I know I keep adding strange non triathlon races here so I figure I will start with some definitions so you can understand exactly what is going on.
First let me define skimo (the type of race this was):

Ski mountaineering is a skiing discipline that involves climbing mountains either on skis/snowboard or carrying them, depending on the steepness of the ascent, and then descending on skis/snowboard.

Competitive ski mountaineering is typically a timed racing event that follows an established trail through challenging winter alpine terrain while passing through a series of checkpoints. Racers climb and descend under their own power using backcountry skiing/snowboarding equipment and techniques. More generally, ski mountaineering is an activity that variously combines ski/snowboard touring, Telemark, backcountry skiing/snowboarding, and mountaineering.

Now I bet you wonder, how do you go uphill on a snowboard? In comes the splitboard which I will now give you a definition of: A splitboard is regular snowboard that splits a part into two halves that become skis. This allows a snowboarder to ascend the mountain in the same manner as a backcountry skier. Climbing skins are used for traction and the same trail or “skintrack” can be used by both backcountry skiers and splitboarders alike. Once on the top, the user puts the two halves together and it quickly transforms into a snowboard again for the descent!


A splitboard has some major disadvantages to skis. The first and probably most obvious is the transition. Skiiers simply take off their skins, lock down their bindings and go. A spltboard has to literally be reassembled from skis to a snowboard, putting the two halves back together.

The second challenge is more about physics. A splitboard is much wider and heavier making ascending slower due to gravity and friction (more surface area.) Additionally and something I found to be incredibly challenging is when traversing you are less agile and maneuverable and it's harder to do everything from hold and edge to kick turn.

For these reasons, splitboarders have their own category within a skimo race.

Hopefully that clears some things up so now, let me share my experience!

I was kind of nervous for this race. I had no idea what to expect as I am very new to splitboarding in general let alone racing. I don't have a lot of technique under my belt either. I was doing it just for fun but it's a lot to manage when you are trying something new for the first time mixed with avalanche danger and a slough of other things to think about regarding safety. But I knew I was fit and that I would have to lean heavily on that.

We lined up at the start line and I looked around and found a few other splitboard women and struck up conversation with them. They were very sweet and had done the race before. I figured I could just watch them and learn.

They did a countdown and we were off! Much like any race, there is kind of a panicked sprint start then everyone settles into a more sustainable pace. I plodded my way up the mountain and could feel my heart-rate climbing quickly as well. Things were going smooth until the first traverse. As I had mentioned before, sharp traversing turns are really hard on a board. I slip back, almost fell, awkwardly stepped, slid again...eventually I got it but the two women I had talked to earlier easily passed by me. I watched them and tried to learn from their technique. Soon, I got minimally better at the turns but it was HARD! Especially because the entire first section was full of them.

I struggled and flailed my way up through the trees and along the base of the north facing cliffs. I passed the two women towards the top and kept my momentum. I was sweating buckets and I probably looked like I wanted to murder someone. I reached the first check-point and a woman shouted, "You're the first place female splitboard!!!" I smiled and then totally fell on my face at her feet. I sheepishly said, "Yep and first idiot too." She laughed and said, "Nope, not the first" Hahahaha.

I kept pushing. And crashing. Push, crash, push crash. Then I finally came to the midpoint on the mountain. I took a moment to drink some water (which I was almost out of) then pushed on. There was a small descent which I was nervous about because you are basically skiing downhill on your splitboard (which it's not totally meant to do) but I managed to do it without crashing. We started ascending again, steeply. There was one very steep section I needed to get up but could not figure out how to make the turn. I just couldn't get traction. So, with all my strength and agility I threw myself in a grand fosbury flop-like move up over the cornice of snow, again at the feet of a course marshal, rolling into a somersault then pulling myself to my feet. The marshal was dying laughing, he said, "Wow, and here comes the somersaulting starfish! Can't say I've seen that move before!!!"

I just had to laugh at myself. I was a sweaty disastrous shitshow with literally zero finesse. I continued up the mountain then my heart sank when I saw we had to transition out of our skis/board and boot-pack (meaning hike on foot) up a super steep chute between the cliffs. Attaching my board onto the backpack I was using would be extremely cumbersome and I didn't want to waste the time so I scooped up my poles and board and carried it up the chute. Unable to use my hands (they were full) I had to be very careful with my climbing and take care in NOT slipping and sliding all the way back down.

Luckily I made it to the top ok and put my board back on my feet, continuing on up. I took a peak back to see if the other split-boarding women were nearby or not. I didn't see either of them.

I continued on up, getting better at traversing and turning, bit by bit. But I fell. A lot. It had started to pour down rain at this point and ironically I was really, really thirsty as I had gone through all my water.

We got to another section we had to boot pack, this time there were ropes to climb with but again, I didn't take the time to put my board on my back so I couldn't use the ropes. Luckily again, I made it ok.

The course marshal at the top was awesome, cheering us on and dancing, playing music on his portable speaker. He told me I was the first split woman and cheered me on as I put my board on yet again.

It was the final push to the summit. I felt aerobically maxed out. My heart was pounding so hard the entire ascent between the physical effort, struggling with my actual efficiency and skills and the adrenaline of fearing for my life at certain points (it wasn't THAT dangerous but I didn't want to fall off a cliff due to a mis-step.)

I gritted my teeth and got through the gate at the top where again the volunteer cheered me on for being first female split. Some of the other skiers I was around cheered for me (they had been observing my struggle first hand lol.)

Surprisingly the transition of my snowboard from ascending mode to descending mode went better than it ever has! I removed the skins and put them in my bag, put my board together and transitioned the bindings, collapsed my poles and attached them to my backpack and I was off!

On the way up all you can think about is how nice it will be to go downhill. Problem is my legs were SHOT and we had to ride down technical terrain. I took my time through some of the more precarious portions then was able to gain some speed. I could see the debris field from the large avalanche the ski patrol had triggered earlier. I was very thankful for them!

I made a few more of the descending checkpoints quickly then finally could see the finish. I was so excited! I linked some nice turns in the slushy snow and crossed the line under two hours.

I couldn't believe I had won! I couldn't believe I was still in one piece!

Practice technique, eventually get a better board, practice, practice, practice. Bring more water.