Summer Fun

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Aspen may hold the Winter X Games, but Vail has the largest summer celebration of outdoor adventure sports and mountain living. What started in 2002 as the TEVA Mountain Games with only 500 athletes and 12,000 spectators has now ballooned (and re-branded as the GoPro Mountain Games) to over 3,300 competitors with over 67,000 spectators! To further amp up the excitement, every year there’s a little surprise as they continue to add competitions and disciplines, such as last year was the inaugural season for the Enduro race.

Most unique events to spectate @ GoPro Mountain Games 2017



With 25 different competitions across 12 disciplines, this spectacular event includes cross country mountain biking, trail running, kayaking, SUP, disc golf, slacklining, fly fishing, DockDogs and even photography. The options are endless! So, which events should you focus on if it’s your first time to this massive party?

Come watch your 4 legged friends get extreme too!!

This is considered the most popular spectating event at the annual extravaganza. Man’s best friend gets just as extreme as their partners. Dock jumping, also known as dock diving, is a canine sport in which dogs compete by jumping for distance or height from a dock into a body of water. GoPro Mountain Games are also part of the National Sportsmen’s series. From dueling dogs, where canine competitors are paired up between different docks, to big air & retrieve, this event is exciting to watch in person!

If you can’t make it to the Mountain Games, don’t worry! There are canine athletic events happening all around the US throughout the summer season.

Steep Creek Championships!

Even before the 2002 TEVA Games, the Mountain Games were originally the Jeep Whitewater Festival. At that time, the focus was all about kayaking. The soul of the event is still in the rushing rapids of the Homestake Creek, pure to its roots. Even though the race is only for experienced kayakers, the ¼ mile stretch of creek near Red Cliff is extremely fan-friendly to spectate. With nicknaming their rapids “Leap of Faith” and “Piece of s**t”, you KNOW its one heckuva good time to watch.

IFSC Climbing World Cup

Climbing is the epitome of an international sport. Nearly every major event is outside of the United States in exotic places all across the world. In fact, the ONLY stop on U.S. soil is the GoPro Mountain Games.

International Slackline Invitational

How often can you see a professional slackline event with athletes from around the globe descending onto one place? In its fifth year, the Mountain Games are the last stop of the US Pro Series. With over $5,000 in cash prizes and top spots in the ISI World rankings, these competitors are going to push themselves to the limit.

When: June 8th – 11th, 2017

Where: Vail Colorado

Cost: FREE to spectate

This is only an introduction to some of the most creative competitions at the GoPro Mountain Games. With over $100,000 in prizes available, professionals from every outdoor discipline will be migrating to Vail this summer. So, grab your gear and head over to Colorado for the biggest competition of the summer.