Ski mountaineering will make its Olympic debut this year, the first winter sport to do so since 2002. Skeleton, luge, ski jumping and moguls are also getting new events.

Ski mountaineering will be in the spotlight on the international stage as the only new sport for the Winter Olympics this year.

The 2026 Games will feature just one new sport in the program: skimo. It follows in the IOC’s tradition of experimentation that has brought us several mainstays, as well as a few oddballs.

Competitors ascend steep slopes with 'skins' on their skis, strap gear to their backpacks, and race downhill in a test of endurance and precision.

There is a good reason why Courchevel, the star of the Trois Vallées, commands a premium over other ski resorts: everything is here in great quantity – from Michelin stars to karaoke bars – and

The sprint is a condensed, explosive version of long-format ski mountaineering races. It features core elements of the sport broken into four sections: an ascent, a diamond section, a portage and a descent.

Ski mountaineering originated not as an organized sport but as a means of survival. For thousands of years, people have worn skis due to the practical need to traverse mountainous or hilly terrain during the snowy winter months.