The Ymir Climber

Nestled within the picturesque Selkirks, beneath the awe-inspiring silhouette of Ymir peak, lies Whitewater Ski 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, British Columbia, 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 in-bounds terrain via dedicated uphill tracks while venturing off-piste to discover lesser-known yet enchanting hidden gems.

Vertical Race
Starting from the Hummingbird Lodge, up Quartz Ski Way to the top of the Raven chair, the Vertical Race consists of a single ascent completed entirely on skis or a splitboard using skins.

Individual Race
Up the King, down Goat Trees, up Summit, over to West Ymir, down West Ymir, up the King, up the Half Dome bootpack, down Goat’s Slide, back to the Day Lodge. With multiple ascents and descents, the Individual Race will take racers anywhere from 1.5 - 3 hours to complete. This race approximates a ski tour, with climbs being a mix of on- and off-piste skinning, bootpacking, and descents including everything from groomed runs to backcountry skiing.

Relay Race
This 2026 Winter Olympics event takes place in a team of two competitors, with each member of the team carrying out a circuit one after the other and each athlete racing twice through Upper Concentrator and Jackpot. This is quite a fast event; with approximately 120m of vertical, each circuit lasts about 15 minutes including 2 ascents and 2 descents, one of which will include a bootpack.

There are male & female elite & heavy metal categories for the Vertical Race.

12:00pm - 2:00pm: Check-in for all events at The Hummingbird Lodge

2:15pm: Athletes Meeting at The Hummingbird Lodge

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 at The Hummingbird Lodge

Vertical Race Required Equipment

Vertical Race Course

There are male & female 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

Individual Race Required Equipment

Individual Race Course

There is a male/female elite category & male/male, female/female, and male/female heavy metal categories for the Relay Race.

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

8:15am: Athletes Meeting

8:30am: Warm up

9:30am: Course Inspection

10:00am: Qualifying Round start

11:00am: Finals B Relay Race start

12:00pm: Finals A Relay Race start

1:30pm: Results posted

2:00pm: Podium in the base area

Relay Race Required Equipment

Relay Race Course