The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on June 2022 that ski mountaineering will be a new addition to the Winter Olympics, with the ISMF working on creating a qualifying proccess during the 2023-24 season.

Olalla Cernuda, head of media and communications at ISMF, expressed excitement in the future of the sport.

"There will be three medal events of two disciplines in the coming Winter Olympics," said Cernuda, as quoted by Xinhua Net.

"The audience will easily feel the intensity, no matter whether they have tried this sport or not. 

"What is even more beautiful is that female and male athletes will compete together in the mixed relay. 

"This gender-equality-focused discipline helps close the gender gap in top-level sports events."

Ski mountaineering will offer a huge difference to other snow sports, as competitors climb uphill instead of the usual downhill in other sports, which could raise safety concerns.

The vice manager of China's national ski mountaineering team Zhang Yaohua shared an explanation on the danger of the sport.

"Hikers won't be blocked from the tracks by deep snow, skiing amateurs won't be limited on groomed pistes, mountaineers will be able to transit certain high-risked terrain and descend after peaking with efficiency," Zhang said.

"The technics (sic) could be mastered in resorts or on small hills where safety is not a concern. 

"On the other hand, beginners will be motivated to learn how to identify and reduce the potential hazards of wild winter, for example, avalanches."

The 2026 Winter Olympics is set to be held from February 6 to February 22 2026, with ski mountaineering set to have three different events.