2018 GoPro Mountain Games with Athlete Chuck Patterson

events

Jun 7, 2018

That familiar summer buzz is filling the streets of Vail Valley Village. Live music is playing, happy hours are flowing, adventurers of all ages are drooling over the latest outdoor gear, and athletes are milling about awaiting competition. The 2018 GoPro Mountain Games are officially underway.

From June 7 through 10, GoPro and the Vail Valley Foundation are once again taking over Vail to host one of the greatest outdoor adventure festivals ever. Athletes, outdoorsmen and mountain enthusiasts of all ages and abilities are sure to find something to their liking while cruising the scene.

But no one will enjoy the games more than veteran attendee, avid adventurer and GoPro athlete Chuck Patterson. This guy embodies everything the Games are about. So naturally, his travel into Vail was somewhat unconventional and 100% amazing; plus, he captured it all on GoPro.

Chuck did not just fly in and rent a car, he hooked up with Escape Camper Vans and hopped in a built-out van. Once it was confirmed that it could sleep his 6'2, athletic build comfortably, Chuck set off west toward the GoPro Mountain Games and met up with some of the GoPro fam along the way.

First up, world championship climber Sasha DiGiulian. Even though Chuck towers over Sasha, she was in charge as she showed him the ropes of one of the staple events at the games-climbing.

Learning to climb from such a humble, talented athlete, was really special, he says. Sasha really loves to climb and share her passion with others. She has a way of giving you confidence as well as challenging you to really try hard and get you outside your comfort zone.

One 80-foot ascent later, Chuck set off upstream to check out another Mountain Games staple; this time with world-class kayaker Nick Troutman.

I have a lot of respect for the river because it's constantly moving and changing as you put the puzzle together to navigate it and find the right line down the river safely. Learning from a passionate athlete like Nick, who clearly loves to kayak and share his talent, the makes learning the unknown even better.

Chuck says although he didn't master the iconic kayak flip move, it felt good to push his athletic boundaries.

There's nothing more awesome than pushing your limits learning something new, and I feel as we get older, it's even more important to keep pushing yourself to stay young and stoked every day.

You don't want to miss the stoke of this year's GoPro Mountain Games, so be like Chucky P, put your adventure hat on, and come check out the festival. Check out the full list of events and plan your visit at mountaingames.com.

LINK:	https://gopro.com/news/2018-gopro-mountain-games-with-chuck-patterson...
	See more stories from gopro

Most recent headlines