2026 Burning Mountain Hunter Challenge Presented by Pure Precision

The Burning Mountain Hunter Challenge presented by Pure Precision is one you won’t want to miss! Taking place just below the historic Burning Mountain in Silt, Colorado, this 20-stage course will put your shooting skills to the test all weekend long.

Why “Burning Mountain”?
The mountain gets its name from an underground coal seam that’s been burning since 1899. In the winter months, you can still see steam rising from the ground, a fitting backdrop as shooters “burn it down” on the range throughout the weekend!

Course of Fire
Targets will be tucked away in the rolling sagebrush flats and cedar draws surrounding the area. Expect a mix of natural terrain and a few man-made props designed to challenge and develop your rifleman skills. Match directors Jaden and Ted, who have been competing in NRL Hunter since the beginning, are excited to bring some of their favorite stage designs to this event.

Venue & Service
Cell service at the range is limited, so please review all match details before heading out. Directional signs will guide you to parking and check-in once you arrive near the venue.
Parking

Parking at the match location will be located just off the main road as you enter the property. Please park within the designated fenced area. Depending on weather, conditions may become muddy so we recommend carpooling with someone who has four-wheel drive.
Match Location
39.61782, -107.61644

Check-In Location Look for the “Rifle Sportsman’s Club” sign about ¼ mile after the road transitions from asphalt to dirt. Continue all the way down to the bottom firing line for check-in.
Rifle Sportsmans Club
194 County Rd 244
Rifle CO 81650

Weather
Typical temperatures range from 20–60°F, so come prepared for anything. While snow is uncommon in this lower-desert region of Colorado, it’s always best to keep an eye on the forecast and pack accordingly.

Food & Drinks
Water will be available throughout the course. Lunch will be provided for all shooters on Saturday, and dinner and drinks will be served during the awards ceremony on Sunday evening.

Awards Ceremony
We’ll wrap up the weekend with food, drinks, and awards immediately following the final stage on Sunday. The ceremony location and address will be emailed to all registered shooters prior to the match.

RANGE OFFICERS

To help us reward and better secure quality ROs during the 2-day event, vetted individuals will be offered a complimentary match slot for the opportunity to complete all stages in 1-day timeframe (on the RO Shoot Day), for points amongst the other hunters and for prize eligibility. The opportunity at this is set to take place on the competitor Check-in Day.

*If you’re interested in ROing this event, please submit to the following RO Application to the link above. Anyone may apply, however, space is limited and not guaranteed. Those who volunteer to RO but are not selected will have the option to purchase a slot.

Promotion

Young Guns will receive a free entry with a paid adult entry. Email rux@sopris.net Include names of paid shooter and young gun. Also young gun age.

Social

If you’d like to tag us on social media, we welcome you to use the hashtags #NRLH #NRLHunter #EveryEthicalEdge.

Friday Feb 27th

6:30AM – ROs will arrive at the range where they can check zero. We will NOT have targets out to distance for ROs to check data.
7:30AM – ROs will start match and complete all 20 stages

12:00 – 5:00PM Check in at Rifle Sportsmans Club – Rifle Sportsmans Club 194 County Rd 244, Rifle CO 81650

Saturday Feb 28th

6:00AM – Gates will open
6:00AM – 7:00AM – Saturday we will have a late arrival check in from 6am-7am. Shooters will NOT be able to check zero or shoot to distance at that time.
7:00AM Safety Brief
Immediately after shooters will head to stages and shoot 12 Stages on day 1
Lunch will be served around noon
3:00PM Estimated time day 1 should finish.
5:00PM Shooter Gathering at Rib City Grill in Rifle CO. They will only let us reserve a space for 35 people, after that spots will be limited depending on their availability.

Sunday Mar 1

6:30AM – Gates will open
7:30AM – Shooters will be on stages and ready to go hot
Following the end of shooting shooters will head to the awards venue where dinner and drinks will be served.

Airport

Grand Junction CO Airport – 56 min
Denver International Airport – 3.5 Hrs
Salt Lake City Airport – 5 hrs

Hotels

Holiday Inn Express and Suites Silt-Rifle

Camping

For Campers, the best thing to do is going to be camping on the BLM. We have plenty around!