We did it — again.
Two years in, and Pioneer Crossings Relay is already something special. Thirty-six legs. Roughly 175 miles of Montana backroad, from the starting line in Twin Bridges to the finish in Virginia City. Six teams who showed up, handed off the baton (sometimes literally in the dark, in the middle of nowhere, at 3 a.m.), and got every single runner across that finish line.
Thank you for being part of it. Whatever leg you ran, whatever van you drove, whatever exchange point you stood at cheering — this event exists because you showed up for it. We mean that.
🥇 1st | Run Like The Winded
They take the win in their first year running this course — a strong, steady pace from Twin Bridges all the way to Virginia City. Congratulations, team.
🥈 2nd | Trinity Trotters
Crossed the line in second, closing hard over the back half of the course. A great showing in their second year!
🥉 3rd | Gang Greens
Rounded out the podium in third. Well earned.
And to The Country Punkins, Lake Berkley Lifeguards, and Worst Pace Scenario — fourth through sixth is still 175 miles of Montana you covered as a team. That’s no small thing. Thank you for running it with us.
Course replay
Thank You
Pioneer Crossings Relay doesn’t happen without a long list of people who gave their time, their trucks, their driveways as exchange points, and their weekend. Thank you to every volunteer who staffed a transition, every landowner who let us cross their ground, and everyone who came back for a second year. We’re building something here, and we’re building it with you.
Final standings
| Place | Team | Finish Time |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1st | Run Like The Winded | 27h 06m |
| 🥈 2nd | Trinity Trotters | 29h 04m |
| 🥉 3rd | Gang Greens | 29h 30m |
| 4th | The Country Punkins – 4-person | 30h 12m |
| 5th | Lake Berkley Lifeguards – 9-person | 30h 29m |
| 6th | Worst Pace Scenario | 31h 54m |
Leg pace setters
| Leg | Name | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Twin Bridges | The Country Punkins | 32 min |
| 2 | Rochester Creek | Gang Greens | 27 min |
| 3 | Nez Perce Courage | The Country Punkins | 28 min |
| 4 | The Highlands | Tie — Gang Greens / The Country Punkins | 34 min |
| 5 | McCartney View | Worst Pace Scenario | 38 min |
| 6 | Melrose | Run Like The Winded | 36 min |
| 7 | Frontage Haul | Run Like The Winded | 49 min |
| 8 | Divide | Lake Berkley Lifeguards | 50 min |
| 9 | Big Hole Canyon | The Country Punkins | 29 min |
| 10 | Dewey | Trinity Trotters | 30 min |
| 11 | Wise River Airport | Run Like The Winded | 31 min |
| 12 | Not So Sheepy | Run Like The Winded | 55 min |
See more leg results
| Leg | Name | Winner | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Going For Gold | The Country Punkins | 66 min |
| 14 | Mono Creek | Gang Greens | 44 min |
| 15 | Taming The Pioneers | The Country Punkins | 36 min |
| 16 | Elk Horn HS | The Country Punkins | 53 min |
| 17 | Polaris Crossing | Lake Berkley Lifeguards | 38 min |
| 18 | Grass Hopper Valley | Gang Greens | 54 min |
| 19 | No Turning Back | Run Like The Winded | 47 min |
| 20 | Taylor Creek | Tie — Trinity Trotters / Gang Greens | 43 min |
| 21 | Badger Pass | Run Like The Winded | 40 min |
| 22 | Sky Full Of Stars | Trinity Trotters | 46 min |
| 23 | Ten Mile Rd | Gang Greens | 40 min |
| 24 | Dillon | Run Like The Winded | 38 min |
| 25 | Sweet Watergate | Trinity Trotters | 34 min |
| 26 | County Line Travail | Gang Greens | 42 min |
| 27 | A Tough Ruby to Crack | Tie — Gang Greens / The Country Punkins | 45 min |
| 28 | Big Sky Cruiser | The Country Punkins | 52 min |
| 29 | Loving Fries | Run Like The Winded | 52 min |
| 30 | Upper Ruby Valley | Run Like The Winded | 26 min |
| 31 | Cattle Drive | Run Like The Winded | 38 min |
| 32 | Ruby Reservoir | Tie — Trinity Trotters / The Country Punkins | 47 min |
| 33 | A Dam Good View | Tie — Run Like The Winded / Trinity Trotters | 29 min |
| 34 | Into the Greenhorn Range | Trinity Trotters | 31 min |
| 35 | Ore Crusher | Run Like The Winded | 45 min |
| 36 | Virginia City | Run Like The Winded | 34 min |
See You Next Year
Mark your calendars: Pioneer Crossings Relay returns:
July 9–10
2027
Same course, same mountains, same stretch of Montana that tests a team’s legs and its friendships in equal measure. Registration details are coming soon — get your team together now, because you never know who might snag your ringer.
Thank you for making year two one to remember. See you out on the course.
Course photos
Special thanks go to Jessica Powell (Jessica Powell Photography) for coming down and providing a little more coverage than her husband could do on his own!
Twin Bridges
On the course
Hanging out
Virginia City
