New kid on the ice block Gruelling 'skimo' contest set for Olympics debut

No one could suggest that the Winter Olympics are lacking in challenges.

- Jo Khan

Skimo practitioners can make up valuable time in their transition from skis to boots and back again

(PHOTOGRAPH: MAXIME SCHMID/EPA)

But everyone from recreational skiers to the most extreme sports fan knows that there is always room for more.

Enter the new kid on the ice block at Milano Cortina 2026: ski mountaineering. The new challenge? How about going up the mountain, hiking a bit, followed by a rapid descent on the tiniest skis possible. Before you ask why, cast your mind over the other disciplines on the schedule and remember that the answer is almost always: why not?

However, ski mountaineering - or skimo-in its traditional form is entirely about practicality. When skiing as a sport started to take off in the 1800s - that is, well before chairlifts existed - to traverse the slopes inevitably required uphill and downhill movement, as well as navigating rocky mountain terrain and weaving through forests. While people still do that - whether it's ski touring or backcountry skiing - it doesn't make for an easily digestible Olympics package. The sport had to be updated for the modern era. The International Ski Mountaineering Federation (ISMF) has created a version of the sport ready for commercialisation, accessibility, consumption and, crucially, the Winter Games.