Welcome to Missoula’s longest running trail race! With 2,000 feet of elevation gain in only 1.5 miles, this course is short, steep, and ends on the proud summit of Mount Sentinel. After the race, participants will receive a 2022 Hill Climb mug and a scoop of Big Dipper Ice Cream!
Registration:
Registration opens February 28th, 2023
This event will be limited to 250 runners.
There will be no refunds, deferrals, or bib transfers.
Runners Receive:
- Sentinel Hill Climb mug
- Big Dipper Ice Cream
- Chip timing from Competitive Timing
- Hammer Nutrition products at the finish
Awards
- $100 cash to the first place male and female.
- $50 premium to the first male and female to the ‘M’ (must finish race to be eligible).
- Age group winners will win a gift card to Big Dipper Ice Cream.
- Age groups: 0-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
Schedule
Thursday, April 28th
- 12:00PM – 4:00PM: Packet Pick Up in the Runner’s Edge Basement
- 5:00PM: Packet Pick Up at M Trailhead
- 5:30PM: Kids Run Start
- 6:00PM: Elite Start*
- 6:02PM: Wave 1 Start
- 6:04PM: Wave 2 Start
- 6:06PM: Wave 3 Start
- 7:30PM: Awards Ceremony at the base area
*Elites – We are excited to bring together some of Western Montana’s best hill climbers to battle it out at the Sentinel Hill Climb. Elite qualifying standards are sub-24 minutes for men and sub-30 minutes for women. You will receive an invitation to the elite heat after registration. If you have any questions, email adam@runnersedgemt.com.
Location:
The Sentinel Hill Climb starts at the base of Mount Sentinel in the ‘M’ Parking Lot on the University of Montana Campus.
Parking
- Parking is available in the ‘M’ Trail Parking Lot and is limited. Surrounding lots require a University parking pass. Please carpool if you can.
The Kids ‘M’ Trail Climb (Free!)
Starting 30 minutes before the Sentinel Hill Climb, the Kids Run goes from the base area to the M (0.6 miles with 600 feet of climbing). After finishing their run at the M, kids can stick around and cheer on the Sentinel Hill Climbers as they make their way up the mountain. Afterwards, everyone can celebrate with Big Dipper Ice Cream at the base area.
We’ll have a group of folks from Big Dipper Running making sure the kids go the correct way and know when to head down.
Registration is free!
Course
This demanding course gains 1,970 feet in only 1.6 miles, beginning from the ‘M’ trail parking lot and finishing on the proud summit of Mount Sentinel. The first 1/3 of the climb follows the ‘M’ trail while the remainder follows the Northwest ridge trail to the summit.
Course Map
To view the map, click “Load Sentinel Hill Climb.”
Results:
- 2011 Overall Results
- 2012 Sentinel Hill Climb | ‘M’ Trail Trot
- 2013 Overall Results
- 2014 Overall Results
- 2015 Overall Results
- 2016 Overall Results
- 2017 Overall Results
- 2018 Overall Results
- 2019 Overall Results
- 2020 Overall Results (Virtual)
- 2021 Overall Results | Virtual Results
- 2022 Overall Results
Friends of the ‘M’ Trail:
The Sentinel Hill Climb is conducted solely on University of Montana property. If you would like to support UM’s efforts to work with the broader Missoula community in providing stewardship and maintenance of Mt Sentinel’s much-loved and much-used trails, please consider making a donation in any amount to the Friends of the ‘M’ Trail. Your donation is entirely tax deductible.
Learn more about The Friends of the ‘M’ Trail and opportunities to help HERE.
Questions?
Please email adam@runnersedgemt.com