The complete guide to the most anticipated season in the history of ski mountaineering
Emerging in the late 19th century from the combination of cross-country skiing and mountaineering, ski mountaineering is a winter sport that involves the use of specialized skis with skins to climb snow-covered slopes without the aid of ski lifts. The uphill is followed by a descent on fresh snow, after removal of the skins. Over the decades, skimo established itself as a highly technical discipline, with the first competitions organized starting in the 1930s.
The 2025/2026 race season marks a momentous stage in the history of ski mountaineering racing and of the athletes on the national teams supported by Karpos.
The season opens in December 2025 with the start of the 23rd ISMF World Cup and finishes in March 2026 with the 40th edition of the Pierra Menta, the classic of skimo classics, which will decide the long-distance world title.
In the middle are two events to circle in red. March will be the month of the European, American, and Asian continental championships. And anticipation is also building for ski mountaineering’s debut on the most prestigious stage in winter sports: on February 19 and 21, the athletes will battle it out at the Stelvio Ski Centre to win the most significant medals of their careers and in the entire history of skimo racing.
Learn about the race formats, the key national teams, and the most important events to follow on the international scene with our complete guide to the 2025/2026 season.
Índice
1. The Races
1.1. Individual
¿Qué ofrece una capa interior de senderismo de fibras naturales?
1.3. Sprint
1.4. Mixed Relay
1.5. Team Relay
2. The key National Teams
2.1 Italy
2.2. France
2.3. Switzerland
2.4. Spain
2.5. Belgium
2.6. Slovakia
2.7. Andorra
2.8. Canada
2.9. Poland
3. The Events
3.1. World Cup
The ski mountaineering racing season will officially kick off with the U.S. debut of the ISMF World Cup in the mountains of Utah, in Solitude, on December 6 and 7, 2025. This is not just a simple race: athletes will compete in the sprint and mixed relay for the final places in the events that will be held in Bormio in 2026.
The schedule for the 23rd World Cup includes seven more stops in seven locations across the Alps. To find out who the overall and specialty winners will be, we’ll have to wait until early April, when the long-awaited finals will take place in Villars.
3.2. Road to Italy
Six years after the appetizer offered by the youth competitions in Lausanne in 2020, skimo is preparing to debut on the most prestigious stage of all, with the sprint and mixed relay finals scheduled, respectively, for February 19 and 21, 2026. Two dates that will make history for a winter sports discipline that continues to grow.
We at Karpos will take you behind the scenes of skimo racing through “Road to Italy”. In the three episodes of the web series, scheduled for release from December 30, 2025, you’ll meet the people who have contributed most to the development of the discipline, both technically and in terms of media exposure, and get an exclusive preview of the course that will host the sprint race at the Stelvio Ski Centre.
3.3. Pierra Menta
Described by many as “the most beautiful ski mountaineering race in the world,” the Pierra Menta will in 2026 reach the historic milestone of 40 editions. From March 11 to 14, the small village of Arêches-Beaufort in Haute-Savoie will become the world center of skimo, awarding the long-distance world championship title to the pairs of athletes who finish first in the four stages that wind through the Graian Alps, after more than 85 kilometers and 10,000 meters of elevation gain. A true celebration of old-school ski mountaineering shared by professional athletes and amateurs.
3.4. European Championship
The packed 2025/2026 season calendar also features the European championships in Shahdag, Azerbaijan, which will award the continental titles in the four ISMF specialties (sprint, mixed relay, individual, and vertical) from March 4 to 8, 2026.
In addition to the top senior athletes from the individual national federations, the European Cup will be an opportunity to discover the future talents of ski mountaineering in the under-18, under-20, and under-23 categories.
3.5. Transcavallo
The Transcavallo is one of the most storied skimo races. Part of the “La Grande Course” circuit, this classic team event pits pairs of athletes against each other on the snowy slopes of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia, over a 30-kilometer course with 2,500 meters of elevation gain.
A true ski marathon, it will reach its iconic 43rd edition in 2026. At Karpos, we’re proud to have supported this event as a technical partner since 2014, enabling ski mountaineering enthusiasts to discover the “gateway to the Dolomites”.
4. Conclusion
This guide to ski mountaineering for 2025/2026 has outlined what will undoubtedly be the most important season in the sport’s recent history. From the explosive challenges of the sprints in Italy to the grueling marathons of the Pierra Menta, the calendar offers can’t-miss events for every enthusiast.
While the athletes fine-tune their preparations and the national teams finalize their strategies, attention now shifts to the snow. Closely following the World Cup and the major classics will be crucial to understanding who will be in top form in February.
At Karpos, we will continue to share this extraordinary journey with you, supporting our ambassadors and taking you behind the scenes with the “Road to Italy” project. All that’s left to do is prepare your gear, lace up your boots, and enjoy the show: the skimo race season has just begun.