The race that began with a few dozen runners less than a decade ago has grown to more than 400 strong, and it could see record participation this spring if the weather holds.

The Don't Fence Me In trail run is still a week away, and while winter continues to linger, volunteers are working hard to prepare the South Hills course that attracts runners from around the country.

"Adding the 30k really changed the dynamic of our race," said Heather Nese of the Prickly Pear Land Trust, the run's host organization. "It's a niche in that ours is the only trail run featured at this time of the season."

Aside from the Harvest Moon Banquette in September, the trail run serves among the Land Trust's largest fundraisers, helping collect money for land conservation in and around Helena.

This month, the Land Trust hopes to close on a 21-acre parcel on Mount Ascension. The purchase will help color the South Hills trail map a new shade of play and allow for more connectivity in Helena's growing trail system.

"We've been working really hard recently to secure that plot," said Nese. "As more lands are acquired, we'll be adding more trails to let people explore the whole mountain."

The South Helena trail system has come a long way since 1906 when the city's forbearers decided a park on Mount Helena would be a good idea.

Now, nearly 70 miles of trails cross the South Hills. The area includes roughly 2,200 acres of open space between Mount Helena and Mount Ascension city parks.

"In Helena, specifically, we have a great network of trails that's right up there with anyone in the country," said endurance runner Martin Miller. "Trail running in general is a good way to get out and explore the terrain."

Miller knows the South Hills well and looks forward to opening the new trail across the Mount Ascension parcel. Once the deal is closed, volunteers will hold a work day to connect the 2006 Trail to the Entertainment Trail.

The trail project is just one of several planned for the summer. Much of the work will take place on Mount Ascension and areas around Nob Hill.

"We see a lot of people come in from out of town to use our trail system, especially from the biking community," said Nese. "We're really blessed to have this, literally, right outside our back door."

Mount Ascension stands just 109 feet shorter than its counterpart Mount Helena. While Ascension isn't growing any taller, its reputation has improved among hikers, bikers and general wanderers, who are discovering all the mountain offers.

Last year, a team of runners beat a team of mountain bikers to the summit in the Race to the Top, and the Don't Fence Me In trail event has long called the mountain home.

"A lot of people don't know this is all privately owned, which means it could be developed," Nese said, pointing to open areas of the map. "But as things come up for sale, people learn more and more that we're interested in preserving this area."

The addition of the 30k run has helped the Prickly Pear race grow at a time when so many other Montana races are scaling back.

The Elkhorn Mountain Endurance Run continues to draw runners from around the country, as does the Prickly Pear race, in which the 30k remains the fastest growing.

"It blew us out of the water how many people participated in the 30k," Nese said. "We were hoping for 4o people, and we had over 100 in the 30k alone."

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