Race guide · The one I'm building toward
UTMB Mont-Blanc
One loop through France, Italy and Switzerland. Here is the official course, broken into the pieces I plan around.
The 28 August 2026 race has been run. The official race page has not yet published the 2027 UTMB route or race date. This guide retains the measured 2026 GPX route (176.9 km / 9,976 m+) for reference.
- Start
- Friday August 28 2026, 19:45
- Distance
- 171 km
- Climb
- 10,000 m+
- Highest point
- Col des Pyramides Calcaires, 2565 m
Local time (Chamonix). Final cut-off Sunday August 30 2026, 17:15. Source: montblanc.utmb.world · Last checked 12 October 2026.
The 28 August 2026 race has been run. The official race page has not yet published the 2027 UTMB route or race date. This guide retains the measured 2026 GPX route (176.9 km / 9,976 m+) for reference.
Elevation profile
Checkpoints, aid & cut-offs
| Checkpoint | km | Altitude | Aid | Cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamonix | 0 | 1035 m | — | — |
| Les Houches | 9.1 | 1009 m | Drinks | — |
| Saint-Gervais | 22.9 | 809 m | Food & drinks | Fri 10:00 PM |
| Les Contamines | 32.5 | 1148 m | Food & drinks | Sat 12:00 AM |
| Notre Dame de la Gorge | 36.9 | 1205 m | — | — |
| La Balme | 41.2 | 1704 m | — | Sat 02:00 AM |
| Col du Bonhomme | 45 | 2329 m | — | — |
| Refuge de la Croix du Bonhomme | 47 | 2448 m | — | — |
| Les Chapieux | 52.3 | 1546 m | Hot food | Sat 05:15 AM |
| Col de la Seigne | 63.1 | 2511 m | — | — |
| Col des Pyramides Calcaires | 65.8 | 2565 m | — | — |
| Lac Combal | 69.5 | 1973 m | Food & drinks | Sat 10:00 AM |
| Arête du Mont Favre | 73.9 | 2412 m | — | — |
| Checrouit - Maison Vieille | 78.5 | 1961 m | Drinks | — |
| Courmayeur Sport Center | 83.3 | 1195 m | Hot food | Sat 01:15 PM |
| Refuge Bertone | 88.8 | 1982 m | Drinks | — |
| Refuge Bonatti | 96.4 | 2024 m | — | — |
| Arnouvaz | 101.8 | 1772 m | Food & drinks | Sat 06:15 PM |
| Grand Col Ferret | 106.3 | 2527 m | — | — |
| La Peule | 109.9 | 2084 m | — | — |
| La Fouly | 116.3 | 1604 m | Food & drinks | Sat 10:30 PM |
| Praz de Fort | 124.7 | 1155 m | — | — |
| Champex-Lac | 130.5 | 1475 m | Hot food | Sun 02:30 AM |
| Plan de l'Au | 135.4 | 1340 m | — | Sun 03:45 AM |
| La Giète | 142.1 | 1876 m | — | — |
| Trient | 147.1 | 1303 m | Food & drinks | Sun 08:00 AM |
| Les Tseppes | 151.1 | 1936 m | — | — |
| Vallorcine | 158.5 | 1260 m | Food & drinks | Sun 11:15 AM |
| Col des Montets | 162.3 | 1461 m | — | — |
| Tête de Béchar | 164.8 | 1705 m | — | — |
| La Flégère | 169.9 | 1875 m | Drinks | Sun 02:45 PM |
| Chamonix | 176.9 | 1036 m | Hot food | Sun 04:30 PM |
Cut-offs and aid can change before race week — always use the official race page.
How I break it down
- Chamonix → Les Chapieux. The first night. Easy early, eat from the first hour, headlamp ready before dark.
- Col de la Seigne → Courmayeur. Into Italy at dawn. Courmayeur is the place to reset: food, dry layers, feet.
- Grand Col Ferret → Champex-Lac. The highest col and the long run into Switzerland. Weather decisions matter here.
- Trient → Chamonix. Three steep climbs on tired legs and often a second night. Patience over pace.
Mandatory gear (100M)
- · Mobile phone, charged, organiser numbers saved, roaming on
- · Whistle
- · Survival blanket (min. 1.4 × 2 m)
- · Adhesive elastic bandage (min. 100 × 6 cm)
- · Photo ID
- · Water reserve, min. 1 litre
- · Personal cup, min. 15 cl (no disposable cups at aid stations)
- · Food reserve
- · Waterproof, breathable jacket with hood
- · Long running trousers or leggings (or tights + socks covering legs)
- · Warm long-sleeve mid-layer
- · Warm hat or buff
- · Warm, waterproof gloves
- · Waterproof over-trousers
- · Headlamp with spare batteries
- · Second lamp with its own batteries
- · Race bib, visible at all times
Project 171 is independent of UTMB®. Official UTMB race page · Qualification plan: winning pace vs cut-off · See my 16-week training plan · Sponsors FAQ