An Invitation to Montana Resources
Good stewards of the Richest Hill on Earth.
Montana Resources mines the copper that made Butte. The Copper Kings 100 carries 150 runners across the trails that wind through those same hills — and gives back to keep this ground thriving for the next hundred years.
From the founder
From Butte people, running through his family's history.
My people are Butte people. My parents were born and raised here. My dad's father worked the mines, and my mom's father, Don Ulrich, served Butte‑Silver Bow as county commissioner and gave his life to making this town better.
I built the Copper Kings 100 to run through that history. The 100‑mile loop circles Butte and follows 63 miles of the Continental Divide Trail across reclaimed and remediated mining country. Every June, runners from across the country cross this ground — and call it beautiful. That is the whole point: to show that the land Butte has worked for over a century becomes something the whole community can use, love, and be proud of.
Keeping those trails cared for, and keeping this event here for the long haul, is the work of the Montana Endurance Trail Foundation — our 501(c)(3) nonprofit. I'd be honored to have Montana Resources stand with us as a founding steward.
Proven in its first year
A real event, with real impact for Butte.
Source: 2025 post‑event participant survey (70% response rate) and registration records. Zero serious medical incidents across the 40‑hour event.
Why this fits Montana Resources
Your copper legacy, told as a story people love.
01
The proof, on the ground
Every runner crosses reclaimed and remediated mining country and comes away inspired. The Copper Kings 100 is living proof that responsible mining and restoration leave behind land the whole community can enjoy. And a real audience sees it: 150 runners and the families and crews they bring — about 2.5 people per runner — add up to an estimated 375 people on this ground each year.
02
Dollars and goodwill for Butte
$42,580+ in spending, 76+ hotel nights, and 228+ first‑time visitors in year one — concentrated in late June when Butte's businesses need it most. Your support keeps that engine running for the community you operate in.
03
A partnership already underway
Montana Resources is joining us at packet pickup to speak to all 150 runners about your operations first‑hand. A founding gift turns one great evening into a lasting partnership — and puts your name on the trails you help protect.
Where it goes
What a founding gift makes possible.
Year-round trail stewardship
Hands-on care for the trails and reclaimed lands the course crosses — clearing, drainage, erosion repair, and signage — so they stay safe and beautiful between events.
Long-term independence
Helping the Copper Kings 100 stand on its own beyond start‑up grants — so this event is here for Butte for decades, not just a season.
Giving back to the trails we use
The foundation passes support to the Continental Divide Trail Coalition, Our Lady of the Rockies, and the Mile High Nordic Ski Education Foundation.
“During five trips through Montana I'd never stopped in Butte. Copper Kings brought me here, and I'm so lucky it did. What an amazing town.”— 2025 Copper Kings 100 finisher
The invitation
A founding steward gift of
A cornerstone gift that launches the Copper Kings 100's first dedicated trail‑stewardship effort and anchors the event's long‑term future in Butte. Whatever level you choose, every dollar goes to work close to home.
Featured among our supporters at mtetf.org and copperkings100.com.
A genuine shout‑out to Montana Resources across our social channels and runner community.
Recognition as a 2026 community partner — alongside your guest‑speaker role at packet pickup.
Help keep Butte's trails
worthy of its copper.
Make your founding gift to the Montana Endurance Trail Foundation today.
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Contact Wes Plate · wes@mtetf.org · (406) 479‑0878