Ski Mountaineering Team Prepares for World Ski Mountaineering Championships

Canada's SkiMo athletes target Icefall Traverse to train for the upcoming 2025 ISMF World Ski Mountaineering Championships March 2 - 8.

Part 2 Approach from Icefall Lodge to Lyell Hut Aug 1 2024 / A.T.M

The 2025 ISMF World Ski Mountaineering Championships

Ski Mountaineering ("SkiMo”) combines mountain climbing with downhill skiing. Among the fastest growing winter sports in the world, and governed by the International Ski Mountaineering Federation (“ISMF”), SkiMo has gained acceptance into the 2026 Winter Olympics. The 2025 ISMF World Ski Mountaineering Championships begin March 2nd and run through 8th. The world will soon see this exciting new sport on the International stage.

This human-powered endurance sport has captured the imagination of athletes throughout the world, and will soon add an exciting new element to the Olympic stage. Essentially, the event challenges competitors to climb a set course on back-country skis or by foot, and navigate a series of transitions between climbing and descending on skis.

The format of the events change depending on the race and venue. Formats include Individual Mass Start, Team Competition, Sprint Style, Relay Competition, and Vertical Races. This outdoor endurance sports tests competitors fitness, climbing abilities, and skiing skills. The Canadian SkiMo team trains in beautiful, but rugged, British Columbia.

The Canadian Ski Mountaineering Team Training

The Canadian team takes training to the extreme. They summer-train on a multi-day traverse route, which offers stunning peak views in all directions, as athletes navigate a rock and galcier route. This terrain, with various circuits, offer ideal training grounds for skilled mountain athletes, which include grueling super cardio workouts and challenging terrain navigation.

The Training Route

The Icefall Traverse route begins north of Golden, BC at a helipad where Whitetooth Heli’s talented mountain pilots transport the athletes into the Mons Hut - the usual starting point. From Mons Hut ski mountaineers navigate a challenging route to the Lyell Hut. They complete the route at Icefall Lodge, where the helicopter awaits.

Day 1: Arrive at the Mons Hut at approximately 7,500 feet. The extreme environment features spectacular Mons Glacier, and formidable Mt. Forbes - he highest peak in Banff National Park standing 11,850 feet. At Mons Hut, the athletes will rest and prepare for the difficult day ahead.

Day 2: Day two starts early. Athletes depart the Mons Hut and will climb approximately 2,000 feet to the Lyell Hut, which sits at 9,400 feet. The climb requires navigating the massive Lyell Glacier to get to one of the highest huts in Canada. This climb provides two route options: a direct route to the hut, or a high traversie along the crest of the Great Divide. Out team took the high traverse route, which features several peaks over 10,000 feet.

Day 3: The route from Lyell Hut to Icefall Lodge entails dealing with mulitiple crevasses, rock and ice. The White Ledge, the most technical and exposed section of the route, requires safety protection including bolts and a cable handrail. The athletes descend to the small Tivoli Glacier, crossing and then climbing up to a small col, en route to Icefall Lodge.

Above Icefall Lodge / @PowderMatt Mosteller

If you would like to emulate the training practices of the Canadian SkiMo team, I suggest you consider hiring an accredited guide from the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides ("ACMG"). These professionals know the British Columbia well, and will provide you with the safest and most enjoyeable journey in these rugged and beautiful mountains. Related Adventure Article