Pete Seibert and Earl Eaton first climbed Vail Mountain in 1957, thinking it would be the perfect ski area. Little did they know, it's also the ideal area for trail running. Thus, the Cougar Ridge Classic was born. Ascending over Vail Mountain and into the world-famous Back Bowls, racers will be greeted with beautiful views of the Sawatch Range. With thousands of feet in elevation gain, this race is not for the faint of heart, and those from sea level may feel challenged by the thin air. However, we hope to set you up for success with our race staff, aid stations, and detailed course markings.

Trail races began in Vail thanks to the late Lyndon Ellefson, a Vail local and member of the U.S. Mountain Running Team. It's hard to believe, but races in Vail used to be exclusively road races on pavement and gravel. Lyndon often participated in these races, casually running and chatting with the lead biker. One day, Ellefson suggested that races should be in the mountains, on trails instead of roads. It sure was a great suggestion - we are in Vail after all! Sine then, Vail has hosted a variety of trail races, several national championships for USA Track & Field, and now the Cougar Ridge 26K.