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The Move Montana (MoveMT) Virtual Challenge

Sun July 19 - Mon September 7 Missoula, MT 59802 US
No matter where you are, get active this summer and move your way virtually through Montana by logging your mileage or elevation in our challenges and earn a unique Montana themed finisher shirt specific to the challenge you complete.

Events

$25 No Shirt

MoveMT Distance Challenge across Flathead Lake (33 miles)

 Perfect for beginner swimmers, SUPers, paddlers, walkers and kids.
$25 No Shirt

MoveMT Distance Challenge through Glacier National Park (99 miles)

 Perfect for avid swimmers, SUPers, paddlers, walkers, hikers, and kids.
$25 No Shirt

MoveMT Distance Challenge from Glacier To Yellowstone (357 miles)

 Perfect for swimmers, SUPers, paddlers, walkers, runners, hikers, and cyclists
$25 No Shirt

MoveMT Distance Challenge across Montana East/West (660 miles)

Perfect for runners, hikers, and cyclists
$25 No Shirt

MoveMT Distance Challenge across the Montana Continental Divide Trail (877 miles)

Perfect for avid runners, hikers, and cyclists
$25 No Shirt

MoveMT Distance Challenge along the Boundary of Montana (1,947 miles)

Perfect for avid ultra runners, hikers, and cyclists
$25 No Shirt

MoveMT Elevation Challenge up Montana's Ten Highest Peaks (116,820 ft)

For the very active hiker, trail runner, or mountain biker

Place

Anywhere in the world!
Missoula, MT US 59802

Description

 

MoveMT = Move Montana = Movement = MoveMT. Get it!?

This summer, where-ever you live, run, hike, walk, bike, paddle, swim, MOVE your way across Montana, aka "The Last Best Place" virtually. Signup for a virtual challenge (or two at a discounted price) and earn a unique finisher T-shirt for each challenge. Any physical activity no matter where counts towards your distance or elevation goal. As you log miles between July 4th and Labor Day, you will be able see your progress on the MoveMT challenge map. 

Maybe your bike, marathon, or trail run was cancelled. Maybe your Montana Vacation plans were cancelled. Maybe you always wanted to visit the state. Ever wanted to hike through Glacier National Park, swim or paddle the distance of Flathead Lake, or bike across Montana? Now's your chance to MoveMT across Montana! The mission is to motivate you to get active this summer and push yourself. Exercise is one of the best stress relievers and we know this has been one stressful year. Let us motivate you to MoveMT and jump start your training for the next 5k, marathon, and bike event.

Join at anytime this summer before the challenge is over. You are welcome to backlog your activities to July 4th if you would like.

Pricing-$50 (or $25 no-shirt)

For each registrant you add onto your registration receive $5 back.

Sign Up For 2+ Challenges and receive $10 back

Opt out of T-shirt during registration receive $25 back

Refer 5 people earn $20 back. Refer 10, earn $50 back

 

Note: The routes are just for fun to follow along, stay motivated, and learn about different places in Montana. Your avatar will progress on the map. During this time, we do not recommend traveling to or logging activities on the challenge routes. Some areas are closed like the Many Glacier Valley and the Blackfeet Reservation on the east side of Glacier National Park.

 

The Challenges

MoveMT Distance Challenge across Flathead Lake (33 miles)

Flathead Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Missouri river in the US and is 27.28 miles in length. However, we are taking a 33 mile scenic tour of the lake. On the map you will start on the southern end of the lake in Polson and progress north past Findley Point where you will start heading your way towards Wild Horse Island where the Salish-Kootenai pastured and raised their horses. Yep, there are still some horses there! You will move around the island and then make your way to the Northeast corner of the lake and finish in the harbor of Big Fork at the Swan River Mouth.  This challenge comes out to an average of 0.5 miles/day. This is a good challenge for the swimmer, paddler or person that wants to start a walking program.

 

MoveMT Distance Challenge through Glacier National Park (99 miles)

Glacier National Park, the Crown of the Continent. This challenge takes you through perhaps the most breathtaking scenery in the United States with abundant wildlife from grizzly bears and big horn sheep to mountain goats and wolverines. Start in West Glacier and make a quick stop in Apgar at the southern tip of Lake McDonald. Move your way along the eastern shore and up to Trout Lake. From here, you will progress to the western side of the park and resupply in Polebridge, a perfect place for a coffee and bear claw pastry before heading deep into the park past Bowman Lake and Waterton Lake near the Canadian border. Climb your way up Swiftcurrent Mountain, situated on the continental divide with the highest lookout in the Park with a views of four glaciers and dozens of more peaks before finally making your way down to Swiftcurrent Lake. You will end this challenge at the beautiful Many Glacier lodge. This challenge averages 1.5 mi / day or 10.5 mi / week. Another good challenge for swimmers, paddlers, walkers, or hikers.

 

MoveMT Distance Challenge across Montana North/South (279 miles)

Start this challenge on the South Western Idaho/Montana border and move your way north through the Bitterroot valley surrounded by the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains. Stop in the Missoula Valley with the confluence of the the Clark Fork, Bitterroot, and Blackfoot Rivers before making your way up to the Flathead Indian Reservation home to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes as well as the Mission Valley with spectacular views of the Mission Mountains. You will travel around the eastern shore of Flathead lake before heading through Whitefish and the past the Ten Lakes Wilderness Study area on your way to Eureka, MT. Just a few more miles and you made it to the Canadian/MT border in Roosville, near Lake Koocanusa. This challenge averages 3.5 mi / day or 30 mi / week. This is a great challenge for runners and paddlers, swimmers, walkers and others that do a variety physical activities.

 

MoveMT Distance Challenge from Glacier To Yellowstone (357 miles)

Two National Parks in one challenge? Yep! Make your way from East Glacier through the Blackfeet Nation home of the Siksikaitsitapi people down the Rocky Mountain Front, where the mountains meet the prairies. Move your way through Helena, Montana's capital, and then through Bozeman before making your final trip through the Paradise Valley. At the end of the Paradise Valley you may encounter a herd of elk before entering Gardiner, MT, the main entrance to Yellowstone National that hosts the Roosevelt Arch. "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People". This challenge averages 5.4 mi / day or 38 mi / week. 

 

MoveMT Distance Challenge across Montana East/West (660 miles)

Montana is a huge state and about 630 miles east to west but this route will go a touch further and follow the southern East to West route. Start near North Dakota in Glendive which is famous for it's dinosaur fossils and move across the eastern Montana plains past pronghorns, the fastest North American land animal! Pass through Billings with it's beautiful rim rocks and views of the Beartooth Mountains. Move through Bozeman, then over the continental divide to Butte, famous being the "Richest Hill on Earth" and at one point had 10,000 miles of underground mining tunnels. From Butte, follow the Clark Fork river through Missoula and move you way through the old logging and silver & gold mining towns such as Deborgia and Saltese before ending in the ghost-town of Taft near the Idaho border where lumberjacks, outlaws, and gamblers met before it succumbed to flames of the "The Great Burn of 1910".  This challenge averages 10 mi / day or 60 mi / week. A great challenge for avid runners as well as mountain bikers.

 

MoveMT Distance Challenge across the Montana Continental Divide Trail (877 miles)

One our favorite challenges!  The Continental Divide Trail or CDT for short is iconic.  There is hiking route and a biking route for the CDT.  We'll start near Rooseville, MT for our challenge and follow the route south.  Through one of Montana's Tourism hubs, Whitefish, MT.  Then down through the Swan Mountains and then the Bitterroot Mountains.  Through the person less Big Hole Valley and into the southern plains and exposed elements. This challenge averages 13.3 mi / day or 97 mi / week. This is a nice one for a recreational cyclist, or someone who 100 miles a week is a push or a nice challenge.

 

MoveMT Distance Challenge along the Boundary of Montana (1,947 miles)

For those that want a bigger distance challenge, this one will take you around the whole perimeter of Montana! Start at Lookout Pass on the Idaho/Montana western border and work your way clockwise north to the Canadian border through the Cabinet Mountains and then follow the Montana Canada high-line through through the Crown of the Continent, Rocky Mountain Front Range and the plains of eastern Montana. Head south on the border of North Dakota and South Dakota before moving west along the Wyoming Montana border where you will go pass through the Bighorn and and Beartooth Mountains as well as North Yellowstone. After catching a glimpse of a wolf pack, herd of bison, or Old Faithful, head south along the western border of Yellowstone before making your way northeast along the Beaverheads and the Bitterroots that border Idaho and Montana where you will finish where you started at Lookout Pass. This challenge averages 29.5 mi / day or 206.5 mi / week. This is a big one and would really push a recreational cyclists or hardcore runner.

 

MoveMT Elevation Challenge up the Five Highest Bob Marshall Wilderness Peaks (46,650 ft)

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex is the largest Wilderness Area in the lower 48 states. The Bob is infamous for the highest density of Grizzly Bears in the lower 48 and is "home to many large mammals, such as moose, elk, black bear, mountain goat, bighorn sheep, wolverine, cougar, Canadian lynx, wolf, Bald eagles, osprey, pelican, and trumpeter swan. The dense old-growth forests are dominated by Douglas fir, larch, and spruce." This challenge incorporates the top five highest peaks in the Bob which include: Red Mountain, Rocky Mountain, Holland Peak, Swan Peak, and Scapegoat Mountain. This challenge averages 706 ft / day or 5183 ft / week. Push yourself with this challenge.  It's a nice one for trail runners, hikers, and mountain bikers who go by elevation, or someone who wants to improve their uphill skills.

 

MoveMT Elevation Challenge up Montana's Ten Highest Peaks (116,820 ft)

This is our premier challenge, and this time it's elevation not distance. Accumulate 116,820 ft of elevation gain in your MoveMT activities this summer to bag this challenge which is the equivalent of Montana's top ten highest peaks classified by having more than 500 meters of prominence. These peaks are: Granite, Mount Wood, Castle Mountain, Tumble Mountain, Hilgard Peak, Mount Douglass, Mount Cowen, Crazy Peak, Two Sisters, and Lone Montain. This challenge averages 1,770 ft / day or 12,390 ft / week. This if for you mountain goats. Hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers, giddy up

How The Challenges Work

We know it seems complicated, but it's actually quite simple.  Almost every physical activity that you can track distance or elevation counts towards your total. When you log your miles, you will be able to see the route for that challenge and where currently are on the challenge route.  You will see yourself progress as you log miles. For elevation, there is only a progress bar and no map. Activities are not supposed to be actually completed on the route and can be completed anywhere: any state, city, even on your treadmill or bike trainer! Remember in real life, there are no bikes allowed on the trails in Glacier, Yellowstone, or Wilderness Areas!

Here is a laundry list of the most common activities.  If you think of a different one and are nervous about whether or not it counts, please contact us.  You may use only one activity or use multiple activities to achieve your challenge. If you want to do all paddle boarding for example then go for it!  If you'd like to do rafting, hiking, and cycling and count all three miles towards the goal, go for that too!  Example activities; hiking, running, trail running, road biking, gravel biking, mountain biking, hike a bike, hand cycle, recumbent, stand up paddle board, rafting, kayaking, canoeing, bike trainer, treadmill, rowing machine.  Example activities that don't count; scenic driving, and anything that uses a motor.

After you achieve your challenge you will receive (shipped) a MoveMT Challenge finisher shirt with your particular challenge on the back. 

The Finisher Shirt

If you finish your challenge you will receive a T-shirt that is unique to the challenge you completed. Expect the MoveMT logo on the front with your specific challenge's logo on the back. If you sign up for multiple challenges, you will receive a different shirt for each challenge completed. Shirts will ship after the challenge is over.  It's possible we might coordinate a few locations and dates for in person pickup with incentives to do so. Keep an eye out for announcements later this summer. Registration will ask for you to enter your shipping address. Shirts will only be shipped to US addresses. For those that registered multiple people in one transaction, one shipping address is asked and shirts will be shipped to that address. Special circumstance? Contact us and we can work it out!

Save $25 if you opt out of your finishers shirt but still want to participate. Select no t-shirt during registration. 

Teams and Prizes

Teams & Rules

You have the opportunity to create or join a team upon registration.  There is an overall team competition for most miles and most feet climbed.  The team that logs the most combined miles at the end of the event will receive a gift card to their local downtown association.  Same goes for the team that logs the most feet climbed.

  • Team members must all be doing an elevation challenge or distance challenge.  They can be different challenges but must be either elevation or distance.
  • Teams can be a maximum of 5 participants. 
  • Team competition doesn't follow any specific challenges it's just total elevation or total distance for your team members combined.
  • Team gender, age, ability, hometown, etc. can be whatever you want.  Just log your feet and/or miles!
  • If the team has split hometowns, we'll let the team decide the location of the Downtown Gift Card.

Weekly Prizes

For every week of the challenge we will have a random drawing of all athletes who logged a mile or foot of elevation that week.  It's the called the WEEKLY WEARERS WINNER. We'll draw a name and then send a piece of our apparel to the winner free of charge. If you ordered a piece of apparel, then we will refund you.  The winner each week will be announced on the MoveMT Facebook and Instagram accounts.

MoveMT Social Media

Tag us at @MoveMTChallenge and with #MoveMT.

Facebook

RSVP to our Facebook Event as well as like our Page

We will have a Private Facebook Group. Link to the group is in your confirmation email. The group will provide competition highlights and updates. It's also a place to come together with others who are completing the challenge where you can share how things are going with your challenge.  The Weekly Wearer Winner will be announced on the Facebook Group every Sunday eve.

Instagram

Follow us and tag us at @MoveMTChallenge. Tag us on your posts and stories while you are out logging your activities to be featured on our handle!

Strava Club

If you are on Strava, join our Strava club! Check us out here: https://www.strava.com/clubs/MoveMT

About Us

Cory is a race timer, event promotor and partner at Competitive Timing, a Montana-based event timing company. Cory loves to stay active through cycling and fly fishing. 

Shaun is an event promotor with his own MTCX Promotions, and cycling guide at The Cycling House, a Montana-based cycling vacation company. Shaun is a dad of three young kids and loves to get out on his bike.

The MoveMT Virtual Challenge is a way to keep our community motivated and active during this strange time when in-person events are not permitted to occur.  We believe in the power of exercise to improve physical and mental health while building community especially during these challenging times.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically cancelled the events we time, the races we promote, and the trips guided. Our main goal is that we hope MoveMT can inspire you. However, we also hope it can provide some support to our own businesses that are unable to operate as usual. We also hope MoveMT can raise awareness and some funds for The Montana Food Bank Network. Our goal is be able to raise $5,000 for the Food Bank.

Photo credit: Myke Hermsmeyer Photography. 

 

The Montana Food Bank Network

100% of all donations will go to the The Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN). Our goal is MoveMT can raise awareness and $5,000 to the MFBN.

MFBN has been feeding Montana since 1983. We are Montana’s only statewide food bank. We work with the national hunger-fighting organization, Feeding America, and have developed several programs specifically to address the unique challenges of accessing food in Montana. We distribute food from Heron to Wibaux, Eureka to West Yellowstone, and everywhere in between. We partner with neighborhood food banks, community pantries, social organizations, homeless shelters, schools, and hundreds of other organizations that are all working together to end hunger in Montana. We believe that together we can end hunger in Montana.

Before COVID-19, 1 in 9 Montanans was struggling with hunger in Montana, including 1 in 6 children. After COVID-19, MFBN’s network partners have reported nearly 10,000 more visits to emergency food assistance in April 2020 than in April 2019. The most significant increase in visits has been in Montana’s seven largest counties, with demand increasing anywhere from 30% - 60%.

With a $1 donation, MFBN can provide enough food for three wholesome meals. This is made possible through partnerships with local and national food manufacturers, agriculturists, and other food manufacturers. Through these partnerships, MFBN can secure large amounts of food through generous donations, grants, or wholesale. Food is then distributed to network partners across the state that serve those experiencing food insecurity.

Challenge Contact Info

If you have any questions about this challenge, click the button below.

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