Partner Press Release from Vail Valley Foundation

Vail, Colo., Feb. 3, 2025 — Following a record-breaking year for both attendance and athlete participation in 2024, the Vail Valley Foundation’s GoPro Mountain Games will return to Vail June 5-8, 2025, with event registration opening this Wednesday, Feb. 5. This year will feature an expanded lineup of competitions, updated courses, and the debut of the inaugural Mountain Games Athlete Team.

Early bird pricing will be available through April 1. Athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, and adventure-seekers of all skill levels are encouraged to secure their spots early for more than 35 competitions across 11 disciplines, including trail running, climbing, whitewater, biking, disc golf, fishing, yoga, slackline, and the always-popular canine competitions. Over $140,000 in cash prizes will be distributed.

What’s New for 2025

The 2025 GoPro Mountain Games will bring several exciting additions and enhancements, including:

• A dedicated YETI Speed Climbing competition, in partnership with USA Climbing, adding to the robust climbing offerings. Speed climbing is one of the fastest-growing Olympic sports.
• The inaugural Vail Ultra, benefitting 50 for the Fallen: a challenging 50-mile mixed-surface course from Vail Mountain to the top of Vail Pass and back. Net proceeds benefit the nonprofit organization that offers mental health services to Veterans and their families. This event will mark the kick-off to the 2025 GoPro Mountain Games, with runners starting at 5:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 5.
• Redesigned running and mountain biking courses, offering fresh challenges for athletes.
• The debut of the Mountain Games Athlete Team, featuring nine exceptional athletes across multiple disciplines.
• The launch of the official Mountain Games mobile app, allowing spectators to build personalized event schedules, explore maps, and discover opportunities to engage with sports, music, and brand activations.

The full schedule, including all event details and updates, will be available at mountaingames.com/schedule once registration goes live on Feb. 5. Media registration will also open Feb. 5 at mountaingames.com/media-registration.

“The tremendous growth we saw in 2024 speaks to the Mountain Games’ unique ability to bring together athletes and enthusiasts from all corners of the outdoor community,” said Sarah Franke, Senior Vice President of Operations for the Vail Valley Foundation. “With the introduction of new events and our inaugural Mountain Games Athlete Team, we’re not just growing the event – we’re deepening our commitment to the mountain sports community by creating opportunities to inspire the next generation of mountain athletes.”

“What makes the GoPro Mountain Games special is how it continues to evolve while staying true to its core mission of celebrating the active mountain lifestyle. Speed climbing brings an incredibly dynamic and spectator-friendly element to our climbing events, while the Vail Ultra connects our passionate trail running community with a powerful cause,” said Dave Dressman, Event Director for the Vail Valley Foundation. “But the Mountain Games aren’t just for athletes, either. 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 amazing brand activations and the beautiful Rocky Mountain vibes.”

The Mountain Games Athlete Team includes accomplished competitors from across the mountain sports spectrum, from freestyle kayaking to climbing, mountain biking to slacklining. These ambassadors will represent the Mountain Games throughout the year, leading up to and during their competitions in June.

The full Mountains of Music concert lineup will be announced in March, with free daytime concerts in Vail Village and Golden Peak and evening shows at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue with support from Bonfire Dub will be playing at The Amp on June 5, while Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway and the California Honeydrops will take the stage June 6. More artists will be announced soon, and all details and tickets can be found at mountaingames.com/music.

Returning for its third year, the CoLab Stage will once again feature some of the top creators, musicians, athletes and outdoor personalities on stage in the heart of Vail Village. Look out for the full CoLab schedule which will feature the Mountain Games Show, live music, live art and athlete integrations.

Register beginning February 5 at mountaingames.com/register to secure early bird pricing.

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About the GoPro Mountain Games 

Each June the GoPro Mountain Games event brings athletes, art, music and mountains together in Vail, Colorado, to create the best all-around mountain experience available anywhere in the world.

Founded in 2002, the family-friendly event sits at the intersection of adventure sports, music, art and the outdoor industry.  The event is hosted by the Vail Valley Foundation, in partnership with GoPro, Town of Vail, CELSIUS, adidas Terrex, Nature Valley, Vail Resorts, YETI, BFGoodrich ISOPRUE, Pacifico, Polaris, Purina Pro Plan, Aventon, Garmin, Lifetime Home Remodeling and other partners. For more information about the Mountain Games, visit mountaingames.com.

About the Vail Valley Foundation 

The Vail Valley Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Colorado nonprofit corporation with a mission to provide leadership in arts, athletics, and education, and address community needs to enhance our valley as a place to live, work and visit.

The organization’s work in education is through YouthPower365, a 501(c)(3) Colorado nonprofit corporation. From early childhood to college and career, YouthPower365 provides programs to help youth reach their full potential and support youth and families every step of the way. The Vail Valley Foundation also provides the Vail Valley with several of its most treasured annual events, such as the GoPro Mountain Games, the Stifel Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup races, the Vail Dance Festival, and the Moe’s Original BBQ Hot Summer Nights and Town of Eagle ShowDown Town free concert series. The Vail Valley Foundation also manages and operates two performing arts centers, the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek Village and the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail, providing more than 150 Broadway, dance, comedy, classical, rock, pop, jazz, community and family events per year.

The organization also operates Eagle River Valley Childcare, a 501(c)(3) Colorado nonprofit corporation dedicated to increasing and enhancing early childhood education and development services across the Eagle River Valley community. Eagle River Valley Childcare’s first initiative is located in Avon, Colorado, and is a partnership and collaboration between the Vail Valley Foundation and the Town of Avon. Eagle River Valley Childcare capital and operational (programmatic) charitable contributions (donations) are both eligible for the Colorado Child Care Contribution Tax Credit (CCTC).

Vail Valley Foundation activities and events are in part made possible by cornerstone partners: Town of Vail, Vail Resorts, Beaver Creek Resort Company, GoPro, Nature Valley, Constellation Brands, CELSIUS, Lifetime Home Remodeling, Diageo and Slifer Smith & Frampton Real Estate.

To learn more about the Vail Valley Foundation visit vvf.org.