The 2022 Winter Mountain Games Preview event will feature two nights of free live concerts in Solaris Plaza, Feb. 25-26. When the day of competition is done, Vail will come alive in a celebration of mountain living in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
TIAA Bank Fat Tire Bike Challenge
Sunday, Feb. 27, 1 p.m.
All levels of bikers are invited to participate in this powder-pounding ride at the Vail Nordic Center. The snow-bike race on fat tire bikes will feature multiple divisions, from Junior Boys and Junior Girls (13-19) to the Men’s and Women’s Pro/Open categories. Racers will be sent out in wave starts based on age/category. Racers will ride anywhere from 6-15 miles depending on age and category. The Men’s Pro/Open Division and Women’s Pro/Open Division will have prize purses of $900 each.
Nature Valley Bootlegger Hill Climb
Saturday, Feb. 26, 4:30 p.m.
Step by step, this dash up Golden Peak in ski or snowboard boots is a human-versus-mountain grinder that will put speed and endurance to the test. Give yourself an individual challenge or go for the gold – either way, this fun and friendly event will build both stamina and comradery among its participants. Divisions will be broken into Ski Boots and Snowboard Boots, as well as by age. Between the Men’s and Women’s All-Star Divisions, $1,600 is up for grabs.
The Nature Valley Bootlegger Hill Climb is kid and family-friendly where younger competitors face the Go-Go Gopher Hill course. Open to athletes 12 and under, kids can race against other kids or with their whole family.
Saturday, Feb. 26, 1 p.m.
Whether you choose strong and steady or faster than a jackrabbit, the wonderful feeling of being out in the fresh mountain air makes everyone a winner at the 10K and 5K events at the Winter Mountain Games. Both the 10K and 5K will take place on trails at the Vail Nordic Center and will be broken into Men’s and Women’s divisions by age. The course is a 5K loop; all athletes competing in the 10K will complete two laps. The Men’s and Women’s divisions will have prize purses of $900 each, with medals awarded to the top 3 in each age division.
Saturday, Feb. 26, 12 p.m.
Open to USA Skimo members only, the Tincup Skimo Sprint is steep and stern. Competitors will need a quality grip to navigate up – and then back down – some of Vail Mountain’s steepest terrain. All three Skimo Competitions taking place throughout the weekend will serve as USA Skimo National Championship races.
Friday, Feb. 25, 4:30 p.m.
Open to USA Skimo members only, the Skimo Individual takes competitors on a course that leads up Vail Mountain, down into its Legendary Back Bowls, and back up again. This competition will greet some of the world’s best Ski Mountaineering competitors is perhaps the most dramatic event of the 2022 Winter Mountain Games Preview event. Competitors will take on a course with four uphills and four downhills in what promises to become an instant classic for this up-and-coming, and soon-to-be Olympic winter sport. All three Skimo competitions taking place throughout the weekend will serve as USA Skimo National Championship races.
Sunday, Feb. 27, 7:30 a.m.
The only Skimo competition open to both the public and USA Skimo members at the Winter Mountain Games Preview event, the Skimo Vertical is a simple race to the top on the history-filled slopes of Vail’s Golden Peak. All three Skimo competitions taking place throughout the weekend will serve as USA Skimo National Championship races.
Saturday, Feb. 26, 2 p.m.
Open to both humans and their dogs, the 5K Dog Derby at the Vail Nordic Center is designed to be a fun activity for the whole family. Participants are limited to one pooch per entry, and dogs must be on a leash at all times. All athletes are required to wear snowshoes – spikes, Yaktrax, and other similar devices will not be allowed. This fun run offers a great opportunity to get you and your dog out for an afternoon on the beautiful 5K course.
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About the Vail Valley Foundation
The Vail Valley Foundation is a 501c3 Colorado nonprofit corporation with a mission to enhance the quality of life in the Vail Valley and showcase our community to a global audience through arts, athletics and education.
The organization’s work in education is through YouthPower365, a 501c3 Colorado nonprofit corporation with a mission to provide year-round extended learning opportunities that empower and educate the youth and families of Eagle County from cradle-to-career readiness. The Vail Valley Foundation also provides the Vail Valley with several of its most treasured annual events, such as the GoPro Mountain Games, the Xfinity Birds of Prey Audi FIS Ski World Cup races, the Vail Dance Festival, and the Hot Summer Nights and 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 100 Broadway, dance, comedy, classical, rock, pop, jazz, community and family events per year.
Vail Valley Foundation activities and events are in part made possible by cornerstone partners: the Town of Vail, Vail Resorts, Beaver Creek Resort Company, GMC, TIAA Bank, Nature Valley and Celsius.
To learn more about the Vail Valley Foundation visit www.vvf.org.
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