What is Skimo?

Skimo stands for ski mountaineering, which is simply climbing and skiing mountains. Today, the modern sport of Skimo has taken on a different form, although it’s still rooted in the traditional definition of ski mountaineering.

Skimo is all about moving fast and light. It’s an endurance sport that heavily revolves around racing up and down mountains on skis either at a ski resort or in the backcountry. If you enjoy winter trail running or skate skiing, you’ll probably love skimo.

What gear do you need?

In a skimo race competitors will race uphill using climbing skins. Steep, technical sections of the course sometimes require racers to carrying and use crampons. You can imagine the level of fitness you need for this sport – you’re literally racing up a ski slope! Not only is skimo physically demanding, it’s technical too – you need to be skilled at quick transitions (skinning to skiing and vice versa) and be strong downhill skier.

On a fundamental level, skimo is similar to a bike race or an ultramarathon. It requires the same level of fitness, stamina, and endurance. Throw in a little downhill skiing and you’ve got the makings of an exciting, tough event.

You could use your backcountry skis and boots, but it would be like trying to run a marathon in hiking boots. It kind of works, but you’ll be a heck of a lot faster with some light trail runners on your feet.

For skimo skis and boots, we recommend Dynafit’s PDG ski and PDG 2 boot. This ski and boot set up is designed for fast uphill ascents. It’s ideal for anyone who is training or racing in skimo events, but it can also be a great tool for people just looking to work on uphill fitness.

Ready to try Skimo?

Are you ready to try skimo? Well then make sure you put Sugar Bowl’s Hump Day Hump skimo event on your calendar! It’s a great opportunity for anyone who is new to skimo to try out the gear and hike uphill with a fun group of people.

We rent skimo skis and boots! If you can’t make any of our events but are still interested in trying out this sport, you can rent one of our skimo packages.

For those of you who are looking for a little more adventure than what can be found at the ski resort, backcountry skiing might be the perfect thing for you. If you’ve dreamed of skiing deep – really deep – powder or skiing off the summit of a mountain high above Breckenridge with not a soul in sight, check out backcountry skiing. These are just some of the rewards that backcountry skiing has to offer.

Like fitness skinning, backcountry skiing still tests your fitness level going uphill, but offers greater rewards on the way back down. Backcountry skiing requires a higher skill level due to ever-changing snow conditions and dangers involved with skiing outside of the ski areas including avalanches, and lack of medical professionals. The best way to get out into the backcountry is to go out with a knowledgeable friend (and for you to take an avalanche course), or to hire a guide who will educate you every step of the way.

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