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Steep grades, sharper ideas, and zero fluff—this conversation with Jackson Cole tracks a season where grit meets growth. We start with the highlights: a win at Cirque Series Alyeska, more Cirque podiums at Killington and Grand Targhee, a strong Rut 28K, and a proud top‑26 at the World Mountain and Trail Running Championships short trail. Then we zoom out to what shaped it all: a two‑week, 1,100‑mile bikepacking trip across New Zealand’s South Island that built deep aerobic strength and reconnected Jackson with the Southern Alps, from Aspiring and Aoraki’s glaciated faces to the ridge‑rich basins of Arthur’s Pass and Nelson Lakes.

Jackson breaks down why low‑altitude alpine can still feel massive, how technical courses reward decision‑making as much as VO2, and what The GOAT race showed him about grit over turnover. We revisit his hard push on T‑Winot in the Tetons—route choice, switchback ethics, and the line between fourth‑class flow and fifth‑class traps—and unpack the honest realities of chasing the Grand Teton FKT: weeks of scouting, precise acclimatization, and respect for the gold standards already set.

Worlds in Canfranc gets the spotlight it deserves: a steep, technical course that elevated skyrunners who are lesser known stateside, a New Zealand team that punched above its weight with minimal federation support, and a personal moment of pride that lingers longer than a ranking. From there, we look at the sport’s fault lines and opportunities—brand money flowing into short trail, the need to keep true skyrunning alive in North America, the promise of Beast of Big Creek, and why governance, fair access, and year‑round anti‑doping have to catch up with the cash.

We wrap with a living 2026 sketch: Mount Marathon in Seward, a possible return to Minotaur, Beast of Big Creek, and a decision tree that includes Whistler, Speedgoat, and a Skyrunner World Series run depending on support. If you care about real mountains, real talk, and a future where athletes can race hard without selling the soul of the sport, this one hits home.

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