Hellbender 100, live.

A hundred miles through the Black Mountains

The Hellbender 100 starts at 5:00 am on Friday 7 May 2027 at Camp Grier in Old Fort, North Carolina.

The Hellbender One Hundred is presented by the RUN828 Foundation in western North Carolina. The course tours the Black Mountains, drops into the valleys below and reaches the summit of Mt. Mitchell, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi.

Hurricane Helene hit the course hard in September 2024, and many of the original trails stayed closed, so recent editions used a modified route. The organiser hopes to return to the original course in 2027. The current breakdown is about 75.7 miles of trail, 15.4 miles of gravel and 9.4 miles of pavement.

Entry has requirements. Runners need a 100K with 10,000 feet of climbing or any 100 mile finish between 1 May 2025 and 1 May 2027, or the Mount Mitchell Heartbreaker 50 miler, and at least 8 hours of trail or race volunteering between 1 May 2026 and 1 May 2027. Registration opened on 1 October 2026.

Because of the unpredictable mountain weather, every runner and pacer must carry mandatory gear at all times, including a headlamp, a backup light and a flashing red light for night road sections. Runners who drop hand their bib and tracker to the nearest aid station, and transport back to Camp Grier is provided if needed.

On Livebib you can follow a participant who chooses to share their own live position from the phone they carry. This is not the organiser's timing, and official results come from the Hellbender 100.