“These Green Mountains Are My Home”

"Nerves and excitement mixed as teams stood at the base of the famous Middlebury Snowbowl this morning, anticipating the start of the 2025 Endless Mountains Adventure Race. The arch was set against the backdrop of the ski slopes, towering above, and as teams listened to competitor – and trained opera singer – Anna Stewart’s powerful renditions of the Star-Spangled Banner and Vermont’s state song, “These Green Mountains,” it was impossible not to reflect on the lush landscape that will serve as the playground for the thirty-five teams lining up to begin this seven-day journey."

These green hills and silver waters
Are my home – they belong to me
And to all her sons and daughters
Let us live to protect her beauty
And look with pride on the golden dome
They say home is where the heart is
These green mountains are my home
These green mountains are my home.
 
When the bullhorn blared just after 8:00am, those teams set off for a tone-setting three-mile prologue with four checkpoints to locate along the way, including a sweeping vista of the surrounding mountains and a small alpine lake nestled in the slopes. Most teams elected to travel counterclockwise, but a few teams left in the opposite direction, taking advantage of the trail network that crisscrosses the slopes.

When they returned from the prologue, each team found two sets of maps waiting for them. This was the first major decision point of the race: to pore over the entire course in the comfort of the ski lodge, giving up potentially valuable daylight, or get on their way and process the route on the move. Most teams opted to plot the first few sections and then head off into the remote wilderness of the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area. But a few folks made the strategic decision to take the extra time among the creature comforts of Middlebury, including two-time Endless Mountains champions Bend Racing, competing this year as 4-Hour Fuel – we’ll see in the hours and days to come whether that gamble pays dividends.

​By 12:40pm, all teams had left the Snow Bowl to begin Stage A, an expansive trek through the Green Mountain National Forest, and their first checkpoint, CP5 proved to be a worthy journey in its own right, requiring precision off-trail navigation through potentially thick Vermont vegetation.
 
Teams had their first crux decision after CP5: to stay on the full course or skip optional CPs – on this course, those designated with a letter. So early in the race, it’s tempting to go for all of the checkpoints, but this is a long and linear course, and RDs warned teams at the pre-race briefing that smart decision-making early would pay dividends later in the race for teams that don’t expect to complete the full course.
 
As of this writing, Spurious Reasoning, Double Trouble, Vibes AR, Edge of the Wild, Nerdquist, and Wild Roots have all elected to skip points in the optional pocket between CPs 5 and 8.
 
Full-course and short-course teams converged again at the summit of Mount Moosalamoo for their first expansive vista of the race. Over the next seven days, teams will have the opportunity to take in the sweeping views of the Green Mountains of Vermont, New Hampshire’s Whites, the Adirondacks in New York, and the ranges of southern Canada.

​This year’s race begins on June 21, the Summer Solstice, and teams will have almost sixteen hours of daylight during the race. For those that are making their way toward CP 9 in the dark, though, they will do well to pay close attention. The maps suggest a clear trail leading to the point, and in daylight, that trail is relatively easy to follow. At night, though, they may get tripped up by overgrowth and inconsistent blazes. Keep an eye on those dots for back-of-the-pack teams, and send thoughts for a smooth night on the maps.
 
Eventually, teams will descend out of the mountains at CP12, a trailhead at the Chittenden Reservoir, where they will pick up their packrafts from awaiting race staff and round out the stage on the water. There is one mandatory point and a few additional optionals – including a paddle-up campsite on a small island, where volunteers with cider and donuts may provide enough inducement even for teams keen to head straight to TA 1.
 
And indeed, the TA will have a powerful pull. After a full day on their feet, racers will no doubt be happy to see their bikes. From there, they’ll head out on the first long ride of the week, which will highlight some of Vermont’s iconic purpose-built single track.