Category: Skimo

What is Skimo? A Friendly Guide to Ski Mountaineering

Hey there, fellow adventure seekers and uphill lovers! I’m Lara Hamilton, and I’m excited to introduce you to the world of skimo, short for ski mountaineering. It can also be called Rando, short for the French term Randonnée, meaning ski-touring. If you’re new to these terms, or curious about this niche sport – you’re in the right place.

Let’s dive into what skimo is all about and why it’s becoming a favorite among winter sports enthusiasts. I’m not pretending to be an expert, but I want to open more discussion online around skimo, particularly in the Australian community and those who feel like accessing the sport is daunting and/or pricey (stay tuned for my next post!)

Why wouldn’t you want to give skimo a try, after all, the only way you can go is up! Ultimate bad day cure.

What Does Skimo Stand For?

Skimo is short for ski mountaineering, a sport that combines the thrill of climbing mountains on skis with the exhilaration of skiing down them. It’s a perfect blend of endurance, technical skill, and the beauty of the alpine environment.

How Does Skimo Work?

In skimo, you use specialized gear to ski uphill and then transition to downhill skiing. Here’s a quick rundown of what you need:

Skins: These are like “sticky carpets”, often made of mohair, that you attach to the bottom of your skis. They provide traction for uphill travel but don’t allow you to slide back down. Unless your skin is failing…which means your sticky side, the side that’s ‘glued’ has snow on it, or is iced up. Also if your technique is poor…..but more on that later

Bindings: Skimo bindings are designed to switch between “walk” and “ski” modes. This means your heel can lift for ascending and lock in place for descending. Race skimo bindings rarely have risers, which are just an extra addition to the heel piece of the binding to make climbing easier.

Boots: Skimo boots are a hybrid between alpine ski boots and mountaineering boots. They offer flexibility for climbing and stiffness for skiing. The top-of-the-line boots weigh very little, to optimize climbing efficiency. Google Pierre Gignoux Skimo Race boot, or Dynafit DNA Pintec boot….you’ll see what I mean. They’re the Bugatti’s of Skimo boots.

Safety Gear: Make sure to always carry essential safety equipment like an avalanche beacon, shovel, probe, first aid kit, and navigation tools when traveling in avalanche terrain. Get familiar with your training environment. Get your AIARIE 1. Refresh your skills regularly. Read observation reports, and submit observation reports. Talk to your local backcountry + skimo enthusiasts. All good things 🙂

The Experience of Skimo

Skimo can be as casual or as competitive as you want it to be. Here are a few ways you can experience it:

Recreational Skimo
If you’re just starting out, you might enjoy a leisurely climb up a mountain followed by a serene ski down. This is a great way to connect with nature and get some exercise.

Competitive Skimo
For those who love a challenge, skimo racing is an intense and rewarding experience. Races typically involve multiple ascents and descents, testing your fitness, endurance, and alpine skiing skills. Skimo also has a very specific skillset which you must practice and practice until it’s second nature.

The most popular format in the U.S. is the individual race, which includes at least three ascents and descents, and often a bootpack. Sprints are becoming more popular as it’s the Olympic Discipline for Milano/Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics.

Skimo Techniques and Skills

To get the most out of skimo, you’ll need to master a few key techniques:

Skinning Technique

Skinning is the core of ski mountaineering, and mastering this technique is essential for efficient uphill travel. It involves using your poles and skis to climb uphill efficiently. It’s all about finding a steady rhythm and using your poles to help propel you forward. Think glide and smooth, not stomping and heaps of upper body movement. Try to look forward, so your posture is strong. Where your eyes go, you follow, as a general rule of thumb. Here’s some general tips to help get you started:

Finding Your Rhythm
Skinning involves using your poles and skis in a coordinated manner to climb uphill efficiently. It’s all about finding a steady rhythm that works for you. Here’s a basic breakdown:

Stride and Pole Plant: Use a steady, rhythmic pace with your skis, alternating strides while planting your poles in front of you. Aim to keep your poles at a 45-degree angle.

Weight Distribution: Keep your weight evenly distributed between your skis and poles. This helps maintain balance and efficiency.

Kick Turns: On steeper terrain, you’ll need to perform kick turns to change direction. This involves shifting your weight onto one ski, lifting the other ski, and rotating it to face the new direction, with a ‘kick’ movement. Pole planting is also a crucial component of this. You need to really practice this one, otherwise you’ll slip in a race and hold up everyone behind you. Traffic jams are a common occurrence for the upper mid-pack to mid-pack in the early stages of a skimo race. Learn to make these smooth and consistent.

Tips for Efficient Skinning
Use the Right Skins: Ensure your skins are properly fitted and sometimes waxed to provide optimal traction, and glide if necessary (study the course!!!). Reglue the tips and tails of older skins before racing.

Adjust Your Stride: Shorten your stride on steeper slopes and lengthen it on gentler terrain.

Pole Length: Adjust your pole length based on the slope angle. Shorter poles for steeper slopes and longer poles for flatter terrain. Although…I just like longer poles in general because I love to skate! Find what works for you.

Transitions
Quick transitions between uphill and downhill modes are crucial, especially in competitive skimo. This involves removing and applying skins, adjusting bindings, and managing your layers. It’s important to ‘learn your gear’ well ahead of time.

Avalanche Safety
Understanding snow conditions and knowing how to use avalanche safety equipment is vital for any skimo enthusiast. Invest in an AIARE Course.

Skimo Transitions, Continued.

Transitions are critical in skimo, especially in competitive settings where every second counts. I’ll list them all here:

Ski to Skin Transition: When you’ve skied down the hill, and need to reset your boots to uphill mode, your bindings to uphill mode, and put your skins back on! 

Skin to Ski Transition: When you’ve finished going uphill, and need to ski down (the super fun part!). You’ll want to change your boots to downhill mode, same with your bindings, and rip your skins off. Don’t do a double rip super snazzy technique unless it’s the final descent of the day…..

Skin (uphill) to Bootpack Transition: This might be necessary if you need to traverse a section without skis. You will unclip yourself from your bindings and put your skis into your bootpack (pack) mechanism. You may need crampons if it’s super icy or aka super spring skiing sun crust ice sections haha

Boot to Skin Transition: You’ll need to remove your skis from your pack and reclip yourself into your bindings, and pull up the toepiece to uphill mode.

The rarer, but utilized Boot to ski transition: Here, you’re going to click back on your skis after booting, and follow the same procedure as if you were skin to skiing.

For detailed transition techniques, you can refer to guides like the one from USA Skimo on “Guide To Ski Mountaineering (Skimo) Racing” or watch videos such as “An Overview of Ski Mountaineering” by ISMF Skimo on YouTube. 

 

Getting Started With Skimo

If you’re intrigued by skimo and want to give it a try, here are some steps to get you started:

1. Build Your Fitness: Skimo demands a high level of cardiovascular fitness and endurance. Start with some cardio exercises and strength training.
2. Take an Avalanche Safety Course: Understanding backcountry risks is crucial. Sign up for a course to learn about avalanche safety.
3. Start with Easier Terrain: Begin on gentler slopes to practice your techniques before tackling more challenging routes.
4. Join a Club or Group: Connecting with experienced skimo practitioners is a great way to learn and find skiing partners. Skimo has a vibrant and supportive community. Whether you’re joining a local club, participating in races, or simply exploring the backcountry with friends, you’ll find like-minded individuals who share your passion for the mountains.
5. Invest in Proper Gear: Quality equipment is essential for safety and enjoyment.

The Future of Skimo

Skimo is on the rise, both as a recreational activity and a competitive sport. Here are a few exciting developments:

Olympic Recognition
Skimo is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, which will undoubtedly boost its global profile. It already has in many ways.

Technological Advancements
Continuous innovations in gear and technology are making the sport more accessible and enjoyable for a wider range of participants.

Environmental Consciousness

As a sport deeply connected to the natural environment, the skimo community is increasingly focused on sustainability and climate action. Many skimo enthusiasts are advocates for environmental conservation, recognizing the need to protect the landscapes they love.

Skimo in Australia
While Australia might not be the first place that comes to mind for skiing, the Australian Alps offer some fantastic terrain for skimo. Areas like the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales and the Victorian Alps are perfect for both beginners and seasoned skiers. More on this later 🙂

Why You Should Try Skimo

Skimo offers a unique blend of physical challenge, technical skill, and mountain adventure. Whether you’re drawn to the meditative rhythm of skinning up a mountain, the thrill of descending untracked powder, or the camaraderie of the skimo community, there’s something in this sport for everyone. Doesn’t even have to be a backcountry adventure, most resorts have an uphill skinning policy. More on this later too.

Not that anyone cares rn, BUT…