Vail Mountain Winter Uphill
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About the race
The Vail Mountain Winter Uphill is the 20th annual uphill event on Vail Mountain, held on January 31, 2027 at the base of the Eagle Bahn Gondola in Vail. The course is a point-to-point climb on groomed runs, listed as 3.4K (2.1 miles) with about 2,200 vertical feet of ascent. The route climbs Simba and Cheetah ski runs to the finish at Eagle's Nest; reported high and low points are 10,443 feet and 8,189 feet respectively, with sections reaching a 40% grade.
Participants may use skin skis, splitboards, snowshoes or traction devices; avalanche gear is not required. A gear drop is available at the base of the Eagle Bahn Gondola and dropped items are transported to Eagle's Nest. Breakfast and awards are provided at Eagle's Nest by Vail Ski Resort and US Foods. Awards recognize the top three finishers by category, age and gender; categories include Ski, Splitboard and Non-Ski, and age groups range from 19 and under through 70 and older.
The event honors the memory of Lyndon Ellefson and supports the U.S. Mountain Running Team in part through entry fees. The race has functioned both as a midwinter competition for racers and as a non-competitive community uphill hike. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
