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The next Winter Olympics will feature a sport dominated by Colorado athletes.

Ski mountaineering will join the 2026 Games in Cortina, Italy. Nine of the 10 men and women on the national teams hail from Colorado.

State of play: The niche sport is increasing in popularity with explosive growth in backcountry skiing in recent years.

How it works: In skimo, competitors ascend the mountain with skins on the bottom of their skis for grip. They take them off to zip down, and repeat, completing multiple routes.

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