CORE VALUES: 

The Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation Core Values will inspire our decisions and guide our funding choices.

• Education – we support partnerships that motivate Leadville Lake County youth to further themselves through educational opportunities.

• Economic Vitality– we are committed to ensuring a thriving economy for our town, and value ideals that pursue economic success and prosperity.

• Community – we support ideas and participate in initiatives with other Leadville Lake County partners, that benefit the greater good of the town.

• Recreation – we value the benefits of recreation in promoting and encouraging a quality, healthy life for our Leadville Lake county community.

• Our Legacy – we appreciate and value the mining history that got us here.   We understand that it is an important part of the culture of the town and what makes Leadville unique.

OUR STORY

In 1982, Leadville's primary employer, Climax Mine, closed and 3,000 miners were instantly unemployed, devastating the town. Overnight, Lake County had the highest unemployment in the nation. In searching for ways to save the struggling community, the Leadville Trail 100 running race was born. Beginning with 45 runners racing an epic 100 mile trek through the rugged Rocky Mountain terrain, the Leadville Race Series has now expanded with events from California to New York, hosting thousands of endurance runners and mountain bikers from all over the world.

Through the growing popularity of these race events the Lake County community has thrived. In 2012 Colorado Mountain College produced an economic assessment that reported the races brought over $15 million into the county each year. Athletes have fallen in love with Leadville, returning year after year, buying homes, and wanting to give back. In 2002 the Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation was created to harness the generous donations of racers to the local community.

The Leadville Trail 100 Legacy Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (Tax ID # 84-1604797) creating a formal and legal means to garner contributions, serving the ever-increasing needs of our historic and beloved Leadville, Lake County community.