The Ymir Climber

Nestled within the picturesque Selkirks, beneath the awe-inspiring silhouette of Ymir peak, lies Whitewater Mountain Resort. Embracing the allure of its backcountry terrain, the resort boasts an array of bowls, ridges, and peaks, all accessible within a few hours of uphill travel.

Situated a mere 20-minute drive from the vibrant and eclectic town of Nelson, BC, this cherished destination, beloved by locals, eagerly anticipates hosting three days of exhilarating ski mountaineering racing as an integral part of the esteemed Canada Cup.

These meticulously-crafted courses will challenge competitors to navigate both in-bounds terrain via dedicated uphill tracks as well as Whitewater's pristine backcountry, uncovering hidden gems and lesser-known zones.

Courses are subject to change based on conditions and avalanche hazard.

Starting at the Day Lodge, the Vertical Race ascends Quartz Ski Way, Silver King Ski Way, and Ymir Ski Way to the top of the Raven chair.

The course is a single ascent, completed entirely on skis or a splitboard with skins.

Elevation Gain: 435m

Distance: 3.3km

Vertical Race Required Equipment

Vertical Race Route

There are male, female, and non-binary elite & heavy metal categories for the Vertical Race.

12:00pm - 2:00pm: Check-in for all events at the Yurt

2:15pm: Athletes Meeting at the Yurt

2:30pm: Warm up

3:30pm: Vertical Race start

4:30pm: Cutoff for Finishing

5:00pm: Cutoff for After Race Check-in

5:00pm: Results posted

5:30pm: Podium on the 2nd floor of the Day Lodge

Starting at the Day Lodge, racers will ascend the Raven slope, bootpacking above the Goat Wall cliffs before transitioning back to skinning for the final climb to Half Dome. They will descend Goat's to Motherlode Trees, then skin up to the White Lightning bootpack in Catch Basin, skin behind Prospector to West Ymir, and descend into Ymir Bowl. They will then skin up to Mini Bamboo, bootpack to the ridge, then skin to the top of First Choice before descending into Ymir Main to finish with an uphill sprint by the Yurt. With multiple ascents and descents and ranging from 1.5 to 3 hours, this race offers a mix of on- and off-piste skinning, bootpacking, and both groomed and backcountry skiing.

Elevation Gain & Loss: 1,525m

Distance: 12.21km

Individual Race Required Equipment

Individual Race Route

There are male, female, and non-binary elite & heavy metal categories for the Individual Race.

7:30am - 8:15am: Check-in at Coal Oil Johnny's Pub

8:15am: Athletes Meeting

8:30am: Warm up

9:15am: Pre-Race Transceiver Check

9:30am: Individual Race start

2:00pm: Cutoff for Finishing

2:30pm: Cutoff for After Race Check-in

2:30pm: Results posted

3:00pm: Podium in the base area

This 2026 Winter Olympics discipline is a short-format event that is new this year, consisting of a skin section, a bootpacking section, and a clearly marked gate descent. As the title implies, this is a very fast race, and is based on completing the total course in approximately 3 minutes for the fastest racers.

With six athletes per heat and athletes starting every 20 seconds, the total ascent and descent is about 100m.

Nicoya Schmidt
Sales & Marketing Coordinator