The 2026 GoPro Mountain Games are in the books, and the 25th anniversary edition is already on my calendar. I couldn’t make it this year, but I’ve been covering the games since their inception, and it’s always one of the best weekends to be in the mountains each summer.
When it comes to dogs, the Games always deliver, and this year’s Games may have been the best yet. Between DockDogs world records and appearances by some of Instagram’s most recognizable canine celebrities, the event delivered plenty of tail-wagging moments, including finding forever homes for 30 shelter dogs. “This effort was achieved not only because of our staff’s dedication, but also the amazing partnerships we have created with other rescue groups as well as amazing fosters within our community,” said Rhiannon Rowe, manager of Eagle County Animal Services, which organizes shelter dog adoptions at the Mountain Games. “We worked with two rescue groups, one in New Mexico and one in Utah, which are often overwhelmed by an increased number of homeless pets, so they reach out to other groups for assistance. The GoPro Mountain Games are always a great place to showcase adoptable dogs.”
Matt Nelson, the person behind the social media account WeRateDogs and founder of the 15/10 Foundation, which covers veterinary costs for pets in need, kicked off the adoption campaign with a party on the CoLab Creator Stage, where a handful of the adoptable dogs made cameo appearances. Others got an extra workout courtesy of the BFGoodrich Rocky Dog Fun Run.
“We always enjoy running some of the shelter dogs in the Rocky Dog, but we also enjoyed the opportunity to meet with Matt from WeRateDogs. I think that opportunity really helped shed some light on animal welfare and the importance of adoption,” Rowe said. “Having sponsors like Purina Pro Plan, Pacifico and Thule also helps adopters feel confident that they are starting out on the right foot with the supplies they need.” Purina Pro Plan sent adopted dogs home with a six-month food supply, Pacifico donated adoption kits stocked with bowls, toys, leashes and collars, and Thule supplied harnesses.
Adoptions weren’t the only records to fall. In Purina Pro Plan Dog Town, Mayhem the greyhound tied her own world record in the Pro Plan DockDogs Extreme Vertical competition with a 9-foot, 2-inch jump.
Back in Vail Village, the inaugural Short Dogs In Da House Mountain Race drew one of the largest crowds the CoLab Creator Stage has seen, as wiener dogs and other short-legged competitors went head-to-head in a sprint. Rowdy, an internet personality for her skateboarding, won her heat by a wide margin. Javier, CEO of WeRateDogs, held his own with a steady trotting pace and a straight line to the finish, a feat not every entrant managed.
Human Highlights
On the human side, the Nature Valley Mountain Mud Run posted one of its biggest turnouts yet, with several heats selling out and runners tackling the new Mega Mud Pit, a single, longer pit that replaced the two smaller pits of years past. Among elite competitors, Olympic SkiMo athlete Cam Smith swept both the adidas TERREX 10K Spring Runoff and the adidas TERREX Pepi’s Face-Off.
The adidas TERREX 20K Trail Run left behind its traditional two-lap format for a single loop that climbed higher up Vail Mountain than the race had ever gone, gaining 2,500 feet of elevation and topping out near 9,900 feet at Mid-Vail before returning to Nature Valley Mountain Plaza. “The 20K has always been our most demanding trail race at the GoPro Mountain Games, and this year brings a new and exciting challenge for athletes,” said Peggy Wolfe, Senior Director of Operations for the Vail Valley Foundation, ahead of the race. Eli and Tabor Hemming of Kremmling topped the men’s and women’s fields, respectively.
On two wheels, Deanna Mayles of Colorado Springs beat an Olympic-level field in both the Lucid XC Mountain Bike race and the Lucid XC Short Track, while Ivan Sippy of Durango did the same on the men’s side. Low flow on Gore Creek pushed water events to Glenwood Springs, where Mountain Games regular Nick Troutman won the Pacifico Kayak Freestyle. Troutman also took the men’s long boat category in the GoPro Down River Sprint on the Upper Colorado River; his wife, Emily Jackson, won the women’s long boat, and their twelve-year-old son, Tucker Troutman, won the Juniors short boat division.
The bouldering wall saw some of its toughest problems solved in the event’s history, with Joshua Gerhardt and Helen Gillett taking the North American Cup Series Vail Presented by CELSIUS. In its second year at the Games, the YETI North American Cup Series Vail – Speed again packed the Bulleit Hangout at Golden Peak. Piper Kelly beat Claire Pee in the women’s final, and Alexander Kovats edged William Eaton by less than a fifth of a second in the men’s.
Looking Ahead
Next year’s Games carry some extra weight as the event returns to Vail June 10-13, 2027, marking a quarter-century since it launched in 2002 as a gathering point for adventure sports, art, and music, originally headlined by TEVA with an emphasis on paddlesports, slack lining, trail running, fly casting, climbing and mountain biking.
What started as a regional showcase mountain athletes has grown into a four-day fixture including music at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, the CoLab art activations, and even more for spectators and athletes to grow community and enjoy being outdoors. Specifics on 2027 programming, headliners and any new events have yet to be announced. For now, mark your calendar for June 10-13, 2027. (Images courtesy of Vail Valley Foundation/GoPro Mountain games)
—Definitely Wild is a column by EO Contributing Editor Aaron Bible. He has been writing for Elevation Outdoors and Blue Ridge Outdoors, among other publications, for more than two decades, covering cycling, skiing, gear, adventure travel and mountain life. The opinions expressed here are his own. Follow him on Instagram at @DefinitelyWild.
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