Silverton, CO Skyrunner Megan Kimmel, 45, Dies; World Series Champion Leaves Mountain Running Community in Mourning

The global trail and mountain running community is grieving the loss of one of its most celebrated athletes. Megan Kimmel, a decorated skyrunner and beloved figure in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, passed away last week at the age of 45. No official cause of death has been disclosed, and her family has asked for privacy during this painful time.

Born in Denver, Colorado, in 1980, Kimmel grew up surrounded by the mountains that would eventually define her life and legacy. She was not just a runner.

She was a backcountry skier, entrepreneur, a free spirit, and a deeply cherished member of her community in Silverton, Colorado. Friends remembered her as a no-nonsense, genuine person who ran with ferocity but without ego.

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Her competitive career was nothing short of extraordinary. Kimmel first announced herself on the world stage with a silver medal at the 2014 Skyrunning World Championships in Chamonix, France.

The following year, 2015, she turned that promise into dominance, winning the Dolomites SkyRace and setting a course record, then adding victories at Matterhorn Ultraks and The Rut on the Skyrunner World Series.

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In 2016, she reached the peak of her powers, winning the Migu Run Skyrunner World Series in the SkyRace category. That season she claimed victories at Livigno SkyMarathon, Matterhorn Ultraks, Limone Extreme, The Rut, and the Yading Skyrun in China, a race she would go on to win again in 2017 and 2019.

In 2018, she broke the course record at the legendary Pikes Peak Marathon, cementing her place among the all-time greats of American mountain running.

In 2019, she continued competing at the highest level, taking podium finishes at Japan’s Mount Awa SkyRace and the iconic Transvulcania in the Canary Islands.

The tributes that flooded social media in the hours after the news broke told a story beyond the race results. Fellow competitors, coaches, and fans from around the world shared memories of a woman who inspired them not just through winning, but through the way she carried herself.

Ultrarunning champion Courtney Dauwalter and skyrunning legend Kilian Jornet were among those who expressed their grief publicly. Others described her as a mentor who shaped their earliest steps in the sport.

“She was such an important mentor for me as I dipped my toes into running via the US skyrunning series over a decade ago,” wrote professional runner Corrine Malcolm. Another athlete added that Kimmel “ran with such ferocity, but never ego.”

The International Skyrunning Federation paid tribute to her on social media, calling her “an extraordinary athlete and true skyrunner whose legacy will live on.”

Those who knew Kimmel say the mountains of the San Juans will feel different without her. She was a dog mom, a neighbor, a daughter, a sibling, a friend, and a woman who poured herself fully into the wild landscapes she called home.

Megan Kimmel was 45 years old. Memorial details are expected to be shared by her family in the coming days.