STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK Idaho’s inaugural youth ski mountaineering team will celebrate its season launch from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9, at Backwoods Mountain Sports. The event, open to the public, will share insights about the sport and more. Experienced ski racer and coach Jackson Long is launching the “skimo” […]
STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK
Idaho’s inaugural youth ski mountaineering team will celebrate its season launch from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9, at Backwoods Mountain Sports.
The event, open to the public, will share insights about the sport and more.
Experienced ski racer and coach Jackson Long is launching the “skimo” program, aimed at enhancing fitness and skills for agile ski touring and racing. It welcomes skiers aged 13 to 19 who have experience in downhill skiing.
This sport will debut in the Olympics during the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Games.
USA Skimo aims to position U.S. ski mountaineering athletes on the podium at World Cup and World Championships events. Currently, the national team includes athletes from Bozeman, Mont; Park City, Utah; Durango, Colo., and other locations in Utah and Colorado, but lacks representatives from Idaho.
The competition involves ascending mountains on skis and traversing various terrains before skiing down to the finish line. Participants will gain knowledge about avalanche safety and other essential skills for success in the sport.
During the event, Long will explain the program’s details, showcase the equipment, introduce coaches, and present his vision. An endurance athlete himself, Long has competed in several skimo national championships and other significant races, challenging himself with tasks such as skiing across the ridges of the Boulder Mountains near Galena Lodge.
He aims to initiate a three-week informal evening race series for the community at Rotarun starting Feb. 26.
“The Wood River Valley offers top-notch backcountry ski access, making it an ideal training ground for skimo training and racing,” he stated. “With professional training in endurance coaching and sports nutrition, along with years of experience as a high-level endurance athlete, I aspire to cultivate the next generation of winter mountain athletes who share a passion for swift movement in the mountains.”
For more information, visit https://sunvalleyskimo.org.
