Skimo is slowly trudging its way back to the Olympics. Photo: Sandro Halank // Wikimedia Commons
The Milano Cortina winter Olympics are still fresh in all our memories, but athlete’s eyes have already turned to the next Games. For fans of ski mountaineering, that’s a good thing, because a step taken by the IOC Executive Board on Wednesday brought it one step closer to returning.
Ski mountaineering, called “skimo” for short, is an event that mimics backcountry touring by having competitors race uphill with free heals and skins (like a backcountry setup), sometimes even bootpacking certain sections with skis on their backs, and then racing back down on skis. The sport made its Olympic debut at the 2026 games. However, it was introduced via a rule that allows Olympic hosts to propose sports strictly for their edition of the Games – meaning it was never guaranteed that “skimo” would actually stick around for another Games.
Luckily for skimo athletes and enthusiasts, the IOC Executive Board for the French Alps games have invoked the same rule once again to propose its return in 2030. The proposal will be put forward to IOC membership at a session two weeks from now.
“Ski mountaineering embodies the very essence of the Alps: exertion, nature, commitment and pushing one’s limits,” said French Alps 2030 President Edgar Grospiron in a press release. “With Alps 2030, we aim to help the sport reach new Olympic heights by showcasing its most complete and authentic form. We are also fortunate in France to have some of the world’s best athletes. They are exceptional ambassadors for ski mountaineering, embodying the sport’s values and helping to introduce it to the general public and new generations every day.”
If approved, the event would be held in the Briançonnais region, which is already set to host freestyle skiing and snowboarding. “Skimo,” as a sport saw mixed reviews in its Olympic debut. Traditional backcountry skiers and snowboarders weren’t exactly thrilled to see their pursuit, created to escape crowds, turned into a competitive event. And the lycra-fitted athletes in “skimo” definitely aren’t authentic to a regular skin track in the mountains, where a slower pace is often held sacred, and dreadlocks, used gear, and weed smoke are the norm. But thus is modern sport.
