U.S. ski mountaineering evangelist Cam Smith finishes fourth in Olympic debut

Smith and teammate Anna Gibson narrowly miss the podium in the mixed relay event at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Cam Smith, a 30-year-old from Rockford, Illinois, has been on a mission to spread the word about the sport of ski mountaineering. After taking up the sport in 2015 and steadily improving, Smith qualified for the U.S. Olympic team and competed in the debut of ski mountaineering at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina. Despite being a relative newcomer to the sport, Smith and his teammate Anna Gibson finished a respectable fourth place in the mixed relay event, just 17 seconds off the podium.

Why it matters

Ski mountaineering, an endurance sport that combines uphill skiing, downhill skiing, and hiking, is still relatively unknown in the United States. Smith's success in qualifying for the Olympics and his fourth-place finish help bring greater awareness and legitimacy to the sport in the U.S., where it has struggled to gain a foothold compared to its popularity in parts of Europe.

The details

Smith, who works part-time at the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado, started competing in ski mountaineering in 2015 after his sister wanted to do The Grand Traverse race. Despite being an average high school runner, Smith fell in love with the sport and steadily improved, even though he often finished last in his early races. He began competing in Europe in the late 2010s to gain experience against the world's best, and his breakthrough came in 2022 when he became the first American to podium in a ski mountaineering World Cup event. That performance helped earn him a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, along with teammate Anna Gibson, an elite trail runner.

  • Smith started competing in ski mountaineering in the winter of 2014-15.
  • Around 2016-17, Smith started winning his age group in U.S. competitions.
  • In 2022, Smith became the first American to podium in a ski mountaineering World Cup race.
  • The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina marked the debut of ski mountaineering as an Olympic event.

The players

Cam Smith

A 30-year-old from Rockford, Illinois who has been a driving force in promoting ski mountaineering in the United States. He started competing in the sport in 2015 and has steadily improved, culminating in a fourth-place finish in the mixed relay event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Anna Gibson

An elite trail runner and 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier in the 1,500 meters, who teamed up with Cam Smith to represent the United States in the ski mountaineering mixed relay event at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Oscar Angeloni

An Italian coach with a long history in the sport of ski mountaineering, who was hired to lead the U.S. ski mountaineering team ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

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What they’re saying

“I am literally just a guy. I was an average high school runner. The idea of competing in the Olympics? Or even seeing skimo in the Olympics? It's just, I don't know.”

— Cam Smith (New York Times)

“This sport is so cool. To be able to make your own trail up the mountain. To be in the wilderness. To be in the alpine, in the winter, when it's hardest to access these wild places. This sport lets you do it and lets you do it creatively in these exciting, and harsh, and majestic environments.”

— Cam Smith (New York Times)

“I said, no, it's impossible.”

— Oscar Angeloni, Italian coach of the U.S. ski mountaineering team (New York Times)

What’s next

The U.S. ski mountaineering team will look to build on their success at the 2026 Olympics and continue growing the sport's popularity in the United States.

The takeaway

Cam Smith's journey from an average high school runner to an Olympic ski mountaineering competitor highlights the sport's potential to capture the imagination of American athletes and fans. Despite the challenges of growing the sport in the U.S., Smith's fourth-place finish and role as an evangelist for ski mountaineering suggest a bright future for the discipline.