It sounds like Vail, Colo., will be even more fun than usual this summer. Each June, the ski town’s GoPro Mountain Games hosts a lineup of competitions across 11 outdoor sports. And after record-breaking attendance last year — 95,000 spectators and more than 5,000 registered athletes — the event aims to level up in 2025.
For starters, this year’s games promise more competitions, including first-ever events for speed climbing and ultrarunning. The competition will also be fiercer than ever throughout the various events, thanks to the Mountain Games Inaugural Athlete Team. These nine sponsored athletes, selected by scouts during last year’s games, will compete in many of the 35 competitions lined up this year, including cycling, kayaking, and climbing.
Running from June 5 to 8, registration for this year’s Mountain Games opens this Wednesday, Feb. 5. Early bird pricing is available through April 1. With updated courses — and the always-popular canine competitions — organizers hope to see you there.
“The Mountain Games aren’t just for athletes,” Dave Dressman, event director for the Vail Valley Foundation, said in a release. “If testing your lung capacity at 8,150 feet isn’t your cup of tea, you can still come to spectate, listen to live music, hang out with the dogs, and enjoy the brand activations and Rocky Mountain vibes.”
GoPro Mountain Games: What’s New in 2025
Many athletes will come away from this year’s games with some extra money in their pockets, thanks to the $140,000 in prizes given away to winners of the 11 sports represented in various events. Those include trail running, climbing, whitewater, biking, disc golf, fishing, yoga, and slackline.
Did we mention the events for doggies? The canine competitions are also coming back this year, with snout-to-snout “duels” in swimming, leaping, and running.
Here’s the rundown of this year’s additions:
- Speed climbing: This year will get a dedicated speed climbing competition, in partnership with USA Climbing and sponsored by YETI. This peculiar subdiscipline of climbing has become one of the fastest-growing Olympic sports.
- Ultrarunning: The inaugural Vail Ultra is a 50-mile, mixed-surface course from Vail Mountain to the top of Vail Pass and back. Net proceeds benefit 50 for the Fallen, a nonprofit providing mental health services to veterans and their families. This event will kick off the 2025 GoPro Mountain Games, with runners starting at 5 a.m. on Thursday, June 5.
- Mobile app: This year will also see the launch of the Mountain Games mobile app. It aims to help spectators build personalized schedules, explore maps, and learn about the event’s various offerings.
It wouldn’t be a Colorado mountain town festival without some live music, and this year’s lineup for the Mountains of Music will go hard. The funky brass band of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue will headline Mountains of Music, with support from Bonfire Dub, on June 5 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway joins the California Honeydrops on the stage on June 6.
Finally, the CoLab Stage returns for the third year. This part of the festival puts a spotlight on other creators, musicians, athletes, and outdoor personalities, organizers said. It includes live art and more live music.
For additional details, registration, or tickets, visit the Mountain Games website.
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