When the 2026 Winter Olympics arrive in Milan-Cortina, Italy, fans around the world will see something brand new on the snow: ski mountaineering — often called “skimo.”

It’s fast. 

It’s intense. 

And it may just become your new favorite winter sport. 

Ski mountaineering combines uphill climbing, downhill skiing, and quick transitions into one nonstop race. It tests endurance, speed, strength, balance, and focus all at once. 

Let’s break down what this sport is, how it works, and which Team USA athletes will be making history when it debuts on the Olympic stage. 

The Rules of Ski Mountaineering 

Ski mountaineering is a race up and then back down a steep mountain. In every event, the winner is simply the athlete or team with the fastest total time from start to finish. 

Athletes start by climbing uphill on skis using special rubber climbing skins that grip the snow. When the slope gets too steep, the athletes have to “bootpack,” which means strapping their skis to their backs and climbing the mountain on foot. Once they get to the top, they strap their skis back to their feet and race down the mountain at full speed.

This cycle of climbing, switching gear, and skiing can repeat itself several times during a single race. The clock never stops — and because races are often decided by just a few seconds, fast transitions between climbing and skiing can matter just as much as speed on the course itself.

Unlike regular downhill skiing, Skimo is about total mountain skill. The winners won’t just be fast on the way down; they’ll be strong on the way up and efficient during every transition.

Skimo has been popular in Europe for decades and has grown rapidly worldwide. Its mix of endurance and technical skill is what finally earned it a place in the Olympic Games. 

How The Olympic Events Work

The rules of Skimo are fairly straightforward: the first athlete to race up the mountain and back down wins.  

At the 2026 Games, Skimo will have three medal events: 

• Men’s Sprint 

• Women’s Sprint 

• Mixed Relay 

Sprint Race

The sprint race is short but intense, usually lasting about three minutes. There are four sections of a sprint race: 

• Ascent: skiing uphill with rubber skins 

• Foot part: athletes remove their skis and bootpack, then another short ascent on skins

• Transition: athletes remove the skins off their skis and prepare for the downhill section 

• Descent: skiing downhill with turns and gates — the winner is the athlete with the fastest total time from start to finish. 

Mixed Relay

In the mixed relay, two athletes work together as a team, taking turns racing the sections of the course. Each team consists of one woman and one man, with athletes completing four laps of the course — two laps by the woman and two laps by the man. 

All teams use the same order: woman-man-woman-man. The course for the mixed relay is longer than in the sprint, containing two ascent and descent sections. The bootpack section is featured in the second ascent.

Team USA’s Skimo Athletes 

The United States has already locked in its place on the Olympic start line thanks to standout performances from two incredible athletes

Anna Gibson

Anna was recruited to the U.S. ski mountaineering team by 13-time national champion Cam Smith because of her background in Nordic Skiing and track and field. In her first-ever ski mountaineering World Cup race, Gibson, alongside Smith, became the first American team ever to win a mixed relay World Cup event.

After winning her first race, Gibson said, “It feels so normal to be here, which is crazy, because this is my first one. It just feels right, you know?. I’m all about this sport. This is so fun. I’m not about to stop doing anything else I’m doing, but there will be lots more of this in my future.” 

Cameron “Cam” Smith 

Cam has been competing in ski mountaineering since 2014, when he was just 18 years old. He’s won the US Ski Mountaineering national championship 11 times and the North American Ski Mountaineering championship 5 times. 

Smith holds the course record for the 3 largest Ski Mountaineering races in the United States: the Power of Four, the Grand Traverse, and the Gothic Mountain Tour.  

Together, Gibson and Smith are going to push American ski mountaineering onto the world stage. 

Skimo is Going to be the Next Big Thing 

Skimo has everything that makes an Olympic sport exciting: 

• Fast races 

• Constant action 

• Clear rules 

• Easy-to-understand scoring 

• Incredible mountain scenery 

Most of all, it shows what the human body can do when strength, endurance, and skill all come together. 

When the first Olympic medals are awarded in 2026, ski mountaineering will officially join the world’s biggest stage. And for fans of winter sports — or anyone who loves watching athletes push their limits — this is one event you won’t want to miss.