A Storied Legacy: From Pennsylvania to Vermont

The 2026 event marks a significant milestone as the fourth edition of the Endless Mountains Adventure Race. The event built its rugged reputation during its first two editions—"Elk Country" in 2022 and "The Grand" in 2023—which took teams on deep wilderness journeys through the wilds of Pennsylvania. In 2025, the race headed north to New England, and this 2026 edition will serve as the second and final full expedition to be hosted in Vermont.

A Ticket to Corsica and the World Championship

Thirty-eight teams will toe the start line next week, the largest field in the race's history. The stakes are high, as Endless Mountains serves as the only United States-based Qualifier for the 2026 Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS). The winning team will earn a coveted free entry to the 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship, which will be held in Corsica in October.  (The race is full and now the only way to get to the World Championships is to win Qualifier place.)

A Deep Dive into Navigation and Strategy 

Endless Mountains has built a reputation for delivering some of the most challenging navigation and route choices on the ARWS circuit. Race directors Brent Freedland and Abby Perkiss have designed the course using a "modified rogaine format," which offers teams the opportunity for strategic, "choose-your-own-adventure" flexibility. This format requires immense tactical planning, as teams must self-select optional checkpoints based on their collective strengths and navigational acumen.

Teams wil experience highly technical off-trail navigation and substantial overland travel. The challenging map-and-compass work, combined with a special navigation relay, serves as a direct homage to the classic, grueling Untamed New England expedition races of years past.

An Ode to Vermont's History and Landscape 

Beyond the competitive rigor, Endless Mountains is designed to immerse athletes in the local environment. Headquartered in North Adams, MA, the course will guide teams through the rolling mountains, lush forests, splashy waterways, iconic gravel roads, and twisty single-track trails of southern Vermont. Race Director Abby Perkiss notes that the event is designed as an "ode to Green Mountain State," explicitly crafted to highlight the wide range of terrain while showcasing the deep history and culture of the region.

A Highly Competitive Roster

The record-breaking field features a strong international presence, with elite athletes from Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Ireland, and Poland joining a deeply experienced North American roster. Dot-watchers will have plenty of thrilling action to follow, as three-time defending champions 4 Hour Fuel return to protect their title against top-tier challengers like VERT and Strong Machine Adventure Racing from the USA, Team Bull Adventure (Finland/Estonia) and GymcityAR (Poland/Ireland).

A Racer’s Race

Speaking from her home in Australia ARWS CEO Heidi Muller wishes the race organizers and teams a challenging and enjoyable week.  

“I’ve been to Brent and Abby’s race myself, and know the level of detail they put into their courses and the care they take of teams.. They test every racer to their absolute limits and at the same time do everything they can to care for and support them.  They are racers themselves and have taken part in many expedition races around the world, including some I’ve organised, so they understand racers and know what they are experiencing.  They will deliver another special Endless Mountains Race this year.”

A Memorable Media Mix

Rootstock Racing is also known for expansive in-race coverage, and this year are breaking new ground by taking over The Dark Zone Podcast for the week of the race.  Regular podcast host Brian Gatens is racing himself and has handed the microphone over to the race organizers who will provide an audio insight into Endless Mountains and expedition adventure racing.

“Adventure racing is one of the hardest things to explain to someone who hasn’t done it,” said Freedland. “This is our chance to bring people into the race and offer a fuller experience to those at home.”

Perkiss emphasized what makes the format different from traditional race coverage: “We’re going to do our best to capture the essence of the race. We believe that adventure racing is not only a sport, but an experience, and we want to tell the story of the race and the racers.  You can listen to a preview podcast here. 

The race also has a team of the best adventure race photographers and provides regular updates on the Endless Mountains website, and on Rootstock Racing’s Facebook and Instagram pages. Live satellite tracking of teams is also available here.

About the Adventure Racing World Series (ARWS)

The Adventure Racing World Series brings together the world's top endurance athletes in adventure races around the globe. This includes 3-10 day Qualifier expeditions leading up to an annual World Championship, as well as 12-36 hour Regional races that provide an accessible pathway into the sport. For more information, visit www.arworldseries.com.