr starts

Saturday, February 7th

6:00am – 12 hr and AM 6hr start 
9:00am - AM 3hr start
12:00pm – PM 6 hr start, AM 3hr and AM 6hr finish
3:00pm – PM 3 hr start
6:00pm – 24hr, 12hr, and PM 6hr finish, post-race food
Awards: special awards will go to the top three female, male, and non-binary runners in the 24-hour, 12-hour, 6-hour, and 3-hour categories.  There will not be an official awards ceremony, rather awards will be handed out as the end of the event approaches and we have enough data to know our top 3 runners in each category

Safety is our biggest priority. There are inherent risks to running a mountain race during the winter months. We reserve the right to cancel the race, delay the start time, or shorten the event, if the race organization deems the conditions to be too dangerous for volunteers and/or participants. Expect cancellations or delays if temperatures are below zero, windchill is below -10, visibility is impaired due to snow, conditions on course become unsafe, or any combination of these conditions occur that could endanger participants and/or volunteers. In short: this is a mountain race and we could have mountain weather. Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst, and understand we will ultimately make the decision that keeps people safe.