Do you want to participate in the full Bear 100 experience in 2027 (including perhaps some pizza at an aid station)? Due to popular demand and to allow for a better registration experience, we are forced to adopt a lottery for the Bear 100 going forward. We had hoped to avoid this, but it has become necessary. Read on to learn how to qualify and apply.
Requirements
In order to register for the 2027 race, you must complete an official 50 miler in under 16 hours or complete any official 100K, 100 or 200 Miler under the cutoff before registering for The Bear 100.
Not accepted: Ironman races, while awesome and difficult, they are in a different class of race. We also don’t count it as a qualifier if you DNF’d at mile 50 or 75 of a 100 miler. Show us you can finish what you set out to do.
You must have completed the requirement within the last 4 years PRIOR to registering. Qualifying window for 2027 is December 1, 2022 to December 1, 2026. We will verify all qualifiers via official race results from Ultrasignup and/or the race’s website. Anyone who registers but has failed to complete the required qualifier will not be allowed in the lottery.
Dates:
Registration for Lottery – Open through November 15, 2026 – December 10, 2026
The lottery will be held on December 19th at 7pm MST
(The 2027 race date will be Friday September 24th, 2027)
Here are some details on how dates were selected for the 2027 event
Lottery Criteria
All lottery entrants will be sorted into the following ‘pools’ to determine ticket count.
- Never Finished
- Veteran
The ticket count in the “Never Finished” pool will be determined by the following formula:
2^N tickets, where N is the number of previous applications/years since the runner last started The Bear 100 not including this year. For example, a runner who hasn’t finished the Bear previously would have 1 ticket the first year they apply, 2 the second year, and 4 the third year they qualify and apply, etc. Don’t stress the math, we got it.
The ticket count in the “Veteran” pool will be determined by the following formula:
(2^N)*2 tickets, where N is the number of previous applications/years since the runner last started The Bear 100 not including this year. This runner would have twice the number of tickets, improving their odds of getting in. A “Veteran” runner would have 2 tickets the first year applying after completing a previous Bear 100 and 4 tickets the next year if they weren’t chosen that first year, etc. A “Veteran” is defined as someone who completed a previous Bear 100 under the 36 hour cutoff successfully.
Once ticket counts are determined, the lottery will be a single pool and all entrants will be drawn from that single pool.
Once you are selected in the lottery, you will be charged for the entry fee. Only enter the lottery if you are willing and able to pay the entry free on the lottery date. You are not charged at the time of entering the lottery, only if selected.
Gender Policy
We do not discriminate based on gender. All runners have an equal chance in the lottery. We want all to apply and have determined that this is a fair approach.
Alternate Entry Methods
We will reserve 14 spots for each of the Aid Station Captains (including the Finish and Communications captains) to choose their own method of awarding their lucky recipient of the entry. This person must have a valid qualifier and must still pay their entry fee. They must register for the lottery during the lottery window to be eligible for selection.
We will reserve 14 spots for the “Bear Tag” winners. These are comped entries.
We will reserve 7 spots for sponsor entries. These are comped entries. These will be distributed upon agreement of the race committee and our valued sponsors.
We will reserve 10 spots for special consideration entrants. These may be filled at the time of the lottery or as the race approaches. The race committee will agree upon the candidates selected for special consideration. These entries are not usually comped but provide a way to bypass the lottery if selected.
- This may include elite entrants.
- Those that contribute to the community in a meaningful way.
- Those that have completed the race 4 or more times.
- Those that are ambassadors for minority groups.
- Those who plan on completing the Rocky Mountain Slam (see below for more details).
To be considered for these 10 spots email bear100info@gmail.com no later than September 1st with a (no longer than) 1-page essay explaining your justification for applying for special consideration.
Any unused spots above will be opened up to a runner on the waiting list.
That leaves 270 spots for the general lottery and caps the field at 315 runners. We believe this size strikes the right balance between welcoming runners, caring for the mountains we love, and delivering an exceptional race experience.
Lottery Pool
The general lottery pool will consist of 270 spots. Odds will be determined based on the number of entrants and the mix of “Nevers” and “Veterans”. The quick and dirty is that Veterans have roughly 2x the chance of being drawn as the Nevers. Actual odds based on actual applicants will be communicated after the lottery has closed and prior to the lottery date. We do not anticipate it being overly difficult to get into The Bear. We believe most will get in within 1-2 years.
Waiting List
After selecting the 270 entrants during the lottery, we will draw up to an additional 300 entrants to fill vacancies from a runner dropping from the race.
In 2025 and 2026 we cleared the waiting list as most people assumed that they wouldn’t get in, made other plans, then declined when it was their turn. It is much smarter to plan on running.
Rocky Mountain Slam Entrants
All RMS entrants should enter the lottery. Ideally most are drawn in the lottery. If you are not selected in the general lottery you should do the following:
- Register for the RMS on Ultrasignup prior to the deadline (July 15, 2027)
- Email RD bear100info@gmail.com to share intent to complete RMS
- Complete at least 3 of the RMS races
- After completion of 3 races we will allow entrant to bypass the WL/Entrant list
What if I withdraw?
If you are selected in the race or are selected on the waiting list and choose to not run you do not “lose your tickets”.
Read the lottery criteria section again. Your tickets are calculated based on the number of previous applications since your last start. If you drop prior to starting, you “keep your tickets”. You can remove yourself from the waitlist but must email the RD (bear100info@gmail.com) to be removed from the entrant list. If it is not your year, drop so others can plan and prepare.
If you start the race and either finish or DNF your tickets reset.
Pregnancy or active duty military deferrals (up to 2 years) began in 2026. If a runner wishes to use a pregnancy or military deferral they must enter the lottery and will be granted entry from the pool of 270 spots.
