What Is the Kulshan Randonnée? Inside a Wild, Team-Based Skimo Race Artwork

SKIMO GOLD

The premier podcast and YouTube show for ski mountaineering interviews and analysis. Explore the high-altitude, high-stakes world of skimo as elite athletes prepare for Olympic competition and beyond. From the World Cup podium to the local skintrack, SKIMO GOLD is THE podcast for smooth-gliding, quick-transitioning, lung-burning, kick-turning beta on training, racing, gear, fueling, mindset, and–most importantly–FUN! Join hosts Travis Macy and Cam Smith regularly for novel conversations with the world’s best athletes, coaches, organizers, and skimo aficionados plus just-in-time race analysis. Produced for all podcast players by Palm Tree Pod Co.

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SKIMO GOLD

What Is the Kulshan Randonnée? Inside a Wild, Team-Based Skimo Race

January 30, 2026 • Travis Macy • Episode 29

0:00 | 34:27

This week on Skimo Gold, we're diving deep into one of the most ambitious and soulful ski mountaineering races in North America: the Kulshan Randonnée.

Think European-style grand course racing—but fully untamed. Glaciers, rope work, teams of three, real consequence, and an active volcano (Mount Baker) as the backdrop. Kulshan isn’t about groomers or convenience. It’s about wild mountain skiing, partnership, craft, and respect for the landscape.

Co-host, Travis Macy is joined by race organizers Chris and Emily to unpack how Kulshan Randonée came to life, why team-based skimo racing matters, and how this event honors the long-form roots of the sport while carving out something uniquely American. We talk Olympic skimo vs. soul skimo, public lands, community, training for technical terrain, and what it really means to race with your teammates instead of just next to them.

If you’ve ever wondered whether modern skimo can coexist with adventure, tradition, and wild places—this conversation is for you. Whether you’re eyeing the short course, the full 22-mile epic, or just dreaming of bigger mountain days, Kulshan Randonnée represents what’s possible when speed meets stewardship.