Getting In · International ultra
UTMB Mont-Blanc
A full circuit of the Mont Blanc massif through three countries, starting in Chamonix at six in the evening with the Vangelis music playing and ten thousand people in the square. UTMB is the biggest event in trail running, and getting in has become a structured, multi-season, faintly commercial project.
- Distance
- ~171 km~106 miles
- Climbing
- ~10,000 m~33,000 ft
- Countries
- France, Italy, Switzerland
- Field
- ~2,800
- Cutoff
- 46h30
- Lottery
- January
The Tour du Mont Blanc is a legendary hiking route. UTMB runs the whole thing, in one push, with 10,000 metres of climbing, over passes above 2,500 metres, at night, in weather that can turn from summer to winter in an hour. The start in Chamonix is the most emotionally charged moment in trail running and the finish, back into the same square, is the payoff people spend years working toward.
The entry system has become genuinely complicated. UTMB built a global World Series and tied entry to participation in it, which trail runners argue about constantly and which nonetheless is how you get in.
How to get in
- Time qualifierRunning Stones and the UTMB Index
Finish UTMB World Series races to collect Running Stones, which are your lottery tickets, and to establish a valid UTMB Index in the right distance category. Both are required: at least one active Running Stone plus a valid Index for the category you're entering. The qualifying window has tightened to prioritise recent performances, so check the current rules.
- LotteryThe lottery
Pre-registration has recently run in early January with results a couple of weeks later. More stones means more chances, and unselected stones roll over. New for 2026: runners who commit to UTMB's responsible mobility pledge, travelling to Chamonix by low-carbon, car-free transport, receive a 30 percent boost to their lottery odds, and selected runners pay a carbon contribution based on their round-trip travel.
- Time qualifierCCC and OCC
The 100K and 55K races have their own lotteries and their own stone requirements, and they are the normal stepping stones. Many runners do OCC, then CCC, then UTMB across three or four years, which also builds the Index and stone bank they need.
- Time qualifierElite and special entries
High UTMB Index runners get direct entry. Press and sponsor pathways now require at least one Running Stone earned in the past two years plus a valid Index, which closed a long-standing back door.
- Tour operatorTravel packages
Chamonix accommodation during race week is scarce and expensive. Book the moment you're in.
The three-season plan
| Season | What you run | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A World Series 50K or 100K near home | Establishes your UTMB Index and earns your first stones. |
| 2 | OCC or CCC at Chamonix, plus another World Series race | Learn the valley, the altitude, and the night. Bank more stones. |
| 3 | UTMB lottery with a real stone count | Meaningful odds, and you already know the course from the OCC and CCC sections. |
North American runners should look at the World Series races on this continent to build stones without transatlantic flights every year.
What the mountain asks for
- Poles. Almost everyone uses them and 10,000 metres of vertical is why.
- Mandatory kit is enforced. Full waterproofs, spare layers, headlamps with spare batteries. Kit checks happen and people are disqualified.
- Two nights out for most runners. Plan the second night, when the field is spread out and cold and you're at Grand Col Ferret in the dark.
- Train descending. The descents into Courmayeur and Champex are long and steep and they break quads that only trained climbing.
- Weather changes everything. A UTMB in rain is a different race, with rerouted courses in bad years.
Questions runners actually ask
What are Running Stones?
Lottery tickets earned by finishing UTMB World Series races. More stones means better odds, and unselected stones roll over. You also need a valid UTMB Index in the distance category you are entering.
What changed for 2026?
Runners who commit to travelling to Chamonix by low-carbon, car-free transport get a 30 percent boost to their lottery odds, selected runners pay a carbon contribution based on their travel, and the press and sponsor pathway now requires a recent Running Stone plus a valid Index.
Should I run CCC or OCC first?
Most people do. They have their own lotteries, they build your Index and stone bank, and they teach you the terrain, the altitude, and the atmosphere before you commit to 171 kilometres.
Go to the source
Entry rules, dates, standards, fees, and odds change every single year, and the interesting races change them the most. Use this guide to build the plan; use the official site to confirm the details before you book anything.
If this is your kind of thing
Need the races in between? The hard part of a bucket list year is everything else on the calendar: the qualifier, the tune-up, the long run with a bib on.