What is "SKIMO"?

 First: what the heck is "skimo"?! So many terms get tossed around like "skimo" vs "uphill skiing" vs "skinning," "ski mountaineering."  "Nordic skiing," "backcountry skiing," "alpine skiing," and "cross country skiing"... did I get it all?  If you didn't grow up in Colorado, or a ski town, then some of these terms may be a little fuzzy (Like what's the difference between Crossing country skiing and Backcountry? I'm here to clear this up for you. As a fellow East Coaster living on the shore, I didn't understand it at first either. 

Nordic Skiing: A type of skiing that is usually on flat or moderate rolling hills, making a cross (X) the motion of the skiing. It requires very thin specialized skis, and usually the best Nordic skiers are zipping loops around each other at 15-25mph. Nordic skiing events have been in the Olympics since 1924.

McKeever and Suiarko race at the 2018 World Para Nordic Skiing World Cup in Germany

Cross country skiing: Cross country is on similar terrain as Nordic, it is in bounds of resorts but mimics similar motions of back country skiing. Skiers stride in parallel motions to propel themselves forward. The skies are a bit wider than Nordic equipment, but can be done with them as well! The key difference is the motion and usually speed.

Photo by: REI

Back country skiing: Back country skiing involves the movement of cross country skiing, but usually it is does with wider skis, backcountry equipment for avalanche safety (such as an avalanche beacon, probe, shovel, and a pack) and is done out of bounds. Hence, in the back country! This form of skiing allows endless opportunities to explore the mountains but can come at a safety cost. It is wise to get avalanche safety training before embarking into the back country. 

Photo By: The Sierra Club

Ski Mountaineering (SKIMO): Ski Mountaineering can technically be BOTH in the boundaries of resorts and parks, or in the back country. The movement mimics the cross-country parallel motions, but is often accompanied with steep uphill climbs and descents. In SKIMO races there is also often a "boot pack section," (will explain in future posts). Uphill skiing requires some extra equipment to propel you up the mountain without sliding down. The main piece of equipment for the uphill portion of Skimo is skins. These stick to the bottom of the skis, and are removed when the skier is ready to descend down the mountain. Additionally a binding setup that allows for both freedom of the heal while going uphill, and then locking in to go downhill is essential. SKIMO is short of Ski Mountaineering. Uphill skiing is a part of this type of skiing. And skinning is uphill skiing! The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently announced that this style of ski racing is now an Olympic sport, be on the look out for SKIMO at the Winter Olympics in 2026!

Photo by: Outdoorphotographie

Yahoo!