What Is Ski Mountaineering?

Ski mountaineering (“skimo”) is an endurance sport in which competitors traverse varied terrain, wearing removable skis which they sometimes carry on their back to ascend steep inclines on foot. The sport combines classic cross-country and downhill skiing with elements of extreme mountaineering, making it one of the world’s most unique sports. In some competitions, skiers may even need to use ice-climbing equipment or other specialized mountaineering tactics like harnesses or ropes. Ski mountaineering is coming to the Winter Olympics in 2026. Read on to learn all about it.

• Description: A sport in which skiers race to ascend and descend mountains using various skiing and mountaineering techniques
• Founded By: Wilhelm Paulcke
• Founded Date: 1897
• Governing Bodies: USA Skimo, International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF)
• Countries: Switzerland, France, Italy, USA, Canada, Argentina, Russia, Finland, Sweden, Norway, China, South Korea, and Japan
• Regions: Asia, Europe, North America, South America
• Categories: Winter Sports, Ski Sports, Olympic Sports, Endurance Sports

History

In some ways, ski mountaineering is the closest modern analog to the historical role of skiing as a mode of transportation. From prehistoric times, humans have used skis to move across snow-covered landscapes, but those skiers also had to contend with the reality of topography: they would have to cross mountains too steep to ascend on skis and be prepared to ski down the other side just the same. In most modern ski competitions, an element of this has been lost: in alpine skiing, racers only go downhill, and in cross-country skiing, the racers only contend with very small changes in elevation.

The modern sport of ski mountaineering traces its roots to 1897, when Wilhelm Paulcke, a German, completed the first recorded ski traverse of the Bernese Highlands in Switzerland. Throughout most of the 20th century, other disciplines of skiing took over in popularity, and ski mountaineering was left out of most official ski competitions. While many events were organized by militaries in Europe since at least the 1940s, the first World Championships were not held until 2002. Since then, the sport has continued to grow in popularity in Europe and around the world, leading to it officially being added to the program for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.

Rules and Competitions

Ski mountaineering races fall into several categories, each with its own unique aspects:

• Individual: Most popular in the USA, these races have a mass start and usually take around 2-3 hours to complete.
• Team: Teams of two or three skiers set off on a several-hour course that takes them up and down mountains and involves on-foot ascents.
• Sprint: An exciting short-course race that takes just a few minutes, individual racers take on a single ascent and descent.
• Vertical: A single ascent, on skis, of 2,000-3,000 feet, with no downhill portion.
• Relay: Teams of three or four compete in a relay circuit of about 15 minutes per leg.

Several international competitions are held each year, as well as the multi-stage World Cup organized by the ISMF. When ski mountaineering joins the Olympics in 2026, there will be five events: men’s and women’s sprint, men’s and women’s individual, and a mixed-gender relay.

Equipment

Perhaps the most interesting and unique aspect of ski mountaineering is the wide range of equipment put to use by the competitors. Firstly, the racers use what are known as “telemark” skis, with bindings that are detached at the heels to allow the skiers to “run” uphill and ski down. Also, the skis are outfitted with special skins, which prevent them from sliding backward on the ascent.

In addition to the skis, though, there can be a variety of extra equipment in use depending on the course of the race. Some common extras are ice picks and crampons for courses with steep ice-climbing sections. Ski mountaineers also use poles to help them travel distances across the snow. Also, skiers sometimes must use ropes and harnesses to traverse steep slopes. In longer races, the competitors bring along extra safety equipment, like avalanche beacons and shovels.

Helpful Links

• USA Skimo
• ISMF
• Ski Mountaineering - Olympics

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