Speedgoat Mountain Races by UTMB®

Gear up your finest cowboy hat 🤠, because we’re taking you straight to the great American West for a legendary challenge 🇺🇸.

Headed to Utah, and more specifically Snowbird station Snowbird just outside Alta in Salt Lake County, to tackle the mythical Speedgoat Mountain Races by UTMB® 🏃‍♂️. Each year in July, the mountain shakes with the footfalls of trail runners from around the world as they challenge this monument of the trail running at altitude ⬆️. If you’re wondering where this quirky name comes from, it isn’t about goats’ speed 🐐. It’s actually a direct homage to Karl Meltzer, nicknamed "Speedgoat". This true ultra-trail legend, holder of mythical records on American trails ⏱️, designed this course with his own hands to make one of the 50 km most daunting and demanding in the United States. Historically, the Snowbird Station and the Alta Valley are renowned worldwide for their mining past tied to the silver rush of the 19th century, before becoming a powder paradise ⛷️ and trail running heaven. Forget gentle flat trails, here we’re talking pure mountain with rocky summits over 3,300 meters, unstable rocky scree and steep slopes that will make your hips steam 🥵.

This weekend’s lineup is rich and suits every mountain soul with three flagship distances : the 10 km, the 28 km and the queen test of the 50 km 👑. Don’t trust the listed distances, because the positive elevation ratio is simply stratospheric with respectively 500, 2 000 and 3 450 mD+. Talk about vertigo! 😵‍💫 But you’ll forget your grandeur soon enough because the on-site vibe is down-to-earth 👏, blending the passion and prestige of an international UTMB World Series event with quintessential American laid-back camaraderie 😎. You’ll run through dense pine forests, pass through rock-carved tunnels, and climb to razor-sharp ridges with breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks 🤩. You’ll start from the station center before tackling legendary sections like the twists of the "Chips Switchbacks" or the vertical and dizzying ascent of the Mount Baldy ⛰️.

Once you cross the finish line at the Snowbird Plaza and celebrate your finisher status with a medal around your neck 🥇, the adventure is far from over. The region is ripe with gems to discover to unwind. You can head to explore the vibrant Salt Lake City 🧂, visit its temple or wander its streets to shake off your sore legs 🦵. For a quirky experience, head to float in the hypersaline waters of the Great Salt Lake. Nature lovers who didn’t get their fill of wild landscapes will opt for a trip to Big Cottonwood Canyon for a well-deserved waterside picnic 🥪. Finally, history buffs will love visiting the Park City Museum to soak up the gold rush era, old mines, and cowboys 🐪.

Be as fast as a goat! 💨